Wednesday, May 09, 2012
We have made mistakes in the past when
it comes to dental esthetics. As dentists
we spent so much time focusing on just
the teeth. But it’s not just their teeth
that patients are concerned with—it’s their smiles.
In my esthetic lectures, I now teach dentists to
“stop treating teeth and start treating smiles.” Even
when speaking with patients, dentists should refer
to “smiles” instead of “teeth.” That slight change in
semantics will help explain how dental esthetics
requires more than just great teeth to create a
winning smile makeover. And treating the smile,
instead of only the teeth, will give your patients
the esthetic results they desire.
If a patient came in and only wanted two
veneers, I would give them a mirror and ask them
to count the number of teeth they see showing
when they smile. Though they are asking for
teeth, we know, of course, that they really want
a great-looking smile—a smile that includes more
than just those few veneers.
http://www.facialesthetics.org/Lip%20Service%20AGD%20Impact%20May%202012.pdf