Dentistry in the United States was faced with some trouble as 1980s entered as an ironic repercussion of their 20 year success in preventing tooth decay. The cosmetic branch of dentistry flourished just as the traditional dental work demands decreased. Out of the country’s pool of 130,000 dentists, 80 percent are now doing cosmetic work and most of them report it the department which has marked the fastest growth.
The cosmetic division of dentistry is said to be able to generate almost half of the $32 billion annual revenue of the industry, said a professor at a medical college in Georgia and book author. Cosmetic work among dentists has increased three times as much compared to five years ago, according to the president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. This increase was generally the effect of the enhancement of the materials.
Thin porcelain covers slipped over the existing teeth that are secured in position are the most notable among them. As they need to prevent chipping, patients need to also prevent themselves from gnawing on spareribs and biting their nails. This is low maintenance, according to most dentists, yet it is durable and very natural looking. Ten porcelain laminates procedures a month can secure $250,000 to the dentist’s annual revenue.
Another treatment that is gaining popularity is the bleaching procedure which is a chemical method of whitening the teeth that can be availed at $100 to $200. Most clients for this type of service are entertainers and politicians. But not all patrons are public figures because some private people also patronize this, especially men. Male patients get more and more enthusiastic about cosmetic dentistry that from 20 percent a few years ago, they now comprise 40 percent of cosmetic patients.
Porcelain has been used by dentists for decades, but it was only a few years ago that porcelain veneers, and the bonding techniques to existing teeth, were fully refined. This year, American manufacturers will sell more than 300,000 porcelain laminates for about $20 million. The top of the line material these days is porcelain, but dental cosmeticians have yet to cease hunting or baking to find a better bond. One dentist uses ceramic particles in a resin base to form caps and bridges. The caps are heated in an oven for seven minutes after forming the mold in the mouth. You will get caps that are twice as durable as porcelain laminates slashing amount half its price.
Dentists can do baked bonding on premises if they have a specialty designed oven, which costs about $1,000. The adhesive strength is said to increase three times in this New York dentist’s patented silk bonding procedure. The price also hikes 25 percent from the regular bonding. An official of the ADA acknowledged that the baking technique used does strengthen composite materials, but the improvement is not that significant.
Another newly discovered process cuts out the need to use bonds in particular cases. Hydrogen peroxide is now their main ingredient for application to do the bleaching. Discoloration that has been bleached away may recur, but dentists say the procedure has yet to have an ill effect reported. The difficulties of patients to imagine the result of the cosmetic procedure they are undergoing give dentists a problem because of returning patients with uncertainty.
A university professor in Southern California has installed a computer system in his clinic that permits patients to view prior the expected outcome of their dental procedure even before beginning with the process. A video camera, an electronic pen, and an electronic writing pad are all part of the system which are hooked to a computer with screen. The camera is for the image of the patient’s smile which will go straight to the monitor. With the help of the electronic pen and pad, the cosmetic change can be projected onscreen, like teeth whitening, gap closing and rough edge smoothing.
No one has any idea how their smile looks like from up close and so they are surprised with the image. Then they are enlightened to how amazing is the improvement that a seemingly nonexistent change can do to their total appearance.
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