Creating A Mona Lisa Smile

Posted by drgracesun on December 8, 2010 under Beautiful Smile, Cosmetic Dentistry, Technology | Be the First to Comment

When you think of fine art and priceless paintings, Leonardo da Vinci no doubt comes to mind. It may be a surprise to learn, however, that the same technique Leonardo used to create lifelike works of art is the same technique a master dentist professional uses for reproducing a beautiful “Mona Lisa Smile.”   Leonardo’s layering technique used to achieve the Mona Lisa’s alluring, dreamlike quality is identical to the method that a true artistic ceramist will utilize to create lifelike dental restorations.

The cabalistically alluring smile of lady Mona Lisa remains a mystery, but French scientists say they have cracked a few secrets of the famous painting. Researchers at The Louvre have studied seven of the museum’s Leonardo da Vinci paintings, including the Mona Lisa, to analyze the master’s use of successive ultrathin layers of paint and glaze – a technique that gave his works their soft and sensual quality.

Specialists from the Center for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France found that da Vinci painted up to 30 layers of paint and glaze on his works to achieve astonishingly high levels of subtlety. Added up, all the layers are less than 40 micrometers, or about half the thickness of a human hair, researcher Philippe Walter said Friday. The technique is called “sfumato,” and it allowed da Vinci to give outlines and contours a hazy quality (creating an illusion of depth and shadow). The technique’s use is well-known, but scientific study on it has been limited because, until the advent of advanced laser technology, tests required actual samples from the paintings.

Just as Leonardo da Vinci used the sfumato technique to intricately layer paint and glaze (creating beautiful works of art), a master artist uses similar techniques of layering porcelain powder to create realistic dental restorations. Dr. Sun chooses from approximately 30 different shades of porcelain powder, which are layered to create the illusion of a natural tooth. The result is an extremely high quality restoration, indistinguishable from an organically created tooth. It is important to note that the vast majority of porcelain technicians use only a few rudimentary shades of porcelain powder, resulting in a mediocre restoration which may look slightly artificial.

When searching for a cosmetic dentist, look for samples of his or her team’s work! Cosmetic dentists rely on an integrated team of clinical and laboratory experts to assist in creating lifelike porcelain restorations. Realistic shade and color should be present, not one solid shade of white. If possible, see how the restoration illuminates (how the tooth looks in natural sunlight) – is there a shift, like a natural tooth? Find a master artist who can provide you with the smile of your dreams. If you need a resource to find a cosmetic dentist in your area, the American Academy for Cosmetic Dentistry provides a search tool to find accredited AACD cosmetic dentists in your area.

“How Can I Treat My Missing Tooth?”

Posted by drgracesun on February 15, 2009 under Beautiful Smile | Be the First to Comment

It is exciting when you are loosing your baby teeth and welcoming in your permanent adult teeth, but that should be the end of a person’s teeth loss! For the majority of us, we need 28 teeth to support our facialmuscular system. If one tooth is missing, it could lead to a physiological domino effect, in which a simple problem becomes exacerbated. A missing front tooth is unthinkable to live with – it must be restored ASAP. A missing back tooth, however, is sometimes ignored. This can lead to surrounding teeth shifting and tilting, during which the dentition can later cause gum, tooth and bite problems. At that point, restoring the mouth is not only a one-tooth job, but concerns multiple teeth, gum and bone. It is much easier to handle one missing tooth and not deal with such tremendous consequences.

What are the causes of missing teeth? Congenital missing teeth (teeth which never formed), severely broken down and non-restorable teeth due to dental diseases, lack of supporting bone for teeth due to advanced gum disease and physical trauma from a serious mouth injury are all common reasons. Once you do loose a tooth, your oral environment is severely affected! Besides smile-phobia, speech impairment for missing front teeth, diet complications (in which you can’t properly bite and chew food – especially with foods rich in fiber which require a good set of teeth to digest), and bite force can all be severely affected. Shift and tilt on existing teeth when the jaw exerts pressure lead to uneven loading creates jaw tension and possible accelerated wear and tear of the teeth. Additionally, tilted and shifted teeth make it more difficult to clean , which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

Thankfully, dentistry has greatly advanced in recent times, and you do have multiple treatment options for a missing tooth! If just one tooth is missing, dental implants are a great option which can replace the missing tooth without affecting the adjacent teeth, and preserve the bone as well. Dental implants are made of bio-compatible titanium, which are surgically placed into the jaw to preplace the missing root structure. Then, a post and crown is built on top of the implant. Other options include a dental bridge , which needs capping (a crown) of neighboring teeth to help support the artificial tooth replacing the missing one. It is stationary and feels natural (if made properly), but connected teeth need a special tool for flossing. Full or partial dentures are generally the least expensive treatment option, especially if many or all of a person’s teeth are missing. This option involves false teeth being set into a plastic base, which fits over your gums.

What will be the best treatment option for you? Please consult with your dental professional, the sooner the better!

“How Long Will It Last? Bonding vs. Veneers”

Posted by drgracesun on January 30, 2009 under Beautiful Smile | Read the First Comment

“Does it hurt? How long will it last? How long will it take? How much does it cost?”

These are common questions from patients looking for cosmetic dentistry.

If you’re interested in cosmetic dentistry to get yourself a winning smile, whether the problem is mis-alignment, cracked or chipping teeth, unsightly spacing, uneven or dark colored dentition, uneven or too much (or not enough) smile showing, or even gum erosion, the eternal question always arises: What would be the best solution?

In the past, crowns were the primary choice for masking tooth problems, but since the late 1980s, cosmetic dentistry has offered both bonding and veneers to improve your smile. This leads to the eternal question: “Bonding or veneers?”

Dental bonding involves the application of a durable composite material directly to the surface of the tooth, by your dentist, which is then sculpted and artistically shaped to the exact look the patient desires, to blend naturally and seamlessly with the patient’s existing teeth. A laser (or high intensity light) is then used to cure the composite material, hardening and reinforcing it to the surface of the tooth. This bonding technique has many applications, not only for aesthetic uses but also for prosthodontics and pediatric dentistry. The advantages to dental bonding are a quick treatment time (can be completed in one office visit after a consultation), and a relatively low cost per tooth when compared with porcelain veneers. Durability of bonding will be affected by the oral environment. Since composite bonding is a mixture of quartz particle (70% – 80% filled) and resin, discoloration and breakage is inevitable if your mouth has a high acidic pH value (if you are a soda drinker, lemon lover or candy sucker), if the bonding was not supported by a solid tooth structure, or if you are a night grinder.

Porcelain veneers are fabricated in the laboratory. They are 100% filled with hard mineral particles, and are fired at a high temperature with a vacuum (to procure the best physical properties to sustain the veneer’s strength in the harsh oral environment). Compared to bonding, there is more procedural work involved with porcelain veneers. There are different techniques to fabricate the veneer pieces (which call for different methods of preparation for the tooth); the pressing technique produces a stronger veneer, but requires 0.8mm thickness of the veneer. The porcelain powder build-up technique can produce super thin veneers (0.3mm), which produces a very conservative look on your tooth structure, while at the same time keeping a natural silhouette. The veneer piece lays on top of the tooth structure and is similar to a press-on nail. They chemically adhere to the tooth with bonding composite cement; since porcelain is acid resistant and stronger in physical properties than composite material, this restoration provides long-term service. When getting the veneers, the first visit consists of preparation and imprints f the teeth (which might involve anesthetic ). After this, you will leave the office with temporary veneers which look like natural teeth. A wafer-thin veneer is then crafted out of porcelain which is seamlessly cemented to the front side of the tooth on the second visit. In addition to straightening teeth, porcelain veneers can close gaps between teeth, whiten teeth that do not respond well to bleaching , and can also be used to protect damaged tooth surfaces. The advantages to porcelain veneers over bonding is that veneers are much longer lasting (and stronger) than composite bonding material.

Whether you decide to invest in dental bonding or porcelain veneers, make sure you have all work done at a reputable dentist, preferably at a practice which has its own in-house ceramic lab. When ceramic work is done by an in-house lab with an in-house ceramist, any changes that need to be made to the length or color of the veneers can be done without requiring an additional office visit. Remember, the result of the cosmetic procedures are truly varied depending on the ability of the dentist, ceramist, your clinical situation and the communication between all parties involved. Do your research!

Both bonding and veneers are additive procedures, depending on the position, alignment and shape of your teeth, which is the foundation for any new restorations. This foundation will need to be in the right fundamental situation to receive restorations to result in a fabulous smile. In other words, sometimes, you do not need to do much to your own teeth before applying cosmetic restorations. It might be necessary to reduce or modify the tooth structure before anything can be added onto it to make it look perfect.

There is some risk involved with cosmetic bonding or veneers, so be cautious with any cosmetic procedure. A comprehensive evaluation of your present dental condition is absolutely necessary as a first step; blue prints of your teeth and of your prospective dental project are needed to establish clear verbal communication between all parties involved (including you), including possible mock-up or wax-up models to preview possible changes, which could avoid costly mistakes.

Do your homework: finding the right dental professional, discussing every aspect of your dental needs, understanding the pros and cons of each procedure, and making an educated decision will ensure you get the smile you’ve always wanted.