This is the best time in history to be in the practice of dentistry as the dental materials and techniques for the creation and restoration of aesthetic, healthy dentition has never been better. We live in an age of wonderful advances in technology and improvements in the health of the population that is seeing people living longer and longer. The demand for aesthetic dentistry is as high as ever, with population aging and expecting health services that can at least maintain or improve the quality of their lives. Additionally, even with the downturn in the US economy, there is still discretionary income for patients in your community to improve their oral health, general health and self-esteem. Once you have the ability to show your patients the value of this kind of dentistry, and as a dental team, command the skill to deliver the desired result in a time efficient and enjoyable matter, your practice can prosper and grow in ways that are pleasantly unexpected. You can enjoy an increase in the profitability of your practice that can be free of the encumbrances of third party determination of your financial future.

Aesthetic dentistry is not just the superficial icing on the cake, but it is based on the concept of form following function and involves all disciplines in the dental field. Aesthetic dentistry is based on preserving as much of the natural dentition as possible while using coronoplasty, orthodontics/orthopedics and restorative dentistry. Aesthetic dentistry is much about the physical as it is about the emotions and as such, requires that the dental team can clearly identify and precisely delineate the desires of a patient to be able to create a more than satisfactory result. It involves finding what values the patient has and matching them with the skills you and the dental team posses. This kind of dentistry can create raving fans for your practice that are by far the best source of marketing for new, pre-qualified patients.

The basis of a beautiful form to the dentition and long lasting function in dentistry is the occlusion. The most exquisite smiles will have excellent function. The occlusion is more than how the teeth come together and involves the dentition, the tempromandibular joints and the muscles of mastication. It is significantly influenced by overall alignment of the body, especially along the spine, and can be positively and negatively influenced by posture. Many dentists do not have a clear understanding of how the masticatory process works and do not include functional and parafunctional analysis into occlusal design. This can lead to premature failure of restorations, tooth movement, pain and long-term negative changes to the tempromandibular joints.

Dr Rhys Spoor DDS Aesthetic / Restorative Dentistry - Providing services in cosmetic and sleep dentistry to the area of Seattle, Washington.

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