As a dentist in Shelby Twp for over 25 years, I’ve seen many happy moments originate with the betterment of a smile. Helping a patient replace missing teeth with dental implants, seeing a once-fearful patient overcome fear and anxiety that stood in the way of a healthy smile, and celebrating with patients at their first look in the mirror with a new smile as a result of cosmetic dentistry — these are what make my life as a dentist truly joyful.
Here, we pride ourselves on providing dental care, with the emphasis on CARE.
People who once felt held back by a smile they felt was flawed can go through quite the transformation when a new smile appears. Patients have shared how they purposefully look for opportunities to smile at others, wanting to reveal the happy person behind it. And, most find the benefits go far beyond the smile itself. After a smile makeover, I’ve had patients who lost weight, gotten new hairstyles, began dressing more fashionably, and even pursued job promotions and employment at more prestigious firms.
Yet, findings shared in a PR Newswire report show that more than a third of American adults are unhappy with their smile. The study also revealed that 36% of those surveyed felt their social life would be better if they had a more appealing smile. And, three-fourths (78%) of Americans perceive adults with crooked teeth to be unsuccessful. Seventy-seven percent of females surveyed felt having a date with crooked teeth was less appealing than men with receding hairlines.
The advantages of a beautiful smile have been found to go even deeper. A confident, appealing smile can have psychological benefits as well. Studies have shown that smiling can boost your mood, even if you smile when you don’t feel like it. Some studies have shown that people who smile often can even extend their lifespans by up to 10 years, on average.
While we would like everyone to have a beautiful, healthy and confident smile, we also realize there are obstacles that prevent some people from pursing a smile that would be life-changing. Cost, dental fear, worries about longevity or doubts about achieving natural-looking results are all legitimate concerns, even though there are solutions to each of these – in the right hands.
For now, let’s focus on why it’s so important to place your cosmetic dentistry in well-qualified hands. After all, many dentists offer “cosmetic dentistry.” Yet, that’s not what truly qualifies a dental professional to create a natural look and feel with optimal longevity.
In 1956, Clairol began promoting an at-home hair coloring system, Miss Clairol Hair Color, which quickly became a household name. Its advertising campaign catchphrase was so successful – “Does she…or doesn’t she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure,” that within six years of Miss Clairol’s launch, 70% of women were coloring their hair at home.
I mention this because that’s precisely what an individual wants in a smile makeover – the look that they were simply born with a fabulous smile. Only you and your cosmetic dentist need to know!
In esthetic dentistry, it takes an experienced ‘eye’ to treatment plan what will work best for each individual. For many individuals, treatment may include several steps. For instance, a whitening followed by porcelain crowns or veneers on the teeth most visible in a smile. Another example is someone who has straight teeth but is unhappy with their smile. A trained eye can see why, such as teeth that are too short or arched by too much gum tissue. Or both. A smile that creates beautiful results is also one that is balanced to unique facial features.
In addition to achieving Fellowship status through one of the world’s most prestigious institutes for cosmetic dentistry, I am a neuromuscular dentist. This gives our patients a unique advantage when it comes to the health of their smiles, particularly when restorations are involved. By incorporating neuromuscular dentistry into treatment, the bite is properly aligned to neighboring teeth. This helps the patient to avoid problems that can emerge as a result of bite disparities, such as chipped teeth or night-time clenching.
In our Macomb County dental office, we are widely known for our commitment to patient comfort and optimal treatment outcomes. In addition to advanced skills, this is supported by our immense array of advanced technology. Here, our patients are surrounded by some of the most advanced technology in dentistry. This helps many patients enjoy ideal treatment outcomes while minimizing their time in treatment.
Determining which procedures to help you achieve your smile goals can be discussed during a free consultation. To achieve the best outcome for each patient, this time together can help you understand what may or may not be involved.
• PORCELAIN VENEERS & CROWNS: For many people, smile makeovers involve porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns. Porcelain is the most durable material available in cosmetic dentistry. It resists staining better than other materials and has the best longevity. Additionally, porcelain provides a highly natural look and feel, with an opalescence that mimics a natural tooth with no hint of “dental work.” Treatments involving porcelain veneers are often completed in just two visits.
• TEETH WHITENING: One of the most economical ways to improve the appearance of a smile is to whiten it. A white, bright smile is appealing and often projects a healthy, well-cared for look. In about an hour, our Zoom in-office whitening system provides far superior results than over-the-counter kits. Surprisingly affordable for almost any individual, the whitening you’ll achieve will also last far longer than drug store versions.
• GUM CONTOURING: Reshaping gum tissue is not a costly procedure, but the results can have a dramatic effect on the appearance of a smile. A smile line includes the amount of gum tissue that arches over each tooth. When teeth have varying levels of these arches, it can create a jumbled look (even when teeth are straight). For an individual that shows too much gum tissue above upper teeth when smiling, it’s referred to as a ‘gummy smile.’ Gums can be reshaped in our dental office with comfort and precision of a dental laser. A laser does precision contouring while sealing the tissues as it moves. This minimizes bleeding and speeds healing time as well.
• TOOTH REPLACEMENT: As adults age, tooth loss can occur no matter how well one’s oral health is tended. As a complete dental care office, we can incorporate tooth replacement into cosmetic dental treatment plans. We offer all stages of dental implants as well as crown-&-bridge and custom-designed partials. Using the advanced skills of neuromuscular dentistry and precision technology, these blend beautifully with surrounding teeth and provide a highly natural look, feel and function.
We want your new smile to get you compliments and the motivation to smile often! With our commitment to comfort, beautiful results, and affordability for our Macomb and Oakland County patients, that’s what you can look forward to!
To learn more about what may be recommended to achieve your BEST smile, begin with a free, private consultation. Call 586-739-2155 or tap here to schedule. In the meantime, visit our Smile Gallery to see just a few of our patients’ terrific smiles!
If treatment cost is what is holding you back, arrange to meet with our Financial Coordinator. She will be happy to explain several payment plans that allow you to enjoy the joy of a new smile while making affordable monthly payments.
And, if dental fear or anxiety is a concern, please watch a brief video that may reassure you that you’ll be in good hands: DrBarbatSleepDentistry
I also invite you to get to know me before we meet at: MeetDrBarbat
I look forward to meeting you!
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