● A Brief History of Dental Beautification

Treatment and even decoration of teeth is by no means a trend of recent times. Throughout the eons, many civilizations have emphasized dental treatment and even beautification. One example are the Mayas who used precious gems to decorate their teeth several millennia ago.

Times go by and generations come and go but human nature remains unchanged and so does the desire to have beautiful teeth. Thanks to the works of dental scientists such as Michael Buonocore and William Bowen who have invented materials and devised methods for improved dentistry, this science has come a long way from its Medieval form, evolving into a pleasant and painless practice.

The raison d’etre of cosmetic dentistry is establishing a link between science and art in attending to people’s cosmetic needs. Like most (if not all) endeavors, cosmetic dentistry can deliver satisfactory results only once there is a will to spend time and money. And of course the more specifically and patiently you describe why you are seeking the services of an cosmetic dentist, the more that dentist could serve your purposes and provide an accurate estimate of the time and money you are required to spend in the process. Hence, having previous knowledge of your teeth and oral cavity would be of use here.

● Face and Teeth Ratio

Different people see your face on a daily basis and thus subconsciously evaluate it. Do you consider yourself as a person with a beautiful and attractive face? Congratulations, if your response was a yes to the above question. Nevertheless, quite a number of people observe instances in their face which they do not appreciate and this could be due to the natural asymmetry of human faces. Recent research, however, demonstrates that most people prefer slight asymmetry to complete symmetry and that a limited extent of asymmetry contributed to the overall beauty of the face and teeth.

Before going any further, it is perhaps best if we were to become acquainted with the names of the teeth (see figure below). It is recommended that you learn these names for the process of your treatment. As you may have observed, it is not just the six teeth in front which are displayed during smiles; sometimes, the back teeth are also displayed. Accordingly, the degree to which these back teeth are shown should also be taken into consideration during a treatment plan.

In the following picture, the section of the front tooth of the upper jaw is shown. The closer we get to the edge of the tooth, the higher and the lower the thickness of the enamel and dentin, respectively. This is why the edge of young people’s teeth with their healthy and thick enamel is semi-transparent and, at times, grey. As one ages, the enamel’s thickness diminishes; so does the size of the pulp (the core of the tooth containing the dental nerves and blood vessels). Consequently, the tooth becomes more yellow in color and its sensitivity decreases due to the recession of the pulp.