Category Archives: Aesthetic Dentistry Education

Understanding and Communicating Aesthetic Dentistry | New York, NY

Aesthetic dentistry has created its own niche in today’s world. The value of dentistry – more importantly the perceived value of dentistry – has taken on greater meaning. Aesthetic procedures now range from the “extreme” makeover to the “simple” makeover, both of which use various principles of the “Smile Lift”. The “Art of Facial Aesthetics” is a routine phase and approach in many contemporary dental practices. This phase has even greater meaning when one considers the expansion of the whitening market and the increased use of aesthetic orthodontics (i.e., Invisalign, Align Technology, Santa Clara, CA). Certainly, the use of porcelain veneers and conservative crowns has enabled dentists to become a major player in the development or restorations of facial aesthetics. This role utilizes the basic principles of smile, preparation, and facial designs in the dentist’s armamentarium. The purpose of this article is to incorporate all these modalities into achieving a predictable result.

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Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

Cosmetic vs. Aesthetic: Is There a Difference? | New York, NY

When it comes to our smile, many of us don’t exactly think too much about it. If we have a toothache or need some type of dental treatment, we schedule an appointment for the dentist. But there is a little bit more to improving your smile than showing up, hoping for a quick fix. And while a general dentist can help improve your smile, general dentistry mainly deals with the health of your teeth than the look of your smile.

There is a difference between cosmetic procedures and aesthetic procedures, and this is why – cosmetic dentistry will improve the look of your teeth, one of the bits that creates your smile (i.e., whitening or veneers). Aesthetic dentistry, on the other hand, deals more with your smile and the way it looks on your face. Think of cosmetic dentistry like playing college ball, aesthetic like going pro.

Another big difference between cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry is the end goal. Aesthetic dentistry uses techniques available to modern medicine to give you a more natural, healthy look. Aesthetic dentists use techniques like regular cleanings, root canal removal, and the restoration of teeth with fillings or bridges to make your teeth look normal and healthy. The goal is to give you healthy teeth that function properly so that you can look your best and eat and talk normally.

Cosmetic dentistry is a little different from aesthetic dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry uses more advanced and invasive methods to make your teeth look a little better than what is considered perfect. Cosmetic dentistry includes techniques like teeth whitening, braces, veneers and a wide variety of other techniques. The idea is to give you bright, white, straight teeth that are picture perfect.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

Predictable Implant Abutment Selection | New York, NY

Over the past decade, the dental profession has witnessed an influx of abutment designs and techniques. The promises of aesthetics, predictability, and ease, however, are seldom realized. The fact is that every tooth to be replaced has its own anatomy, gingival tissue contour, bone level, tissue tone, adjacent tooth, and other variables that are hardly “predictable”. One or two types of abutments cannot be used in case designs with predictable results. With the same abutments used on all cases, an aspect of treatment may be compromised (i.e., occlusion design, aesthetics, food impaction, or the presence of a black line on the tissue). Proper diagnosis for each tooth in each situation must be discussed with the surgeon and restorative dentist.

A proper waxup of critical areas (e.g., cement enamel junction levels, interproximal spaces, and available bone with or without augmentation procedures), may possibly provide an acceptable result. Four parameters have remained constant: the width of the implant, depth of tissue, angulation of placement, and clearance of the opposing arch for available material. These parameters enable clinicians to select the appropriate abutment.

Abutment selection, however, cannot be accomplished until the tissue has properly healed. In this new generation of implant prosthetics, every implant clinician must have a provisional abutment applicable for all cases, to aid in determining the shape of the tooth being restored, and the final abutment. In the aesthetic zone, during immediate restoration, the provisional abutment can help scallop the tissue and maintain the height of the gingiva. During delayed healing placement, zirconia abutments may be the next choice due to its warmer color tone.

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Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

Using Visual Technology for Case Presentation | New York, NY

The most direct path to treatment acceptance is hastened using visual technology.

By Dr. Alvin W. Neff, DDS

Case presentations that use visual technology can become the integral component of success for the modern-day practice. Our patients must be able to clearly see their existing conditions, understand treatment recommendations, and visualize the anticipated results before they can accept and approve treatment.

Historically, dentists have used complicated dental terminology, x-rays, and study models to communicate a proposed treatment plan. Patients were expected to accept recommendations without being able to visualize the anticipated results. Patients often left the dental office confused about treatment recommendations and uncertain about the final outcome.

The most important aspect of case presentation is the ability to clearly communicate the treatment goals to the patient in a manner that will help them make a decision toward treatment acceptance. The most direct path to treatment acceptance is hastened using visual technology. The use of digital photography, upgraded display monitors, and computer imaging can create dramatic case presentations that will result in scheduled appointments for needed treatment. There is nothing more revealing than a close-up view of your own teeth or a full-face view of your own smile. Using this new format of case presentation, patients will become engaged in a co-diagnosis type of conversation and they will begin to ask for treatment. Clinicians can avoid most sales tactics and rehearsed scripts once the patient sees their case presentation with their own eyes. They see the existing condition of their teeth and the image of the anticipated desire and answers many of their concerns that had been getting in the way of case acceptance.

To read more about using visual technology for case presentation, click here.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

Utilizing a Restorative Approach to Correct an Adult Skeletal Class III Malocclusion | New York, NY

Gerard J. Lemongello discusses all the steps taken to correct the malocclusion

Edward H. Angle described class III malocclusion as one in which the mandibular first molar is positioned mesially relative to the maxillary first molar (Angle 1900). A class III skeletal relationship can occur as a result of a normal maxilla with mandibular protrusion, maxillary retrusion with a normal mandible, or a combination of maxillary retrusion and mandibular protrusion. A class III dental relationship can exist when the maxillary/mandibular relationship is normal.

A pseudo class III malocclusion is caused by a forward shift of the mandible to avoid incisal interferences (Proffit 1986). For many class III malocclusions, both surgical and orthodontic treatment are required. Depending on the amount of skeletal discrepancy, surgical correction may consist of mandibular retraction, maxillary protraction, or a combination of both procedures. For some minor class III malocclusions, or in the case of a pseudo class III malocclusion, surgical intervention may not be necessary.

To read more about this restorative approach, including a case study, click here.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

Ensure Long-Term Protection of Patients’ Restorative | New York, NY

As the clinical challenges of debilitated dentition are addressed, clinicians must also consider the significance of occlusal rehabilitation and with this, occlusal protection. The following two case presentations represent different, but significant occlusal challenges. As each patient sought aesthetic improvement, often the solution involved major occlusal change. The use of an anterior splint device (ie, BiteSoft™) to manage occlusal disharmony and Bruxism may often be required to achieve long-term treatment success and preserve the patients, as well as the clinician’s restorative investment.

“For patients with Bruxism, BiteSoft™ provides a means to effectively manage the condition and offers peace of mind knowing that their investments are adequately protected.”

Want to read more, including Dr. Rosenthal’s case presentations? Click here.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

CAD/CAM Veneers and Crowns | New York, NY

By Dr. Dean C. Vafiadis, DDS

Recently, an influx of computer technologies and CAD/CAM designs have been introduced to the restorative dentist. These technologies have helped streamline our fabrication protocols, reduced clinical chair-time and reduced laboratory costs. In addition, the accuracy of these techniques has equaled our conventional techniques with high level of precision. Using a combination of CAD/CAM and robotics, the technology of final implant abutment fabrication and final CAD/CAM restoration is predictable for the clinician. The aim of this article is to demonstrate cases in which CAD/CAM technology was utilized for esthetic anterior restorations.

To read more from this article, click here.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

When It’s Time to Enhance Your Skillset | New York, NY

If life has taught us anything, it’s that time and progress doesn’t stop. And if you don’t change with it, it will leave you behind. The same can be said for our professions. Technology and evolution are always going to be, so if you want to keep up with your competition, you may need to seek further education to continue to be successful. That’s where the Dental College at New York University College of Dentistry’s State of the Art Rosenthal Institute comes in. It is the perfect opportunity to provide you and your team with a completely unique outlook on dentistry with hands-on dental courses, professional guest speakers and mentors from various dental backgrounds.

Senior Instructor Dr. Alvin W. Neff states, “Dr. Larry Rosenthal transformed my practice from average to excellent by implementing the principles he teaches. As a result, my Northwest Arkansas practice is a highly successful general dentistry practice which focuses on restorative and cosmetic procedures.

Having personally attended over 2,000 hours of continuing education, I can tell you that Dr. Larry Rosenthal’s seminars, year after year, are the most inspiring and educational of any offered in our profession. He takes great pride in helping others achieve success. This is the true example of a leader. I have met dentists from all over the world at his seminars. The high caliber of dentists who come from all corners of the earth to hear Dr. Larry Rosenthal and to learn about his techniques consistently impresses me.”

Dr. Neff is one of the many individuals who has benefited from the dental college courses offered by Aesthetic Advantage. If you are looking for a way to enhance your professionalism, consider enrolling today.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

Steps in Creating a Beautiful Smile | New York, NY

We all want the smile of our dreams – a smile that lights up every room we walk into. But for many of us, it doesn’t come naturally. We need the help of trained dental professionals to produce the smile we’ve always wanted. The following is Dr. Hamlett and Dr. Rosenthal will take us through those steps:

The single most important factor in creating a beautiful smile is the ability to visualize the final result before you begin. Laboratory communication, including photographs and models of the approved temporaries, is key to success. A thorough lab prescription detailing shade, texture, central length, incisal translucency, and any other pertinent information helps to facilitate a predictable result. To develop properly proportioned teeth, it is essential to properly address many characteristics, such as contours, shade, size and length of centrals, phonetics, and occlusion. This leads to a key artistic technique—the art of recontouring—with both temporaries and, if necessary, the final restorations.

To read more about how to get the smile you’ve always wanted, click here.

Is Cosmetic Dentistry Vain? | New York, NY

No one wants to be thought of as vain, but in this day and age, a large stress is placed on the way we look. If we don’t like something about ourselves, we try to change it. We go on diets, we dye our hair – there is a myriad of options we can do to improve our appearance. Cosmetic dentistry is the branch of dentistry that mainly deals with the appearance of teeth. There are several procedures involved, like teeth whitening, teeth straightening, veneers, crowns, bleaching and reshaping. While it is true that cosmetic dentistry is “elective” in more ways than one, in just as many ways, cosmetic dentistry also offers plenty of benefits from an improved smile.

A better-looking smile helps improve your self-confidence and self-esteem significantly. This then makes it easier for you to go out, smile and socialize with other people. By helping you become more confident about yourself and feel more attractive, you have a much better chance of living a better and more positive life.

The word “cosmetic” always gives off the impression that the main, and only, beneficiary is one’s appearance and that it’s only done to improve one’s look. Though, as far as cosmetic dentistry goes, it’s not always just about esthetics, it’s also about improving your oral and overall health.

Not only that, but there are many other cases where cosmetic dentistry helps in improving the overall function your teeth. Those with misaligned teeth or bites often develop worse dental problems that may result in painful areas outside of one’s teeth and this is something that cosmetic dentistry can help with.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.