Category Archives: Aesthetic Dentistry Education

A Miracle of Collaborative Giving | New York, NY

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A smile makeover gives new hope to a cancer patient.

By David Ward, DMD

I’ve often had patients come and go with very little fanfare. It’s not that I don’t want to know more about my patients’ personal lives; it’s just that the day’s pace leaves me with precious little time to ask more than the typical superficial questions: How are the kids? How is your spouse? Congratulations on your new baby!

But on a rather ordinary day in March 2011, I met an extraordinary person. At the age of 55, Roger decided it was time to get the smile he always wanted. After cursory introductions and greetings, I sensed Roger’s uneasiness and asked about his health and medical information. He told me he’d recently seen a doctor for a medical problem and needed more tests. They suspected cancer.

But Roger quickly became more upbeat and began opening up about his desire for a better smile. It was immediately clear that we’d have a great relationship and I’d enjoy providing him with a new smile.

After discussing his goals and desires for his smile, we started discussing a budget. We obviously wouldn’t be able to complete the full plan of crowns and veneers he’d hoped for due to financial constraints, but we agreed on a staged treatment over a period of time. Roger left after chatting with just about everyone on my team, which became a common occurrence that we all came to enjoy during the course of his treatment.

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

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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.

Treatment objectives, whether utilizing surgery, orthodontic treatment, or restorative treatment, are the same: to correct the class III crossbite, create an ideal overjet/overbite relationship, achieve a dental class I occlusion, correct the occlusal/incisal plane, correct the midline, and restore the teeth to proper size and proportion. The objective is to provide the patient with an acceptable functional-occlusal relationship and an aesthetic dental/facial appearance.

Malocclusions are common. Patients with crowded and rotated teeth, spacing, or a crossbite who are unsatisfied with their appearance may not be interested in traditional orthodontic treatment or surgical correction. Their objections can be related to the length of time needed to complete treatment, or fear of extensive surgery with extended recuperation.

To read more about this 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.

Esthetic and Functional Provisional Restorations Big Cases | New York, NY

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by Dr. Marc Schlenoff

For the past ten years, I have had the honor and privilege to be an Instructor at the Aesthetic Advantage Hands-On Symposium, at the NYU College of Dentistry in New York, as well as an Instructor at the General Practice Residency at Morristown Medical Center. During this entire time, the most asked question from students and residents has been “How can I do more of the big cases in my practice?” I feel that in today’s world of economic uncertainty, the answers to this question are significantly different than even several years ago.

There was a time not that long ago that I would have answered by using examples of advertising and marketing to draw patients to the office specifically for esthetic treatment. There was a buzz about cosmetics, and the primary goal was to attract those people who had already made the decision to have these procedures done. The times have obviously changed, however, and the answers that I now give to the above question are very different.

The keys to being able to attract the large restorative cases in today’s world are communication and treatment planning. The number of patients coming in exclusively for esthetic dentistry has declined significantly in most practices, but the need for restorative care continues to grow as our baby boomer generation (myself included) continues to wear and break their dentition. This is the patient population that needs comprehensive, and thus esthetic dental treatment.

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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.

Facial Esthetics—The Framework | New York, NY

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Using facial landmarks to dictate tooth position can enhance esthetics and conserve tooth structure.
By Michael Apa, DDS
Facial Esthetics

In order to create individual smiles that compliment patients’ facial features and enhance their overall facial beauty, clinicians can adopt a technique that uses facial landmarks to dictate tooth position. This method not only can enhance the esthetics, it can also ultimately allow the practitioner to be more conservative in tooth reduction.

Curious about learning more about the intricacies of the facial framework? 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.

Snoozing Your Way Through Dental Appointments | New York, NY

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Of all the health professionals feared most by adults, the dentist is at the top of the list. Dental Anxiety (DA) is the actual diagnosis for this fear and adults everywhere have it. Dental professionals everywhere have been busy making huge strides in order to calm those fears. Some are turning their dental offices into more of a spa feel than a dental one. Aromatherapy, soothing music, weighed blankets – if you can think of a soothing way to relax, chances are your dental professional has it. And if you still need “something stronger”, there’s sedation dentistry.

Sedation dentistry is the way your dentist relaxes you enough to handle the dental procedure through the use of medication, in addition to the numbing agent applied to the area that will be worked on to alleviate any pain caused by the procedure. The use of sedation is to make you as comfortable as possible as they do their job and to make recovery time minimal.

If you don’t need much to relax you, chances are you will receive nitrous oxide, or laughing gas. It is given to you as you breathe through a mask, so zero pain or needles are involved. If you need to be calmed with more than a little gas, the next step up is an oral sedative so no pain or needles are involved to make a patient groggy, but you will be awake during the procedure. IV sedation takes affect a lot quicker, but the dentist also has the ability to adjust the amount as needed. Administered by medications prior to your procedure, deeper sedation methods will render you unconscious and unable to be awakened easily.

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.

Smile Design Enhanced with Porcelain Veneers | New York, NY

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by Dr. Dean C. Vafiadis, DDS

Porcelain veneers within reason allow for the alteration of tooth position, shape, size and color. They require a minimal amount of tooth preparation – in this case reduction (approximately 0.5 mm of surface enamel) – and are, therefore, a more conservative restoration than a crown, which requires significant removal of sound tooth structure. Although not the only alternative for all esthetic abnormalities, they are truly a remarkable restoration when they are the treatment of choice.

To read more about smile design, 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.

Encourage Your Patients to Drink More Water | New York, NY

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48% of American adults consumes at least one glass of soda and other sweetened beverages each day, according to a Gallup poll. Furthermore, statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show more than 16 percent of children ages 2 to 19 have untreated cavities.

What you may not know is that bacteria feed on what you eat and drink, especially sugars, and this creates acid that can break down the tooth’s outer surface and dissolve the valuable minerals that protect teeth from decay. The more your teeth break down, the more likely you will develop tooth decay and other dental maladies in the future.

“Sipping sugary drinks gives bacteria in the mouth more power to create acid that weakens tooth enamel and causes cavities,” said CDA President-elect Lindsay Robinson, DDS. “In addition, sports drinks pose many of the same risks as other sugar-loaded beverages, such as irreversible dental erosion, and should not be substituted for water.”

CDA urges people to swap out sugar-laden drinks for a glass of milk or water this summer. Milk contains lots of calcium, which strengthens teeth and water produces saliva, which helps to keep bacteria from setting up shop in our teeth’s crevices.

“Water contains no sugar, no acids and no calories, so your teeth, and your body, will benefit,” said Robinson. “Water also helps keep gums hydrated and rinses away food particles that would otherwise remain in the mouth promoting bacterial growth that causes decay.”

Most importantly, protect teeth throughout the year by brushing for two minutes, two times a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing regularly and visiting a dentist for a complete dental checkup on a regular basis.

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.

Clinical Instructor Showcase: Dr. David Ward | New York, NY

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Today we take some time to highlight one of our fantastic clinical instructors, Dr. David Ward.

A Rhode Island native, Dr. Ward is proud to have followed in his father’s footsteps, and has practiced in Woonsocket, RI for twenty-two years. He graduated with honors from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. His practice focus is cosmetic dentistry and implantology. Combining these passions, he creates beautiful smiles.

Dr. Ward is a proud member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and is Treasurer of The New England Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, The American Dental Association, The American Academy of Implant Dentistry and The International Conference of Oral Implantologists. He is an Associate Fellow in the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologist. Dr. Ward is a Fellow of Pierre Fauchard Academy.

He has received commendation from The Rhode Island Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped for his work with disabled and elderly citizens and lectures locally.

Academic Affiliations

  • American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
  • New England Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
  • American Dental Association
  • American Academy of Implant Dentistry
  • International Conference of Oral Implantology
  • American Academy of Implant Dentistry—Fellow
  • International Congress of Oral Implantologists—Fellow

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.

A Systematic Approach to Full-Mouth Reconstruction of the Severely Worn Dentition | New York, NY

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Dental Continuum

Restoration of the severely worn dentition is one of the most challenging procedures in dentistry. In order to successfully restore and maintain the teeth, one must gain insight into how the teeth arrived at this state of destruction. Tooth wear can result from abrasion, attrition and erosion. Research has shown that these wear mechanisms rarely act alone, and there is nearly always a combination of the processes. Evaluation and diagnosis should account for the patient’s diet, history of eating and gastric disorders, along with the present state of the occlusion. Emphasis must be placed on the evaluation of occlusal prematurities preventing condylar seating into the centric relation position. Behavioral factors that may contribute to parafunctional habits and nocturnal bruxism are also important to understand and manage in order to successfully restore and maintain a healthier dentition. Once a complete understanding of the etiology of the dentition’s present state is appreciated, a treatment plan can be formulated, taking into account the number of teeth to be treated, condylar position, space availability, the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) and the choice of restorative material.

While all occlusions wear to some degree over the lifetime of the patient, normal physiological wear usually does not require correction. Severe or excessive wear refers to tooth destruction that requires restorative intervention. Severe attritional wear can result from occlusal prematurities that prevent functional or parafunctional movements of the jaw. This wear can be seen at the site of the prematurity or on the anterior teeth as a result of the “hit and slide” forward. Restoration of the worn anterior teeth then becomes a challenge as the availability of space for prosthetics becomes limited. If lengthening the teeth is a goal in order to achieve a more esthetic smile, then the question of the need to alter VDO subsequently arises.

To continue reading the article, “A Systematic Approach to Full-Mouth Reconstruction of the Severely Worn Dentition” by Dr. Jay M. Lerner DDS, 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.

The Hands-on Aesthetic Continuum | New York, NY

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Dental Continuum

Here is your chance to observe over-the-shoulder or participate hands-on with a patient. Our 4-day program is spread over two weekends with a focus on comprehensive aesthetic and restorative dentistry. Through our lecture series, participating doctors are able to listen to lectures on step-by-step prep techniques, smile design principles, impression and cementation techniques, patient management, treatment planning, material selection, lab communication for a more predictable result, and more.

On our first clinic day, participants may bring a patient and prep a live case or participate without a patient and observe over the shoulder up to 10 to15 cases being prepped and temporized. One month later, participants will return, and through our lecture series, listen to lectures on cementation, occlusion, advanced cases, and marketing.

The following day, they will seat their cases in clinic. Participants who chose to observe will watch over the shoulder 10 to 15 cases being inserted.

It has been shown that the graduates of our long-running aesthetic/ restorative programs have seen their practices grow and flourish even in these challenging economic times. Let us infuse your practice with a new philosophy and fine-tune your skills to become more confident and passionate about the practice of aesthetic dentistry, setting yourself apart from others in your community!

CE Credits: 30

For tuition information, please contact us at 212.794.3552 (Mention code #495 and save upon enrollment)

Contact Aesthetic Advantage at 212-794-3552 to register for our courses today or visit www.aestheticadvantage.com to learn more.

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