Changing Smiles – Case Studies – Part 1
Why do teeth look the way they do?
This case study is of a patient of a smile of halves.
The left half, the teeth appearance showed straight inclined teeth, following the arch of the upper jaw bone.
The right half, the teeth incisal edge or tip of the tooth, inclined in towards the palate.
So why is this so? The teeth are crowded due to a lack of room, causing the right half front teeth, to tilt inwards to fit into the arch of the upper jaw.
This gives the appearance that the right half teeth are smaller than the left half and are darker as well. The right front incisor is worn on the tip from behind, thinning out the enamel, thus allowing the darkness of the back of the mouth to be seen.
So, what to do?
Options:
- Orthodontic treatment – this would involve the full mouth in order for teeth to fit in.
- Veneers of porcelain – this involves some removal of tooth structure to make room for the porcelain to fit.
- Composite Veneers/ build up – this is the placement tooth coloured material to build up the teeth, to mask the tilt and darkness of teeth.
The third option was the least invasive and simplest solution to the appearance of the teeth. This was achieved in one visit by building up the three teeth on the right side with composite material. The surface of the teeth are lightly roughed up with a high speed drill and then chemically etched and the veneer material placed. The colour of the veneer is to match the left hand-side teeth.
The treatment has made the smile wider and the colour more natural. There may be an awareness to the patient of a fuller lip feeling, over the thickened tooth. This usually lasts only a couple of days.
We also ensure that the build ups are not interfering with the bite.
Need an Appointment?
If you’d like to book an appointment with the dentist at Seymour Dental then call us in Dulwich Hill, Sydney on (02) 9564 2397 or
contact us
Next week
Changing Smiles - Case Studies - Part 2