Smiling is a universal method of communication in humans as, for example, 30% of the world’s people smile more than 20 times a year. smile more than 20 times a day. From a physiological point of view, this simple act requires a flexion of about 17 muscles and its purpose is to express pleasure, amusement or complicity, among other things.
In addition to being a highly effective communicative tool in mammals and humans, smiling says a lot about an individual’s state of health. Missing teeth, cavities, red gums, halitosis or dental fractures can indicate laziness, illness or lack of monetary means on the part of the person who presents them, for example.
Thus, it is no exaggeration to say that this facial expression is a clear indication of general health and social status. Fortunately, there are techniques that can be used to modify the smile in a minimally invasive way, but it takes time, patience and a lot of effort.However, it takes time, patience and money to perform them. Here is everything you need to know about smile design.
What is smile design?
Smile design or Digital Smile Design (DSD) is a digital design of the patient’s smile through the study of the relationship between the patient’s teeth, gums and lips, in order to achieve a quick and effective treatment planning..
This type of technique arose in response to the demand to know the possible results of such a costly and time-consuming procedure before it begins. For this purpose, a series of videos are recorded, photographs are taken and the dentofacial structure is analyzed in all possible daily situations (gestures and expression of emotions, for example).
Using computer programs, the patient’s smile is modeled using variable proportions (e.g. the ideal width/height ratio of the incisors is 80%) in both 2D and 3D, in order to identify and “fix” all the oral irregularities present in the patient.. If the patient agrees once the plan is completed, orthognathic surgery, periodontal surgery, implant placement and/or restorative procedures can be used to achieve the ideal modeling.
DSD has several benefits compared to traditional techniques. These include the following:
- Improved esthetic planning and smile design: the dentist can plan to the millimeter every treatment the patient is going to undergo.
- Improved communication between multidisciplinary teams: dentists, maxillofacial surgeons and laboratory personnel have a joint idea of the goal to be achieved, so the margin of error in the chain of action is much smaller.
- Improved doctor-patient communication: the patient can discuss the possible results with the specialized team before the changes take place.
All these benefits are clear, but you should keep in mind that the general base price of a smile design is 2,500 euros (3,000 dollars). 2,500 ($3,000). Depending on each case and the complexity of the surgeries required, this value can easily go up to $10,000, an amount that few people can afford to spend all at once.
Procedure
As mentioned at the beginning, taking photographs and videos in as many everyday situations as possible is the first step for an effective smile design. After that, the facial features and dental esthetics are digitally studied, the facial features and dental esthetics are digitally studiedThe facial features and dental esthetics are then studied digitally in order to achieve harmony and proportion. Once the purpose has been discussed with the patient, the desired smile is digitally designed and transferred to a three-dimensional model, also known as a mock-up. In practical terms, this is a mock-up of the future dentofacial structure.
The mock up will be placed in the patient’s own mouth, which will end the simulation and show a direct result of the procedure to be performed. If specialists and patient are in agreement, the pertinent treatments will be carried out, whether they are surgical or minimally invasive esthetic.
Some of the smile designs only require the placement of porcelain veneers, that is, thin veneers that cover the front of the teeth. This is an easy and effective technique to disguise defects in the color of the teeth or flaws in them. If the teeth do not need veneers, a tooth whitening procedure is usually performed.If the teeth do not need veneers, tooth whitening is usually performed, which eliminates that annoying and aesthetically unfavorable “yellow”.
On the other hand, many patients may require more complex and costly procedures. For example, in many cases the lack of harmony when smiling is due to the absence of teeth. This requires ancillary clinical evaluations, laboratory modeling and, ultimately, the placement of one or multiple implants and prostheses. As you can imagine, in these cases the price goes through the roof.
Finally, some patients require gum reshaping.If the gums are too prominent or occupy an excessive space in the dentofacial structure. Gingivoplasty, a surgical technique that allows the lifting of the gums and, therefore, a reduction of these in the total smile, is used for this purpose.
Results
This conglomerate of computer techniques allows a very important event in any surgery: that the patient has realistic expectations. By being able to place the mock up in his own mouth and see himself with it, he will be able to know in full what to expect and what not to expect from the restructuring process. Although it may not seem so, this is a very important value when it comes to any aesthetic treatment.
Even so, it is necessary to keep in mind that each procedure is different. In milder cases (where there is harmony in the smile and good oral health) treatment may take a few weeks, but if a gum lift or other surgical procedures are required, the time to final results may take several months.
Due to the cost and slowness of the process, we see the interest of showing a list with the ideal type of patient for a smile design, so that each reader can weigh if he/she falls into the category sought:
- Patients who want to look younger. A good smile design can take a few years off the facial structure.
- People who want to have more confidence when smiling, especially if smiling is a major psychological/self-esteem issue.
- Patients who want to restore the shape of their teeth after a trauma/negative event.
- People who are looking for a greater sense of hygiene and personal care in their daily life.
On the other hand, smile design is not at all recommended (or impossible, directly) in cases of oral infections, severe congenital malformations and other clinical conditions. You must keep in mind that DSD is mostly a cosmetic procedure, which is why it will not solve a medical emergency.
It is also not recommended for individuals with certain lifestyles. For example, in people who smoke it is usually not recommended.. This is because teeth whitening may fail and implants may not attach properly, since smoking compromises the osseointegration process. In addition to all this, smoking promotes the development of periodontal infections, so the risk of something going wrong during treatment is higher.
Summary
As we have said throughout this article, it is important to note that smile design is a very expensive and time-consuming procedure.. In general, it can take up to a year from the time the patient considers getting into the hands of the relevant dentists until he or she has the 100% desired smile. This can be exhausting and frustrating, so you have to be patient and trust the professionals.
On the other hand, we cannot finish without a final thought. Human flaws are common and, although there are standards of “facial harmony”, it is not necessary to reach it in order to be attractive and charismatic. Although it may sound cliché, a perfect smile is nothing if it is not accompanied by a strong, firm and confident personality. For this reason, we only encourage people whose oral structure seems to be a significant problem to consider this type of procedure. For the rest: self-acceptance and self-worth can be worked on from psychological fields, much cheaper and beneficial in the long run.