Guide to Finding the Right Cosmetic Dentist
Getting the right cosmetic dentist is a tall order, even when we have a large pool of dental professionals. The field of cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty so far. Still, it is gaining popularity every day with more professionals taking up the practice. It would help if you were careful in your quest to tell the genuine ones from the fake. Read along for a guide that will help you in finding the right cosmetic dentist.
Who Is a Cosmetic Dentist?
A cosmetic dentist is a dental doctor who has decided to be more than a regular dentist and dedicate their services to improving smiles and self-esteem. Such a doctor pursues advanced training and gets a deeper understanding of the human mouth and teeth. He or she applies different treatment procedures that help the patient to improve teeth appearance dramatically.
Steps that May Lead You to the Right Cosmetic Dentist:
Determine Your Pain PointThere could be something that bothers you more about your smile and the way your teeth look. Zero down to that pain point and use it as the basis on which to search for a cosmetic dentist. Decide if you want to improve your teeth’ spacing or want them to have a new shape.
Your decision will direct you to the various cosmetic procedures that are available. You may be able to find a specialist that deals with your exact problem. The following are some of the options available for cosmetic dental treatment:
- Brightening yellowing or brown teeth
- Repairing chipped teeth
- Covering teeth that are badly damaged
- Teeth alignment for both children and adults
- Replacement of lost teeth with natural-looking implants
- Reshaping and contouring of teeth
- Closing unwanted teeth gaps
- Seating crowns over weak teeth
- Enamel shaping of uneven teeth
- Smile makeover procedures
- Enquire About the Dentist’s Training, Education and Experience
Your appearance and smile are too important to leave them in the hands of quacks. Ask the doctor politely but firmly, to explain and show evidence of their training background. This due diligence is necessary because any dentist can claim to have experience.
Important Background Information to Research For:
- Whether the dentists possess graduate and undergraduate degrees
- Whether they have pursued advanced training and continuing education
- Ask for any evidence of accreditation and membership in professional organizations.
- Enquire from them how long they have been practicing cosmetic surgery.
You may also get this information by word-of-mouth reviews from friends or family who may have prior experience with cosmetic surgery. Further, check online reviews that may have feedback from happy or unhappy customers. Then discuss with your cosmetic dentists about their techniques and the pros and cons of the procedure.
- Ask for Their Past Work
The best approach to this is to ask the dentist for before and after photos of their past works. The right dentist will always have documented evidence of their achievements since it makes them proud. Check as many pictures as possible and identify those with cases that resemble yours.
Sometimes they may have these photos on their websites, but that is not enough. Sites may have photo-shopped pictures in their galleries, making them quite unreliable. Therefore, it would be wise to ask the dentists to connect you with one of their real patients.
Those patients will provide relevant information that should aid your ultimate decision-making. They should give you first-hand information about their experience with that particular dentist. Besides, you will be able to see for yourself whether the results of the procedure were excellent.
- Arrange a Consultation Visit
The first three steps should have led you to narrow your options to two or three cosmetic dentists by this time. You even have one you look up to the most and want to schedule a visit with him or her. The consultation fee is comparatively lower and should not be a challenge.
During the visit, assess the situation in the clinic or hospital to establish whether you feel welcome and appreciated. The way they treat you at first is enough to tell you whether the results will be satisfactory. Please do not skip this step since it is for your advantage as a patient who wants value for what you will spend.
How to Handle Consultation:
- Get the dentist’s contacts from their website and give them a call.
- Please book an appointment with them for an auspicious date.
- Enquire about consultation charges. In particular, ask whether they may be offering free consultation services as an incentive.
- Explain everything you want and listen to all the questions
- Allow the dentist to give you recommendations.
- Base your decision on those recommendations
- Discuss and Make a Conclusion on Cost
By the time you are looking for a cosmetic dentist, you already know that it will be very costly. Please come into a mutual agreement with the dentist. That if you have to pay dearly for the service, the dentist must use long-lasting material and the most effective techniques.
With these steps, you can be sure that you will not face confusion when you want to choose the best professional. Your smile is your greatest asset in establishing strong and lasting personal relationships in life. The right cosmetic dentist should be able to give you the treatment that you want to get. Schedule an early appointment with Dr. Marc E. Lazare, the best cosmetic dentist in New York City.