Cosmetic Dentistry
Archive for the ‘before and after photos’ Category
Saturday, April 24th, 2010
Veneers are great, they change smiles and lives. Over twenty years as a cosmetic dentist in Denver, I have placed MANY veneers. In fact I have fixed veneers from other offices as well.
One of my partnering services SmileVision sent me this nice summary about the current trends with veneers. The following are some advantages & disadvantages of minimal-prep or no-prep veneer cases, which dentists must be ready to deal with:
Advantages:
- Patients like the idea of not prepping making cases are easier
- Temporaries are often unnecessary, lowering the cost of treatment
- Restorations bond strongly to enamel, so these stay put
- Procedures are reversible if the results are not satisfactory
- There is minimal damage to the dental pulp
Disadvantages:
- Esthetic changes are limited
- Limited potential for color changes due to thin material
- Difficulties manufacturing, inserting and bonding the restorations
- Patient complaints about excessive bulk
- Flat esthetics due lack of room to create deep embrasures
These are the challenges each dentist must manage when making decisions about how to proceed with cosmetic cases. Success will never bee 100%, no matter which techniques are selected. Everything works in the right situation and nothing works in the wrong one.
So… the science of cosmetic dentistry really has to do with interpreting which type of veneers will work best for which patients. Some patients just want a simple improvement-these patients CAN be candidates for the no-prep veneers or Lumineers.
But… the longer I practice dentistry in Denver, I have found that largely the patients that come to see me want beautiful, close to perfect smiles, with a really natural look (visit our before and after photo gallery).
Have you ever met someone who just had teeth that were bigger than life? Or some sort of dental work that just jumped right off of their face? I think these cases are mistakes for both the patient and for cosmetic dentistry in general.
So, like a lot of things in life, one size does NOT fit all. If you are considering veneers, then first you need to find the right the right cosmetic dentist that understands the differences, and can give YOU a great explanation for what would work best for you. Contact us today, and let us help you make the right choice and get he smile you’ve been waiting for!
Posted in Denver cosmetic dentist, Dr. Scott Greenhalgh DDS, before and after gallery, before and after photos, cosmetic dentist Denver, porcelain veneers, veneers | No Comments »
Saturday, April 17th, 2010
Simply put: Everyone is not a cosmetic dentist.
I appreciate the opportunity to invade your thoughts for a few moments with
my blogs. After practicing for over twenty years as a
cosmetic dentist in Denver, I find I have a lot of opinions about how
cosmetic dentistry is done.
I think there is a lot to the adage: “If you can’t say something nice about someone, then don’t say anything at all”. I have had some great mentors in
cosmetic dentistry along the way. The GREAT ones, were not only outstanding clinical
dentists, but beyond that they were a class act: in how they spoke, in how they handled “dumb” questions, and in how they taught. Those are the characteristics that I aspire to.
I rarely make negative comments about other dentists. I don’t think that serves the
profession of dentistry very well, and also, it puts patients to the side of the conversation, rather than in the middle where they should be.
to be, many TRY to be, but few actually produce amazing smiles, or perform profound services. I saw a gentlemen for a consultation recently. he had BIG spaces between many of his teeth. When he grew up, some of the teeth moved into the wrong spots. MANY difficult alignment problems. A very difficult plan.
A real
cosmetic dentist has the goal to create a REAL result. A smile that will fit that person’s personality and lifestyle. When the
veneers are done, our patient ought to feel like WOW, that’s amazing. I can’t believe I waited this long to have this done!
For this gentleman, his care starts with the right smile design. It’s my job to listen to him, find out what he REALLY wants, and find the easiest route to deliver it to him. The smile design process has to include: his preferences, comfort options during his care, and clear communication about what the results are predicted to look like (by using a smile simulation).
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, Dentistry, Denver cosmetic dentist, Dr. Scott Greenhalgh DDS, Smile gallery, before and after photos, cosmetic dentist Denver, smile makeover | No Comments »
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
I’m nearing the end of a good read entitled “Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs” by Carmine Gallo. Steve is known for engaging, powerful communication about Apple’s new products. I really enjoy the insights into how the great ones think.
One of my insights thus far is that Steve has a fanatical involvement in crafting his messages. He could farm them out to a speech writer, he could pencil sketch some slides that he wants to use in his presentation and send them off to the best graphic artists on the planet, but it largely appears that HE creates all of these things himself.
I really believe that personal involvement makes his message so powerful and persuasive.
Another insight is his ability to take the complexities of new technologies and products, and simplify them to he point that anyone can understand them. I think this is one of the single biggest mistakes in healthcare.
The doctor has volumes of knowledge, but he speaks in a way that sounds like he is speaking to his peers, rather than translate it into a message that his patient can easily grasp. I find the same is true with
cosmetic dentistry in Denver. The majority of patients don’t really care about what percent are we going to make the Golden Proportion of the front teeth. How many millimeters (or fractions) are we going to add here. I believe my roll is to bring clarity and to understand what my patient’s concerns are, understand what technically needs to be constructed, and then converse about them in a way to build confidence about the process and the planned results.
I’ve watched some of Steve’s presentations on YouTube. (In fact, you can watch some of my videos on our
media page (or on
YouTube as well.). So far, no one is writing a book about me, and I haven’t had the call to speak to thousands (though you can see what 125 people have said about our practice in these
dentist reviews. I AM passionate about
cosmetic dentistry, and I really believe that virtually ALL dental problems can be stopped forever. Maybe someday, I ‘ll get invited to speak about cosmetic dentistry, or even about creating amazing dental health.
For now, I am more than pleased to speak with my patients one-on-one and help them create their results and experience they have been hoping for.
Posted in Apple, Cosmetic Dentistry, Steve Jobs, YouTube, before and after photos, cosmetic dentist reviews, dental video | No Comments »
Friday, October 16th, 2009
I am blogging to you from the 2nd ever annual meeting of the Colorado Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. I feel fortunate to be a Charter member here in Denver. This group is an affiliate of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Like a lot of things in life, hanging and associating with the right people makes all the difference.
Here are some of my biggest observations for today:
A great cosmetic dentist is really a great photographer. You have to imagine, see, then capture the problems in teeth. I personally believe that many clues to issues in teeth are just missed. It’s like those old Sherlock Holmes stories. There’s a dead body on the floor, Watson makes some theory like he was shot by a random passer-by through the window. After a few moments of unbelief, Holmes goes on to explain in detail how the corpse had recently returned from the far east, inadvertently upset a local warlord, and was followed home and poisoned while he slept with some exotic Asian spider venom.
CLASSIC– they both are in the same room, but it’s all in how the details are seen (IF they are recognized) and how they are linked together to tie the important details together correctly. Any really good dentistry has to be done in this same manner.
Cosmetic dentistry has to be done in the same way. For cosmetic dentistry to produce an exciting result, and for it to hold up well over time, the
cosmetic dentist has to be a master at collecting clues (
photographing) and fitting them together for that indiviual patient.
I really enjoying winding through these mysteries and journeys. Every day it is our mission to solve problems, and create beautiful cosmetic dentistry.
So, watch out for Asian warlords, and exotic spiders… but leave your teeth to
us.
Posted in AACD, Cosmetic Dentistry, Denver cosmetic dentistry, Sherlock Holmes, before and after photos, cosmetic dentist Denver, dental photography | No Comments »
Monday, October 12th, 2009
About a year ago I finally decided what type of website I wanted to build and who I wanted to build it. I have to say I have been happy with Dan Goldstein and his crew over at Page1 Solutions. I believe we built a very robust website, with the emphasis on readability and information for you, the reader.
Over the weekend, I was sorting through some of the
cosmetic dentistry portraits that my off-the-hook photographer created (
Mark Cafiero-photographer, “par excellence”). From there it dawned on me that there are a lot of stories in those images. So, I started to create a book or a portfolio to capture those stories and transformations.
After 20 years as a
dentist in Denver, I see everyday people who are having problems with their smiles or are handicapped because of some problem in their smiles.
This portfolio will be a smile journey. Showing the
before and afters of these peoples’ journeys. In my 20 plus years in
cosmetic dentistry, I have found those who want to have a smile change as down-to-earth normal people, just like you and I. And the beauty and confidence that exudes from these people afterwards is amazing. We all deserve to live our days with that feeling of inner confidence and outward beauty.
I feel fortunate to be part of the process. To have a front row seat and watch it all happen. These are THEIR stories, not really mine.
Posted in Denver cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Scott Greenhalgh DDS, before and after photos, cosmetic dentist Denver, cosmetic dentistry book | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Tomorrow we are expecting a ruling by the FDA on the classification for “encapsulated amalgam” (that is a cartridge that holds the liquid Mercury and the powder made from other elements). There has been controversy following amalgam for many years. And too often, it becomes the whipping boy for health extremists. In my experience of over 20 years in dentistry, I cannot say I personally have observed or treated someone who has suffered some ill or neurological effect from having silver fillings.
Amalgam has been around for more than 100 years. That was the main material that I was taught to fill teeth with in 1988. Personally, it can work great, but I stopped using it over 10 years ago. There is simply no way to make it part of
cosmetic dentistry.
My personal belief is that amalgam persists because it is a fairly easy and forgiving material to put into teeth. In general, you can be a very average dentist or dental assistant and fix a cavity with silver filling. In my opinion, it takes greater skill and ability to place white fillings that produce both a beautiful and comfortable result. You just simply can’t have a bad day with
white (or composite) fillings because it is a demanding material.
Beyond fillings, lies the realm of porcelain restorations. There are many times that NO filling materials (silver amalgam or white composite) are strong enough. In my cosmetic dentistry practice in Denver, we often use
porcelain inlays or onlays to repair teeth beautifully. These restorations can be invisible even to the trained eye and can repair a tooth that has had a larger cavity for many years.
So… we’ll see what the FDA says tomorrow.
Actually, in my practice it won’t make any difference, since I don’t use it anyway. I’ll just stick to the great resources that I already have for cosmetic dentistry (
visit our smile gallery). We’ll just keep on making back and front teeth look natural and smiles looking great!
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, Denver cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Scott Greenhalgh DDS, FDA, Smile gallery, amalgam fillings, before and after photos, composite fillings, silver fillings, white fillings | No Comments »
