The hardest thing for me to do in dentistry is to match a single restoration on a front tooth to the rest of the teeth. Sometimes it can take a few attempts of comparing the shade of the final restoration to the adjacent teeth until the patient and myself accept the final outcome. Who knew teeth came in so many shades?
And to be honest- natural teeth don’t come in whites, but more like shades of yellow, gray, browns, and oranges! Really!
I’m not a fan of the “Hollywood White” that you often see celebrities or other TV personalities get done for their teeth- it’s actually quite unnatural and I can spot that work has been done in that person’s mouth a mile away!
And actually one of my pet peeves is when I see actors casted in roles in which they play period piece characters with perfect bright white teeth. (There is no way an 18th century king has nice teeth- NO WAY!)
Shade guides, in fact, didn’t even used to carry those ultra white shades because they were not considered natural shades- but now, they most definitely are options. I do get patients from time to time that want the “bright- white” smile, and that’s fine, because ultimately it’s whatever makes a person happy.
True art is making something beautiful that looks natural in its environment. Those are my goals I strive for every day as I look for ways to improve what I can offer in my patient care.
I’m looking forward to some of the aesthetic courses I have signed up for this year- particularly the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry meeting being held in a few months!
Will share what I learn along the way,,,,