The Art Of Drawing Smiles

Smile design has become the result of a fashion variable, where the so-called influencers

motivate their followers to have a “perfect” smile. It is important to remember that beauty is a subjective concept, which means that it fits the criteria and perception of each person differently.

Being such a popular trend, there is a wide range of treatments of this type, reaching such a point of competition, they are being offered in many dental offices, forgetting the need to have proper training in aesthetic procedures, since to achieve an optimal result, it is required to execute the appropriate protocols for each case.

As president of an organization dedicated to continuing education and as an oral health professional, it is my obligation and responsibility to promote the constant training of our guild, as well as to recommend to patients to not only get carried away by the photos in social media, but also inform themselves of the experience and knowledge of the dental provider. Questions such as: What type of education, training and experience does the dentist who is going to perform your treatment have?, should be asked.

All of the above is the result of the number of cases that come to my office with inflamed gums and the presence of cavities under cosmetic veneers and many of them without previous radiographic studies (X-ray). Every patient who undergoes any type of dental treatment, in this case cosmetic, must maintain regular follow-up with their provider to see if everything has healed properly, and if there is something unusual, it can be resolved in time.

Patients should support their cosmetic treatment with regular visits to the dentist, as well as the use of daily brushing and flossing, in addition to the recommendations given by their dental provider.

While it is true that a beautiful smile makes us feel better, it is also true that when making the decision to undergo cosmetic dental treatment, the quality and knowledge of the provider must prevail.

By Dra. Libia R. Ríos DDS

Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry

401 Coral Way, Suite 411

Coral Gables , Fl 33134