[lesley]

How do you go about choosing a good dentist? Some cosmetic dentists claim they are a member of the "American Academy of
Cosmetic Dentistry", but does that actually mean anything?

what should I be looking for?

thanks lesley

[Dr Pav Khaira]

The AACD accreditation does mean a higher level of training but does not automatically make a good cosmetic dentist.

The best thing you can do is ask to see examples of the dentists work and judge for yourself. Any good cosmetic dentist will not hesitate to show you.

You can also search for before and after photos on dentists websites, many of my colleagues here including myself post photos on our websites

I hope this helps

kindest regards

[Dr Sepehrara]

I agree with Pav,

there are a few points I would like to add. A dentist using a good technician with excellent artistic skills can produce good results, but they may not be successful results in the long term. When undergoing cosmetic dental treatment, a good experienced dentist should take into consideration the patient's bite and the health of the gums.

Therefore, when choosing a cosmetic dentist, I would suggest you found out what postgraduate education he/she has had and does the training include courses on "occlusion" (study of patient's bite) and periodontology (study of the gums).

At our practice we have seen new patients come in with failed veneers/crowns because their dentist did not follow the principles outlined above. These patients tell us that initially their teeth looked great, but then their gums started receding or the crowns and veneers started fracturing.

To sum up, any dentist with a great technician can produce excellent cosmetic results, but a good cosmetic dentist will follow the fundamental principles as mentioned above (as well as using a highly qualified technician).

Sorry if this reply is long winded, but it is a very important point I wanted to make.

[Dr Pav Khaira]

Raha is also right.

It is so important to have a good techician. I undertake a lot of corrective work for so called cosmetic dentistry which has been done either cheap, abroad or someone who does not understand the inticacies of this field of dentistry.

My clients prefer when others say to them "I wish I had teeth like yours" and not "what lovely veneers!"

It shouldn't be so much about cosmetics, its about aesthetics. Aesthetics is about making things blend natually, cosmetics is about making them look false. Some people do want that false look, but I prefer to deliver natural and beautiful results

Check out the technicians work too!