A 38 year old professional man came to my office asking me to enhance his smile. The fact that his hand covered his mouth during our initial meeting spoke volumes about his self-consciousness. He confessed that his feelings about his smile were adversely affecting his social and business life. I gently asked him to envision not only what a beautiful smile would look like on HIMSELF, but to also envision a life where self confidence replaced embarrassment. This became a very powerful exercise for him and ultimately motivated him to make the best decision for his smile, dental health, and confidence. Through a careful smile assessment, we were able to identify his specific cosmetic goals: vastly improved alignment, straighter, longer, more proportioned, and brighter teeth, and the elimination of the “dark triangles” of space between the teeth, along the gum line. While it was possible to achieve his cosmetic goals with restorative dentistry alone, we discussed the advantages of beginning the process with adult orthodontics. By moving his teeth into ideal position, we could insure the benefits of long-term stability of the jaw joint, muscles, gums, bone support, and teeth. After completion of 16 months of orthodontics, we began the process of designing and building a smile that would belong on his face with his coloring and features. A combination of all porcelain crowns and laminates on his upper and lower front teeth successfully transformed him from the outside in, and the inside, out! His hands no longer cover his mouth and he smiles at the drop of a hat!!
