preparing for unpredictable dental injuries

Posted on: 14 June 2019

Selecting the right dentist to perform cosmetic work is not always an easy task. There is a large array of cosmetic procedures available, ranging from corrective measures taken after medical procedures to elective options that are purely aesthetic in nature. Since the purpose of any cosmetic procedure is to improve the appearance of your teeth, choosing a skilled and experience specialist is especially important. This does not mean that the family dentist that you have been seeing for years isn't the right choice for cosmetic dentistry work, but it does mean that it is worth taking a few simple steps to consider alternatives before deciding where your work will be done.

Know Your Goals

It's easy to focus entirely on the dentists themselves, but making the right choice begins by understanding your own goals. What type of procedure do you want to have done? What are your final goals? Is this the only cosmetic work that you intend to have done or will it be the first of many procedures? When you are speaking with dentists, they will want you to understand the answers to these questions so that they can make the proper recommendations and help you to achieve the results that you are after.

Build Your List from Research

Choosing names blindly from an online directory isn't a great way to build a list of potential candidates to perform a medical procedure. Instead, try to get referrals from people that you know have had work done. You don't need to necessarily select one of these dentists to perform your work, but trusted recommendations can help to form the core of your short list. If recommendations like this aren't available, be sure to read reviews of any dentists that you are considering. Most importantly, don't assume that good ratings mean that a dentist is a good fit for you. Be sure to read the reviews carefully before you schedule your consultation.

Schedule Consultations

As with any medical procedure, it's important to schedule consultations with the dentists that you are considering working with. Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary to have settled on one dentist before scheduling consultations. In fact, it's generally a good idea to schedule more than one consultation so that you can get multiple opinions on your goals, your options, and the likely outcomes of any procedures that you are considering. These extra opinions can help you to determine if your goals are realistic or if you should adjust your expectations.

Ask for Specific Before and After Photos

Many cosmetic dentists are happy to provide before and after photos of their work, but it's not enough to just see how well these procedures worked for other people. Instead, ask if they provide photos of people with similar cosmetic issues to the ones that you are trying to correct. This can help to reassure you that you aren't simply looking at best-case scenarios. It can also help to demonstrate what corrective measures are possible, which can make it easier for you to determine exactly what it is that you want.

Trust Your Gut

If you've built your list from careful research, taken notes during your consultations, and carefully examined before and after photos, then it's likely that every dentist still under consideration is a skilled and competent professional. Choosing between several good options isn't always simple, so it is important to trust your gut. Choose a dentist that you feel comfortable working with, and you're guaranteed to walk away with a new smile that you'll love.