A SMILE IS... GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

By Kimberly Blaker

Do you catch yourself minimizing your smile to hide your teeth? If so, you're not alone. Imperfect or bad teeth can erode confidence and make you self-conscious. Cosmetic dentistry can do wonders to correct flaws and provide you with the selfconfidence to share your smile with the world.

Smiling provides many benefits. Having the confidence to smile can boost your overall self-esteem. In turn, self-esteem positively affects other areas of your life from social interactions to career. Smiling is also good for your emotional health because it releases endorphins, cortisol, dopamine, and serotonin, the neurotransmitters associated with feeling good. Smiling sends positive messages to others as well, so it's good for relationships too.

Additionally, smiling improves physical health because the chemical changes reduce pain, stress, blood pressure, and strengthen your immune system. Whether the issue with your teeth is their color, size, shape, position, or alignment, it can likely be corrected. People most commonly seek cosmetic dentistry for tooth chips, cracks, fillings, crowding, gaps, bite, gums, and crooked or missing teeth. The array of treatment options for these and other cosmetic issues includes whitening, bonding, veneers, crowns, bridges, implants, inlays, onlays, shaping, and orthodontics. With so many options, there's likely an esthetic dentistry solution right for you.

Dr. Brian Fann, with The Art of Dentistry, was born and raised in Columbia, Tennessee, and opened the practice in Columbia in 2001, shortly after he earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Tennessee at Memphis. Fann received his IV sedation certification from the UAB School of Dentistry and completed an implant fellowship through DentalXP and the NYU School of Dentistry. In addition, he is an Associate Fellow in the Academy of GP Orthodontics.

In August 2021, Dr. Justin Anderson joined the practice. He earned his DMD from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry and continues to educate himself in the Step-by-Step of Esthetic Anterior Restorations, Extraction and Socket Preservation Bone Grafting, Posterior and Anterior CEREC, Implants, and Invisalign. Anderson is also a member of the AGD and ADA.

Fann has always been fascinated by the art of dentistry and quickly learned serving others through this art and science was his true passion. The Art of Dentistry practice offers a wide array of dental services including general dentistry, cosmetic, restorative, orthodontic, dental implants, pediatric, and specialty dentistry to meet the needs of their patients. Fann and Anderson also use the latest state-of-the-art technology with aesthetic design to create your ideal smile.

Basic cosmetic dentistry does not require specialized training, so any licensed dentist can advertise and provide those services. Still, a dentist with specialized training can help ensure you achieve optimum results. You may consider asking what type of ongoing education and what specialized training the team has.

It is also important to make sure the dentist understands occlusion, or chewing function, as some cosmetic changes can affect your occlusion. So, this is crucial to ensure changes to your teeth won't pose a risk to your other teeth or the new work done to your teeth. And ask to see before-and-after photos in the dentist’s portfolio of patients treated. Online reviews provide additional information and are important. With a 4.9-star rating on Google, The Art of Dentistry shines.

The specific technology necessary for treatment depends on the procedure. Still, even if a particular technology isn't required, the availability of advanced technology may indicate how serious a cosmetic dentist is about providing patients with the best results. Intraoral cameras, digital X-rays, dental lasers, and chairside monitors are just a few advanced technologies cosmetic dentists often have at their disposal.

A detail often overlooked by patients is the quality of the materials used in their treatment. Inferior materials can affect not only your results but how well the materials hold up. Make a note to ask about the quality of the materials that'll be used.

Ask about wax-ups, mock-ups, digital imaging, and smile previews. Cosmetic dentists use these tools to create a template to ensure patients achieve their desired results. These tools also provide patients with the opportunity to see how their smile will look after crowns, restorations, or porcelain veneers. Viewing a preview of what your smile will look like post-treatment will help ensure your satisfaction with the final results.

Before treatment, your dentist should make an impression of your teeth to create a stone model. Your face, smile, and teeth will also be photographed. The dentist will then use these to demonstrate different treatment options with wax models. Some dentists may use digital imaging software, however, digital imaging isn't as detailed as mock-ups. A dentist that offers intraoral mock-ups for a more accurate image of the results you can expect.

Find out what type of pain management the dentist uses or recommends for the selected procedure. The most common forms of pain management for cosmetic dentistry may include the following. For mild discomfort, analgesics, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, may be recommended. If your procedure is more invasive, your dentist may want to numb your mouth or an area of your mouth with anesthetics such as lidocaine or Novocain. These can be applied topically, injected, or swallowed. Sedatives may also be used to help you relax including nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, as well as deep sedation, conscious sedation, inhalation sedation, or intravenous sedation.

Request a written quote with a breakdown of the costs as well as the payment options available. Dental insurance may cover some cosmetic dental treatments if the procedures aren't solely for aesthetic purposes. Even then, such procedures are rarely covered at 100% making it important to submit a pre-determination request to your insurance company to find what is covered. Flexible financing options include Wisetack financing or the CareCredit credit card. Apply online for an instant credit decision and many dentists accept Wisetack or CareCredit as well as major credit cards. Before you begin treatment, do confirm your insurance coverage and payment options. Lastly, once your treatment has been determined, find out how many appointments it will take to complete treatment and how long each appointment will be.

The Art of Dentistry family is dedicated to making your dental experience as comfortable as possible. For additional information or to schedule a consultation, call The Art of Dentistry at (931) 381-6880 or visit drbrianfann.com to book online. Follow them on social media at @theartofdentistrytn.

KIMBERLY BLAKER is a freelance writer. She also owns an online bookshop, Sage Rare & Collectible Books, specializing in out-of-print, scarce, signed, and first editions; fine bindings; ephemera, and more at sagerarebooks.com