Basma Raza-ur Rahman
Research says that those of us who are ashamed of our smile are more depressed, with-drawn and lacking in confidence. What if there was a way to give you a smile that made you look great, made others feel more positively towards you, and truly reflected the way you felt? A Smile that reflects the character, soul and style that you want to project to others, traditionally dentists have focused solely on teeth and gums. But emotional dentistry goes much further. Emotional Dentistry is analysing and considering the full face of the patient into the new smile so that it looks natural. We look at the whole person. That’s because we understand one crucial thing: a smile comes from the soul, not from the mouth. The art of Emotional Dentistry is similar to the skill of an architect, interior designer or sculptor. They understand the universal truths about shape, proportion, and symmetry. About how the arrangement of light, space, and form can either look harmonious and pleasing, or jarring and unnatural. How some shapes can excite us and others can make us feel calm and safe. Another important feature is morphopsychology. The objective of morphopsychology is to establish the links between physical or morphologic appearance and characterological or psychologic particulars. “Facial shapes are a reflection of the life forces that are at work within each individual” (developed in the 1930s by a French psychologist named Louis Corman) concrete and harmonious reflection of the development of thought and spirit should be helpful in understanding the secret nature of these elements. This postulate is the basis for the development of the “science” of morphopsychology, an understanding of which represents one of the means of assessing the personality of our patients. The shape of your teeth says a lot about your personality. Digital Smile Design (DSD) is a treatment planning protocol that allows for careful analysis of the patient’s facial and dental structures through state-of-the-art videography and digital technology. Today, the DSD Concept is considered the most modern, patient-centered design approach available. Dental photography allows the patient to visualize his or her smile and oral condition with the same acute perspective as the dentist, which helps the patient understand the rationale for recommended treatment. Photography has always been considered an invaluable part of dentistry with digital technology; imaging has become easier and more readily accessible. Humans are visual creatures, which is why without good photos it’s hard to sell your patients a case large or small. Photography is an integral part of modern dentistry. Just like taking radiographs to assist us in making diagnoses, dental photography can be an important diagnostic and treatment aid. Dental photography is used for multiple purposes. Recording the baseline situation when seeing a new patient, explaining dental situation to the patients. Creating accurate treatment plans in conjunction with other diagnostic data, Laboratory communication, Marketing your services and personal cases on social media to attract more patients. The last place one would expect to find design and innovation: The dentist’s office. Dental photography used for case presentation to guide patients toward a decision making, use of visual treatment plans, they’ll immediately be able to visualize the changes they hope to see. Seeing is believing for many patients. All they know is not Hollywood smile vs. Hollywood smile.