To most people, looking good means feeling good about themselves. It boosts self-belief and self-reliance, both valuable commodities in today’s business world in which selling oneself is a prerequisite to success.
Some go as far as plastic surgery: a facelift here, a tummy tuck there. But most baulk at the idea of anything too radical.
However, there is one area of self-enhancement to which people are far more open: cosmetic dentistry. Improving the appearance of your teeth and gums makes an immediate and obvious difference to your overall look. Whitening, reshaping, restoring and replacing teeth is now more common than ever.
Cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry fall into two distinct disciplines: orthodontics and prostheodontics. Orthodontics is likely to be more familiar to most because it is the orthodontists who treat people, especially children between the ages of five and 15, who have some sort of dental irregularity or a jaw that is disproportionate to the teeth — what we would refer to as “underbites” or “overbites”.
The growth of the teeth is controlled and modified using dental braces and wires called power chains, which are usually made of stainless steel.
Applied very tightly, these braces can be worn all the time for an extended period of time — usually six months to a year or even more — until the teeth are realigned into the required position. They can also be worn part-time, usually at night when the patient sleeps.
To prevent the aligned teeth from moving back to their original position, orthodontists often recommend part-time treatment as an extension to the full-time variety. To avoid the unsightly look of metal braces, some opt for clear braces, but they are significantly more expensive.
So, what should you expect to pay for this kind of treatment? Depending on the severity of the problem and the length of time the braces need to be applied, anything between R13000 to R25000. If you want the clear version, you are looking at R22 000 to R30 000.
Prostheodontics is a newer speciality of dentistry that has been popularised by reality-TV makeover shows. It is also an expensive business. Prostheodontists are among the most highly paid healthcare practitioners in the United States.
Prostheodontic treatment includes dental bridges, which are effectively false teeth that are fused between two porcelain crowns to fill the area left by a missing tooth; veneers, which are ultra-thin, custom-made porcelain laminates that are bonded on to the teeth and extremely effective for closing gaps or disguising discoloured, badly worn or damaged teeth; and gum lifts, which raise and reshape the gum line, creating the appearance of straighter, longer teeth.
The most common form of cosmetic dentistry is probably teeth whitening. More often than not, it is achieved through bleaching. Even though there are now many over-the-counter treatments available, none are believed to be as effective as the kind you will receive at your dentist or dental hygienist.
Diagnosing and treating many conditions has become remarkably advanced with the use of three-dimensional computer-aided design that minimises the need for dental visits. In fact, a temporary restoration that used to take two weeks can now be achieved in a single session.
Cosmetic dentistry is well beyond the means of the majority of South Africans. But for those whose appearance is important for the kind of work they do, this type of dentistry is fast gaining acceptance.
And why not? People are happy to spend thousands on a wardrobe that is destined to become threadbare in just a few years. Perfect-looking teeth, however, will be with you for life.
Cosmetic dentistry will be the topic of Bonitas House Call on February 18 at 9am on SABC2