Wedding Day Smiles

(Continued)

The Story of Steve's Wedding Day Smile

Patient History

Steve, a 30 year old marketing director of a large business had been working very diligently to get himself established in business. Life was going well for Steve. His business was going well, and with his professional goals on track, he was happily engaged to a beautiful woman. With the wedding not too far off, Steve decided to address some nagging issues he had about his smile so that he could truly shine on his wedding day.

Patient's Concerns

Steve presented with some staining and white marks on his teeth and was in need of orthodontic treatment. After completing orthodontic treatment his previous dentist treated him with composite veneers to mask the stains and white marks. While this treatment was successful for many years, Steve noticed that the composite veneers had started to stain and discolor over time (Figure 8). Steve was happy with the overall alignment of his teeth but wanted a more natural looking smile reflective of the excitement and happiness he was feeling for his new bride. For Steve, that meant a brighter, stain-free smile.

Figure 8: Photograph showing Steve's smile before teeth whitening and veneers.

Photos provided by Dr. Jacinthe M. Paquette

Findings & Diagnosis

Steve is a very healthy individual, except for a smoking habit of half a pack a day for the last five years which contributed to the staining and discoloration of his teeth. An aesthetic evaluation revealed good positioning of his two front teeth but needed to be lengthened to more naturally follow his lower lip contour. All the teeth were well aligned and positioned. Steve also presented with some isolated periodontal (gum) disease with early pocket formation (a condition in which the gum tissues become detached from the teeth leading to loss of supporting bone), that needed to be addressed before any restoration of his teeth could be completed.

Treatment Planning

The first phase of treatment included coordinating Steve's periodontal work with our dental hygienist. During his care with the hygienist, Steve also learned how to take care of his mouth and teeth through better homecare maintenance. This involved instruction in daily plaque control, scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) of the affected teeth. The deepened pockets were re-evaluated to see if any resolution had been achieved. Sure enough, Steve's gums responded positively to the periodontal treatment. His periodontal condition had healed and stabilized; he was now ready for final restorative treatment to improve his smile.

Figure 9: Photograph showing teeth whitening performed with light activation to reestablish Steve's natural color.

Photos provided by Dr. Jacinthe M. Paquette

The first step in the cosmetic treatment was to bleach his teeth in order to whiten them by trying to remove some of the stain which occurred over the years from smoking (Figure 9). The old composite veneers were then removed from the upper 6 front teeth and they were prepared for porcelain laminate veneers. Similarly to Suzanne's case, both the new aesthetic outcome and the shade were tested in the temporary veneers allowing the patient to actually see what the final result would look like.

The talented dental team, Dr. Devin Stewart and dental laboratory technicians, worked hard to complete the final veneers before the wedding. In fact, the final veneers were delivered in the nick of time, one day before he left for his wedding in Australia! This makes the point to plan well ahead for dental treatment of this nature — dentistry is an art as well as a science, and takes time. His treatment took about two months to complete.

Figure 10: Photograph showing Steve's smile before teeth whitening and veneers.	Figure 11: Photograph of Steve's new veneers and teeth color after teeth whitening.
Photos provided by Dr. Jacinthe M. Paquette

Final Result

Steve is extremely happy with his decision to go through with the treatment. When you compare his before (Figure 10) and his after (Figure 11), you can see why his internal confidence and happiness shine through his smile in all of his wedding pictures. He will cherish his new smile for the rest of his life.

A Successful Ending for a Beautiful Beginning

Dentistry has made a very visible contribution to the appearance of Suzanne's and Steve's smiles. You could say that the “proof of the pudding is in the eating,” no pun intended, but it's not just all about looks. Our bride and groom not only look better, they feel better about themselves. Part of being a dental professional is to improve and maintain health and psychological well-being. So behind the scenes, your dentist is not only creating visible art, but also incorporating professional know-how to provide improved function, health and longevity.