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Home » smile design

smile design

6 Photos Every Dentist Should Send With a Cosmetic Cases!

May 8, 2021 by musfeldt

A smile design has so many factors that need to be considered both esthetically and functionally.  The functional issues are most often determined on the articulator but photos are necessary in determining the esthetics. Whether your sending records for a diagnostic wax up or the case has been prepped and the wax up has been transferred to the mouth, these are six photos that should be sent to the lab.  Below I will show each photo and what I as a dental technician am looking at and for with each one.

Full Face Smile Photo

With the full face smile photo I am trying to determine:

  1. Is there a midline cant?
  2. Is there an incisal cant?
  3. Facial asymmetry (Eyes, Earlobes, lip canting, chin deviation, etc.)
  4. Buccal corridor
  5. Gingival architecture

Chin to Nose Smile

The chin to nose smile helps determine:

  1. Teeth length (too long, too short, ideal) 
  2. Gingival architecture (Is crown lengthening beneficial)
  3. Buccal corridor (Fill, reduce, maintain)

Full Face Reposed

The full face reposed shot helps determine:

  1. Tooth exposure in the rest position and whether it is appropriate for the patients age
  2. Do lower teeth show or not

Profile Smile Photo

The profile smile photo determines:

  1. The labial position of the teeth in the face (Flared, Reclined, Ideal)

Left Lateral View (Retracted or Not)

The left lateral view is used to determine:

  1. Used to assist in articulation 
  2. Used to assess tooth shape and postion

Right Lateral View (Retracted or Not)

The right lateral view determines:

  1. Used to assist in articulation 
  2. Used to assess tooth shape and position

These are the photos I ask for with every case, because they help me determine where I would like to go with the design of a cosmetic smile design.  These photos help spur conversations between the dentist and dental technician that assist in the best result for the patient.

Filed Under: For the Doctor, For the Patient, For the Technician Tagged With: smile design

Should I Platform Switch my Dental Implants? Three Reasons Why!

May 23, 2017 by musfeldt

Should I platform switch dental implant abutments?  This may have been somewhat of a controvery a decade ago but there is plenty of scientific data to support the efficacy and benefits at this point.  A platform switch is using a smaller diameter abutment on a larger diameter implant platform.  In addition to the aesthetic benefits discussed later, platform switching allows the patient to more effectively clean the dental implant site.  A popular thought with the machine fit implants is that bugs/ bacteria are able to live right at the implant/abutment junction and prevent bone adaptation.  The platform switch allows the junction to be more easily cleansed therefore allowing for better integration of bone in the area.  Two additional benefits are:

[Read more…] about Should I Platform Switch my Dental Implants? Three Reasons Why!

Filed Under: For the Doctor, For the Patient, For the Technician Tagged With: dental aesthetics, Dental Implants, esthetic dentistry, oral surgeon, periodontist, smile design

Smile Design Success Guide- 4 Must Knows

May 23, 2017 by musfeldt

While there are many things to consider when creating an incredible smile design, here are four topics the trio of dentist, technician and patient should have prior to any start of treatment. These will ultimately lead to a successful smile design and everyone smiling.

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Filed Under: For the Doctor Tagged With: cosmetic dental lab, cosmetic dentistry, lab communication, smile design

Top 10 Smile Design Considerations

May 23, 2017 by musfeldt

There are many factors to consider when creating a beautiful smile design.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a smile design definitely fits the saying.  These are universal principles, however a patients personal preferences will also need to be discussed prior to fabrication of the veneers or all porcelain crowns.  The top 10 smile design considerations are listed below, broken down into two segments, facial and dental components.

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Filed Under: For the Doctor, For the Patient Tagged With: cosmetic dentistry, dentist communication, lab communication, smile design, smile design lab

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Hello, my name is Luke Musfeldt and I've been involved in the dental technology field for over thirty years. I got started at the early age of thirteen helping my mother out on the … Read More about About Us

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