If there’s one thing that bugs a lot of people, it’s their teeth. Every time we look in the mirror to brush our hair, check our clothes and appearance and brush those often not-so-pearly whites — there they are, staring right back at us in their uneven and stained imperfection.
It seems that no matter what you try and do to improve how your teeth look, you just don’t get very far. Few of us, after all, were born with aesthetically pleasing teeth; while they may be perfectly healthy and do the job they’re supposed to do — chop up food and get it ready for digestion, as well as shaping our mouth and aiding with speech — they often don’t look so great. And every time we watch an American TV or news programmes and see people with dazzling and totally perfect teeth, we wonder just where we went wrong in the dental stakes and if we were dealt some terrible teeth hand at birth.
But “[w]ith so much riding on good teeth,” says one article about Americans’ pretty gnashers, “cosmetic dental work has rapidly been turning from an expensive luxury into an everyday essential.”
The truth is that however much we want teeth that dazzle and wow, nature did not intend it that way. Natural teeth are not generally blindingly snow-white; nor are they usually perfectly straight and aligned. But for whatever reason — vanity and self-confidence, probably — we want to go a step further and correct nature’s oral shortcomings. This is why a growing number of people outside of the US, where many people have their teeth “fixed”, are opting for cosmetic dentistry to give them an incredible smile.
Seeking Dental Perfection
Dentists like The James Clinic in Ireland have developed cosmetic dentistry to meet this demand. Headed by James Hiney — a dentist who studied in a number of countries to gain specialist dental knowledge in several areas, including cosmetic dentistry — the business operates three clinics in the country, including a thriving Enfield dental practice which’s experiencing an upsurge in patients wanting teeth whitening as well as crowns and veneers.
“As long as our patients’ teeth are healthy and there aren’t any problems, many of them want to have procedures to make them more aesthetically pleasing,” said Hiney. “This usually means having crowns or veneers fitted and the good news is it’s no longer a long and torturous process, but can be done easily and quickly.”
That’s due to the clinic’s introduction of a new technology called CEREC which uses a sophisticated camera to scan a person’s mouth and teeth in detail and then creates a design for crowns or veneers that are instantly made by a connected machine. Patients — says Hiney — can now have new teeth in just a day, eliminating the need to endure temporary implants, make repeated visits and undergo uncomfortable procedures. The clinic calls it a one-day smile makeover that gives patients the “perfect smile in one visit”.
Booming Cosmetic Dentistry Market
It’s no wonder practices such as The James Clinic have expanded their services to include cosmetic dentistry. Such is the demand for the various procedures to improve the look — and possible function — of teeth that the global cosmetic dentistry market is forecast to grow by almost 14% between now and 2023, according to the results of research published in January.
“It has been observed globally that aesthetic appeal is on the increase,” the research notes. “This, in turn, has generated the progress of a wide range of procedures and techniques that cater to the specific needs of patients. The escalating demand for dental implants and orthodontic appliances in developing markets has caused a spurt in dental tourism.”
The research also claims that as incomes rise in various regions of the world — such as countries of Southeast Asia — more people want to have cosmetic dentistry done. As more dental clinics open in such areas to cater to demand, this fuels an increase in dental tourism around the world.
Meaning people can enjoy visiting such beautiful countries as Ireland while also getting a stunning smile.
