It is the free yet harmonious play of our cognitive faculties in aesthetic judgment that is the source of the feeling of pleasure that we associate with beauty.
Immanuel Kant
Beauty, the harmony with nature, something so abstract and so difficult to achieve, yet can be easily distinguished at the blink of an eye.
Everything that occurs in nature, exists in its most intricate form. These are sculptures of art that have been crafted through millions of years of natural selection.
The complexity of nature’s beauty is so difficult to reproduce, in order to create the finest imitation, precision of the highest order is paramount in every step of the process.
Nature and Aesthetics
A tooth can be considered as an organism, as it emerges slowly through cellular growth.
Charles Bonnet (1720-1793),was a Genevan naturalist and philosophical writer. In his botanical studies of 1754, Bonnet observed the emission of gas bubbles by a submerged illuminated leaf and concluded there are five basic forms of leaves that are most efficient in carrying out photosynthesis.
Not long after, a 37-year-old German poet and philosopher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, while travelling from Weimar to Italy, furthered his personal botanical studies based on Bonnet’s discovery, and in 1790 published Versuch die Metamorphose der Pflanzen zu erklären, known in English as Metamorphosis of Plants. It is in this book that the word Morphology was first documented. (According to his personal diary, the first usage of the word morphology occurs in 1796).
Morphology is a branch of biology dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features. It recognises that these structures change with time.
This concept did not align with Carl Linnaeus’ binomial nomenclature at the time but slowly became the core of German Idealism, with significant contribution towards its metaphysical pursuit over aesthetics.
Goethe proposed that it was possible that all plants morphed from a single source or species. This controversial proposal revolutionised modern science and gave rise to Darwin’s evolution theory.
Appointment: New patient Exam & Patient Obligations
Christchurch Dentist – New Patient Exam
In order to best care for you as our patient and to deliver the most effective treatment possible, our dentist must gather comprehensive dental records. A new patient exam at Christchurch Boutique Dental will typically take between 1 to 1.5 hours. Our dentist will discuss with you your primary concerns (if there are any) followed by diagnostic photography, bitewing X-rays and an OPG (full mouth x-ray). Once all the necessary information has been collected, the dentist will carry out a thorough examination of your teeth as well as the supporting structures in your head and neck.Christchurch Dentist – Patient obligations – Prior to treatment
Most patients presents to us with specific aesthetic issues they want to correct. These pathologies are often complex. It is important for our patients to fully understand and be fully informed of the treatments they are about to undertake. Our patients are obliged to take note of the following:- Successful aesthetic dentistry on our front teeth relies upon the support from our molars. Our jaw muscles generate around 80kg of force. Without strong molars to support this weight, our newly built front teeth will chip, tilt or suffer catastrophic fractures as a result. Therefore restoring broken or worn down molars is a key factor in successful aesthetic dentistry. Patients that are unwilling to restore the health of their molars beforehand, must understand the risks they face as a result.
- Gums and the underlying jaw bone are the foundations of our teeth. Before any aesthetic treatments at Christchurch Boutique Dental, our patients need to commit to maintaining adequate oral hygiene. Throughout the treatment phase, the quality of home care will be closely monitored, and oral health plans will be prescribed by our dentist as required. Therefore, achieving perfect gum health is the first step to crafting a natural smile.
- Before your treatment, it is important to communicate your expectations and your understanding of the planned procedures. Hence, effective communication is crucial at this stage. Rehabilitation of the oral structures begin with our dentist examining facial contours, lip lines and phonetics. This information is recorded and analysed in a unique way. And until this analysis is complete, it is not possible for our dentist to formulate a treatment plan, and therefore the cost of the treatment cannot be accurately calculated.
- Correct treatment planning at Christchurch Boutique dental depends on a patient’s preclinical condition, evidence based research and the expertise of the clinician. Therefore, patients are not allowed to formulate their own treatment plans.
- Aesthetic dental treatments differ from conventional dental treatments. Patient’s ideas and perceptions are taken on board, and models are used extensively in the planning stage to help visualise the end result.
- A perfect smile does not mean perfect symmetry. As mentioned previously, the perception of beauty is closely linked to the harmony with nature. Often times asymmetry is purposely introduced to achieve a more naturally balanced outcome. And in order to deliver superior dentistry, clinicians must have the ability to see beyond their intuition and craft smiles based on the Basic Aesthetic Principles of nature.
Design guided reconstruction.
To deliver successful aesthetic reconstructions, patient’s involvement and opinions are therefore extremely important. To maximise efficacy and efficiency of our communication, treatment planning and treatment delivery, we adopt the following work flow:
- Clinical Exam & Diagnosis
- Diagnostic photos and study models
- Aesthetic Analysis
- Diagnostic Wax-up / Invisalign
- Wax-up discussion, aesthetic appraisal
- Treatment planning & consent
- Multidisciplinary treatment
- Abutment preparation
- Temporary prosthesis
- Aesthetic re-evaluation
- Bonding of prosthesis
Effective Communication
First Stage: Data Collection.
What we require form the patient:
- Which aspect of your smile would you like to correct?
- Would you consider orthodontic treatments?
- Is there a specific budget or time frame you need to adhere to
- Treatments you do not wish to undertake.
- Data collected will be analysed to formulate appropriate treatment plans.
Second Stage: Mock Up Discussion
What we require form the patient:
- Your ideal horizontal reference (interpupillary line, border of lip etc.)
- Your preferred tooth shape and colour
Third Stage: Elimination of Pathology
This is the stage where we correct the underlying problems. Gum disease, bone graft, gum surgery, orthodontics, root canal treatments etc. This is often a multidisciplinary event, and therefore requires input from various specialists. It is also the most crucial step, as it lays down a solid foundation for the reconstructive work to follow.
Fourth Stage: Treatment Delivery
Following completion of the “ground works”, we enter the reconstruction phase. For patients that have undergone orthodontic treatment, a new set of data may need to be collected and analysed. Finally, a second set of models and wax up will also need to be fabricated.