Okemos, Lansing, East Lansing MI
The popularity of cosmetic dentistry is on the rise as more and more treatments are becoming available to whiten and brighten a smile in quick, discreet and affordable ways. The goal of a cosmetic dentist is to give you the perfect smile — one that you can show off and be proud of. But while cosmetic dentists may seem like magicians to many, just like any other career, they face pressures and challenges. Our Okemos cosmetic dentist, Dr. Christine Tenaglia, is sharing a few of those pressures today while also focusing on how our office prides itself on overcoming any challenges while meeting the needs and wants of our patients.
Dental anxiety and fear
Many people avoid the dentist because of fear and anxiety — you may be one of them! Perhaps someone had a less-than-pleasant experience in the dentist’s chair when they were younger, or sometimes patients say they don’t like being unable to see what’s happening. For whatever reason, some patients come in nervous about cosmetic dentistry procedures.
Solution: Dr. Tenaglia has years of experience treating patients in our Lansing area dentist’s office to help with their general and aesthetic dentistry needs. Our dental team creates a relaxed and comfortable environment for our patients, and we provide clear communication before and throughout any procedure to help keep our patients at ease, comfortable and aware of what’s going on during treatment.
Meeting expectations
While patients may be nervous about undergoing cosmetic treatments, our cosmetic dentist in East Lansing wants to make sure our team does everything in its power to give our patients a perfect celebrity smile. Sometimes that can be challenging because we have to balance what someone wants with what can realistically be accomplished.
Solution: Dr. Tenaglia communicates openly and honestly with our patients. She provides a thorough exam and consultation in which she will discuss reasonable limitations and possibilities for treatment.
Balancing beauty and function
While the goal of cosmetic dentistry is to make a smile and face beautiful, it’s also critical for any treatment plan to prioritize bite alignment and functionality, or the ability to use your mouth to properly speak and eat.
Solution: We use advanced dental technology — including digital images of our patients’ mouths and teeth — to ensure we are maintaining functionality and a healthy bite while correcting cosmetic issues that will lead to a beautiful smile.
Complex situations
Some of our patients come in for one or two simple cosmetic procedures, such as professional teeth whitening and dental bonding or veneers. Occasionally, however, we see a complex case of a smile that has severe misalignment or extensive tooth loss or damage. These cases will require an entire reconstruction of the teeth and sometimes the jaw.
Solution: Dr. Tenaglia and our staff are always expanding and fine-tuning our knowledge and skills with training and continuing education opportunities. We also have a wide range of specialists with whom we collaborate for severe cases of extensive tooth and jaw damage or gum disease, including orthodontists and periodontists.
Helping patients keep results long-term
Aesthetic dentistry is an investment in you and your smile. As with any investment, we want results to last. Specifically in the case of cosmetic dentistry, whether it lasts long-term or not is largely in the hands of our patients — their lifestyles, habits and oral hygiene.
Solution: Our cosmetic dental team welcomes and encourages open communication with our patients. We stress the importance of adhering to a strict oral hygiene regimen that includes brushing teeth twice a day, flossing once and visiting our cosmetic dentist’s office in Okemos twice a year for regular checkups and cleanings. We will also remind our patients about maintenance services, such as teeth whitening.
Cosmetic dentistry in East Lansing and Okemos
Like almost anything else, practicing cosmetic dentistry has its challenges, but at Tenaglia Smiles, we overcome the issues with open, honest dialogue with our patients and dedication to continuing our education and always looking for opportunities to sharpen our skills. We know that sometimes visiting a dentist is scary, but we don’t want you to feel that way in our office. We want you to like being here, and we want to give you a smile that you’re proud of. Give Tenaglia Smiles a call at (517) 940-8684, or reach out to us today to schedule a consultation.