Virtually Perfect
After hearing about the new solution that promises customising your smile with the latest innovations in dentistry, Team TMN headed off to see if we can make our dream teeth a reality…
What: Creating a virtually perfect smile with Dr. Sofia’s Digital Smile Design
Where: Euromed Clinic Center, Jumeirah Beach Road
When: From 9am until 7pm, Saturday to Thursday and closed on Friday
The promise: The Digital Smile Design software will combine the benefits of science, technology and art to allow you and a dental expert to create your perfect smile.
Did it Deliver? The experience of the Digital Smile Design (DSD) software was completely different from what Team TMN had expected, it was not like our usual dentist appointments, but more of a team effort to getting that dream smile. As we arrived at the villa the lovely receptionist greeted and offered us something to drink while we waited. With cucumber and mint water in our hand, we filled out a form with basic information about our health, family history and how much pain we could tolerate.
Our DSD session was conducted by Cosmetics Dentist, Dental Lasers Specialist and Implantologist, Dr. Sofia Aravopoulou who was very detailed and professional throughout the process. She made us feel at ease immediately as she greeted us with a warm and welcoming smile, and walking us upstairs to her office for our consultation. We were asked to describe in detail an idea of what we would like our smile to look like or which part of our smile we wanted to change, and with the DSD software as well as Dr. Sofia’s recommendations, she was ready to give our teeth an upgrade. Dr. Sofia briefly explained the process then began to examine our teeth and check the state of our dentition to know whether we had any previous work done or needed anything to be done to our teeth as well as to design and look for the smile that suited us. So in case of having had work done previously to the teeth or the need for a few adjustments, Dr. Sofia has the solution to make the necessary changes that will create a smile that is well suited and is the right fit to each individual.
The next step was to get our face photographed and videoed to be sure that our designed smile will feel right. Dr. Sofia then created a mock-up of the teeth described and customised it based on our face and teeth structure, this is sent to a local lab that allows all the work to be flexible and done quick. The mock-up that was created was very realistic, as we didn’t expect every detail of our dream teeth to be brought to life. The veneers produced are set temporary, and worn for a few days to ensure that we are completely satisfied and gives us a chance to make any changes. So, for those of us that wanted longer looking teeth to fit our facial structure, she is able to laser the gum slightly and bond it up to make the teeth look longer, or if we have gaps between our teeth, she can fill in the gaps by adding bond material instead of using veneers to close up the spaces and if small enough can help perfect that smile. What we really appreciated about this is that Dr. Sofia has all of the tools and know-how to get our teeth to the place we want the best way possible.
The DSD software has different options that can be used for the perfect smile and Dr. Sofia doesn’t just do veneers, but also whitening, bonding and crowns, which all depends on what is needed, whether it is to create an entirely new smile or correct aspects of the smile in some cases if needed. She can also pop off the veneers without damaging for any fixes after setting it in place. What the digital software does is that it uses an algorithm that is based on the type of smile, the gum line, the shape of the jaw and face, allowing us to select the type of dentition that will fit and create our virtual smile. The beauty of it all is that we didn’t have to just trust what we want or her word, but we could create, see in real life and confirm whether we chose the right smile before doing any work on our teeth. DSD in its collaborative nature offers the opportunity for us to work together with the experts and have a definitive say in what our teeth will look like when finished.
The verdict: The entire process from the first consultation, to designing and customising our desired teeth gives us the chance to be involved in bringing to life the very smile we want and one that will be a perfect fit, which makes DSD different from other treatments. At AED 1500 per session, the DSD treatment is not cheap, but favors well in knowing that you will be involved in creating the smile you want through the precise and detailed process of examining of not only your teeth, but other facial features as well. Overall, DSD is a concept that Team TMN will recommend not only for when you have disfigured teeth or a medical and dental history, but also to be able to achieve or upgrade to a natural and unique smile that best fits your facial features and structure.