Aesthetics? Everyone’s Bothered
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 24th June 2022
In recent years, the demand for aesthetically pleasing results in dentistry has grown significantly. There are various reasons for this but the most popular influences have been put down to the advancements in technology, the introduction of social media, and an aging population. Clinicians are now concerned about providing their patients with the best possible solutions for their restorative needs.
The Social Media Impact
The turn of the century saw a huge surge in technology and with it came social media. People were thrilled to be able to connect with friends across the world and stay in touch. However, as time progressed and social media became a constant buzz in everyone’s pockets it soon became clear that constant connection isn’t necessarily good for people. In fact, social media has been linked to decreased, disrupted, and delayed sleep and has been associated with depression, memory loss, poor academic performance, and more.[i]
In particular, the impact on beauty standards has had a monumental effect on society. These days you can be overwhelmed with the constant reminder of what people view as beautiful simply by scrolling through your Instagram feed, for example.[ii] When people don’t meet these perceived beauty standards, the general population start to demand that they do. One beauty standard that has prevailed, rather than being deemed as toxic and unattainable like many others, is to have a great looking smile. This demand has been met time and time again as the profession has continued to develop its technologies. These days, chipping a tooth, for instance, is no longer permanent as aesthetic restorations are readily available to patients.
Understanding the Personal Affects
People can seek restorative treatments for a variety of reasons – they might have chipped their tooth, lost a tooth, or maybe poor oral health has led to them needing a filling to restore the tooth. Whatever the reason may be, it’s important to understand that your patient may be suffering from more than just the inconvenience of a chipped tooth, for instance – their Quality of Life (QoL) can be greatly affected too.
Poor looking teeth, or compromised functionality, can exacerbate social withdrawal, isolation, and low self-esteem.[iii] A patient’s speech and ability to eat can also experience a negative impact. Generally, the Quality of Life of the patient is in decline when suffering from such afflictions. A study revealed that the effect of poor oral health on QoL has a negative impact on a broad range of physical, social, and psychological aspects.[iv] Another study revealed that patients consider their QoL significantly affected when their ability to eat and be comfortable is compromised.[v] This can be even more problematic for patients than they may first realise because not being able to eat properly can lead to other health issues – this is especially important to consider with elderly patients as they are more vulnerable to sickness.
Options, Options, Options
There are a range of restorative dental treatments to offer patients but best practice would be to ensure the treatments you have available meet their needs. One study showed that, on average, 36% of dentists make referrals for specialist restorative treatment.[vi] This is on top of the restorative work they do in house which can include fillings, composite, bridges, crowns, and more. This makes it clear that restorative dental treatment is in high demand.
Some of the most sought-after dentists are those that patients deem the most skilled.[vii] Offering a range of high-quality restorations is a sure way to exhibit your skills to patients. Of course, many treatments are already available to patients. In recent years, restorative aesthetic treatment has increased in popularity – now people want their fillings to appear invisible and they never want to be reminded of the time they chipped their front tooth. Statistics show that 50% of 18-24-year-olds have either already had their teeth whitened professionally or feel that they probably would have them whitened by a professional; 44% of 25-49-year-olds also said the same.[viii] This indicates that as society develops people are caring more and more about their aesthetic appearance; this is especially clear as the same study revealed that more older people would not get this kind of treatment.
Upgrade Your Dentistry
Offering a range of restorative treatment is a great place to start when you want to enhance the options you give to your patients. However, ensuring that you’re using the best quality products can also decrease your treatment time and increase your patients’ satisfaction. In particular, BRILLIANT EverGlow® from Coltene is a highly aesthetic and long-lasting hybrid composite that will leave your patients’ teeth looking and feeling amazing. This universal composite has exceptional polishability and sculptability. Plus, the versatile shade system with three translucency levels means you can match the shade to a range of patients’ teeth. What’s more, is that the composite can be used effortlessly to improve your workflow.
In summary, the demand for aesthetic and restorative dental treatment has increased in recent years for a variety of reasons. People care more about aesthetics than they ever have before and that means some expectations have become the norm. Your patients want great looking teeth now more than ever and they’re counting on you to provide them with the best.
For more on COLTENE, visit www.coltene.com,
email info.uk@coltene.com or call 0800 254 5115.
[i] www.mcleanhospital.org. (n.d.). How Does Social Media Affect Your Mental Health | McLean Hospital. [online] Available at: https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/it-or-not-social-medias-affecting-your-mental-health#:~:text=When%20people%20look%20online%20and [Accessed 25 Jan. 2022].
[ii] Levine, M. (2017). Perception of Beauty. [online] Google Books. BoD – Books on Demand. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Gv2PDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA145&dq=social+media+impact+on+societal+beauty+standard&ots=kiEFulh7Cn&sig=jVKU5DMa-b0adQ56xuZTlSskBrY#v=onepage&q=social%20media%20impact%20on%20societal%20beauty%20standard&f=false [Accessed 25 Jan. 2022].
[iii] Kisely, S. (2016). No Mental Health without Oral Health. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 61(5), pp.277–282.
[iv] Needleman, I., McGrath, C., Floyd, P. and Biddle, A. (2004). Impact of Oral Health on the Life Quality of Periodontal Patients. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 31(6), pp.454–457.
[v] McGrath, C. and Bedi, R. (1998). A study of the impact of oral health on the quality of life of older people in the UK- findings from a National Survey. Gerodontology, 15(2), pp.93–98.
[vi] Nixon, P.J. and Benson, R.E. (2005). A Survey of Demand for Specialist Restorative Dental Services. British Dental Journal, [online] 199(3), pp.161–163. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/4812577 [Accessed 26 Jan. 2022].
[vii] Ungureanu, M.-I. and Mocean, F. (2015). What Do Patients Take into Account When They Choose Their dentist? Implications for Quality Improvement. Patient Preference and Adherence, 9, p.1715.
[viii] Stewart, C. (2020). Opinion on Teeth Whitening in Great Britain 2020 by Age. [online] Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1132103/opinion-on-teeth-whitening-in-great-britain-by-age/ [Accessed 26 Jan. 2022].
