P024 The Lifetime Patient V the Cosmetic Dentistry Patient

About This Course

This recorded lecture will look frankly and controversially at the way our industry operates and the kind of patients many dentists feel pressured to treat. What will be the affect long term of treating the “insta” patient? Is cosmetic dentistry a good approach at all? Should we be treating new patients with large irreversible modalities when vast numbers of patients in our own practices experience slow dental occlusal/aesthetic breakdown that often goes unnoticed?

So much dentistry is carried out way too late by this time, too much damage is done for many patients to be able to afford the optimal solutions. Arguably no patient should ever need a full mouth rehabilitation, if enough dentists had the confidence to identify communicate and treat patients sooner. This is today, highly relevant as dentistry is about to change dramatically after Covid 19.

Prevention should mean far more than just prevention of tooth decay and periodontal disease. It should also be about prevention of more expensive reconstructive treatments later in life. 

Learning Outcomes

Aims

• To look at how we can monitor, communicate and intercept dental problems that may appear through life through co-diagnosis.
• To compare the risks of treating new patients with fancy cosmetic treatments VS known educated patients with functional driven aesthetic treatments.
• To evaluate cases treated over 20 years and the approach taken which focuses on prevention of wear, maintenance of function, aesthetics and tooth position compared to untreated cases
• To examine employing a heavy marketing approach to new patients VS a more, steady educational approach to known patients. 

Objectives

On completion of this presentation, you will be able to:

• Appreciate the importance of treating patients over their lifetime, have a basic understanding of the Dahl Principle when and when not to use
• Identify tooth-wear and functional changes due to tooth movement and employ digital analysis in treatment planning and case acceptance
• Describe tooth alignment, and bonding as a comprehensive approach to offering patients improved aesthetic and functional outcomes
• Understand the importance of retention maintenance far beyond just short orthodontic treatment.