Aesthetics vs. Health:  The Ugly Secrets Behind An Unhealthy Smile

There is a great incongruity that exists in the field of modern dentistry.  As healthcare providers, our primary objective should be the optimal health and well being of our patients. Yet a simple research query reveals the prevailing definition of Cosmetic Dentistry to be “the branch of dentistry dealing with the appearance of the teeth.”  The characterization of dentistry as cosmetic is a misnomer, at best, and potentially dangerous to our well being.  We, rather, embrace the aptly expressed ideal of comprehensive oral care, “combining art and science to optimally improve dental health, aesthetics and function.”* Of course, we all want an attractive smile. The modern trend, though, of focusing on aesthetics vs. health only serves to mask the ugly secrets that hide behind an unhealthy smile, as well as devalue the multitude of healthful benefits of beautiful teeth.  Not only might seemingly aesthetic issues of decay, discoloration or overcrowding lead to bone or tooth loss, but recent research has corroborated the link between poor oral health and such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, systemic infection and more.

Consider the continuum of health.  A health conscious individual eats well and exercises regularly as a means to an end.  Sure, six-pack abs are attractive, but they are simply an outward manifestation of inner health. That’s why they call it physical fitness training, not physical cosmetic training. As we address the issues of gum disease, decay, crowding and discoloration, we usher our patients along the continuum from ill health to optimal health.  The cosmetic, aesthetic results are a BEAUTIFUL by-product.  Essentially, at the Spodak Dental Group, we firmly believe that a healthy smile IS a beautiful smile!

As true health care professionals, we must turn from the typical reactive medical model of getting people un-sick to a proactive model of getting people healthy.  Proactive dental care is not only less complex, it is less costly.  Given the present state of our economy, we all find ourselves reorganizing our financial priorities.  If we persist in our view of a beautiful smile as purely cosmetic in nature, we will relegate our dental care to the realm of the discretionary and elective.  Given the grave health consequences of poor oral health, we must rethink our perception.

At the Spodak Dental Group, we offer comprehensive dental care (general, periodontal, maxillofacial) in one singular setting. We house one of the nation’s only on-site dental labs, wherein our master ceramic artists hand craft restorations to perfectly match the requirements of your personalized treatment plan. Our newest associate, Dr. Jerome Vitale, is one of the area’s only sustaining members of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. What’s more, Dr. Craig Spodak holds a 2010 Premier Provider designation in the Invisalign method of straightening teeth and would welcome the opportunity to demonstrate how this clear, comfortable and removable technique could help you attain the healthy, straight smile of your dreams.  Visit us at www.spodakdental.com or call us at 561-498-0050 to explore the beautiful, healthful difference our unique approach to dentistry affords.