Your smile says so much about who you are. What are your options when your smile doesn’t accurately reflect your personality? Within seconds of an initial meeting, your smile (and your feeling about your smile) can create an impression on others that should be positive and inviting. You should feel confident and self-assured about the health of your teeth, the freshness of your breath, and the stability of your smile. You should feel free to laugh and smile openly, with no worries about discolorations, gaps, bad breath or unsightly fillings.

In a business setting, it is often necessary to speak before a group or conduct personal introductions and presentations. The appearance of your smile conveys many non-verbal cues to your associates and clients. By displaying a clean uniform smile, you are conveying that you pay attention to details. You are also showing that you take pride in your health and appearance. If you subconsciously hide your smile with your hand or avoid smiling, you could be sending the negative message that you are unapproachable.

Porcelain veneers, dental implants, teeth whitening, and periodontal therapy are just a few effective solutions for creating a positive first impression.

Veneers are thin, strong shells of porcelain that are permanently bonded to the front surfaces of your teeth. They can be beautifully shaped and shaded to improve the appearance of your natural teeth. Veneers can also be used to make the teeth appear straighter, longer, shorter, or wider.

Dental implants are permanent titanium posts placed in the jaw bone to replace one or more missing teeth. In most cases, implants are often the best solution for tooth replacement.

Teeth whitening is one of the most commonly utilized cosmetic solutions in dentistry. Whitening the teeth with take-home bleach trays is still the most effective and most predictable whitening method available.

Periodontal therapy is used to treat gum disease through the use of specialized instruments and medicaments. Heavy buildup, stain, and halitosis (bad breath) can all be eliminated to improve your health and your confidence.

For veneers, dental implants, teeth whitening, and periodontal therapy in Charlotte, schedule a visit with Dr. Picot today. You deserve a smile that is truly worthy of first impressions.

Often, when we think about cosmetic dentistry, we imagine a beautiful, full smile that makes us feel confident and attractive. Teeth whitening, porcelain crowns and veneers, and clean white fillings are a few of the many cosmetic options available today. They may be utilized separately or together to help you achieve your desired smile.

In our eyes, to achieve success, we must design a beautiful smile that is also functional and strong enough for your daily lifestyle. As a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Picot and his staff have been extensively trained to consider all of the underlying factors that may impact your smile. This attention to detail is known as Comprehensive Dentistry; addressing the needs of the mouth and the body to create a breathtaking smile.

The factors that can impact your smile are:

• Medical and dental history (What health conditions or medications can affect the condition of your teeth? Many medications can cause dry mouth, contributing to periodontal disease and cavities. Some health conditions such as Diabetes may also increase your risk for gum disease. What dental treatments have you had in the past? Which procedures worked and which ones were ineffective?
   
• Periodontal health and home care habits (A thorough periodontal exam is critical to the success of your cosmetic treatment. Since the gums and the bone are the foundation for your teeth, we want to ensure that they are healthy enough to support your new smile. The shape of your gum line will be evaluated to ensure that your smile is not too “gummy” or that the teeth do not appear too small. We’ll also discuss your oral hygiene habits to ensure that you have the skills and tools necessary to care for your teeth at home.)
   
• Occlusion- how your teeth fit together (Are your teeth in a healthy position? Poorly positioned teeth can be challenging to keep clean. Teeth that do not fit together properly, teeth that generate excessive biting force, or teeth that are out of alignment can damage your new dental restorations. Also, clenching and grinding habits should be addressed in order to protect your investment.)

For cosmetic dentistry in Charlotte, trust our team to deliver an extraordinary smile and comprehensive dental care.

We hope you're well and enjoying a pleasant fall. It is important to schedule your cleaning, exam or recommended treatment soon in order to fully utilize your 2010 dental benefits and/or healthcare flexible spending account, which may expire at the end of December.

Unlike medical insurance, healthcare flexible spending accounts and most dental benefits do not roll over to the following year. As such, any unused benefit dollars for 2010 are typically lost. We know how busy families are today, but by coming in for your recommended treatment or checkup you may avoid future dental complications that may cause you to exceed future dental benefits.

At SouthEnd Dentistry we are committed to the prevention of dental disease. Regular exams, cleanings and following through with recommended treatment are essential in that effort.

Please call our office to set up an appointment at your earliest convenience. Appointments in our office fill up quickly this time of year. If you are uncertain about the status of your dental benefits, we will be happy to contact your carrier on your behalf. We hope you find this reminder helpful. If you have questions about our treatment please give us a call or view our educational videos at: http://www.southenddentistry.com/educational-videos.html

As always we appreciate your referrals and reward you $25 for each referral that shows up to our practice. Complimentary bleaching trays are given after the 5th referral that shows up for their appointment. We also encourage you to become a fan on facebook (www.facebook.com/southenddentistry) to stay abreast of the latest happenings in the practice.

With best wishes for continued good dental health.

The SouthEnd Dentistry Team.

As summer heats up, people around the country work frantically to get in shape and catch a tan in order to look their best for the beach, weddings and family events. Data gathered in an American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) - Readex Research survey reflects that the cosmetic dental boom shows no signs of slowing down. People are increasingly undergoing cosmetic dental procedures to help them look and feel their best for the summer months and beyond.
Who is the typical cosmetic dental patient?
On average, 67% of cosmetic dentistry patients are female, while 33% are male. 53% of these patients are between the ages of 41 and 60, while 16% are 30 or younger, and 11% are over 60.
Is cosmetic dentistry really booming?
Absolutely. Practices responding to the survey report 485 patients on average received cosmetic dental procedures in 2006. The total number of patients projects to 2.69 million in the U.S. and represents a 12.8% increase over 2005. In 2007, respondents predict an additional increase of 10.9%.
Why the boom?
Respondents believe the continued demand for cosmetic dentistry is primarily driven by patients' aesthetic concerns and preferences, rather than by marketing or lower costs for these procedures alone. Factors such as lower prices and retail distribution of cosmetic dental treatment were deemed important by fewer than one in four. In contrast, 70% or more indicated factors relating to appearance and aesthetics as important.

As the numbers prove, people are increasingly aware of the amazing benefits cosmetic dentistry can provide. Summertime is the perfect time for a dazzling new smile, ready for the fun of summer and the holidays ahead.

Some of today's most popular cosmetic dental treatment options include:

Whitening - Many whitening options are now available to consumers in a wide range of prices. Dentist-supervised treatments remain the AACD recommended procedures for lightening discolored teeth.
Veneers - An increasingly popular procedure, veneers are ultra-thin, custom-made laminates that are affixed directly to the teeth. They are a great option for closing gaps or disguising discolored teeth that did not respond well to whitening procedures.

Implants - A replacement for dentures, implants are a stronger, more attractive option for replacing missing or lost teeth. An anchor is placed in the patient's jaw, and a life-like ceramic restoration is built around it and matched to the original tooth color.
Bonding - An option for chipped or cracked teeth, bonding is a process in which an enamel-like material is applied to a tooth's surface, sculpted into shape, hardened, and then polished for an ideal smile.

Can a New Smile Make You Appear More Successful and Intelligent? AACD Research Says it Can.

Previous consumer studies have proved that a beautiful smile will make you more attractive. But according to research conducted by Beall Research & Training of Chicago, a new smile will make you appear more intelligent, interesting, successful and wealthy to others as well.

Dr. Anne Beall, a social psychologist and market research professional carried out the independent study on behalf of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Pictures of eight individuals were shown to 528 Americans, a statistically valid cross section of the population. The respondents were asked to quickly judge the eight people as to how attractive, intelligent, happy, successful in their career, friendly, interesting, kind, wealthy, popular with the opposite sex and sensitive to other people they were.

Two sets of photos were created, with each set showing four individuals before undergoing cosmetic dentistry and four after treatment. Half the respondents viewed set A, the other half set B. The eight subjects viewed by respondents were evenly divided by gender. Two had mild improvements through cosmetic dentistry, two had moderate improvements and four had major improvements to their smiles, to give a wide range for respondents to view. None, however, had visibly rotten teeth, missing teeth or catastrophically bad dental health in the before shots. Respondents were not told that they were looking at dentistry, but were asked to make snap judgments rating each person for the ten characteristics, on a scale of one to ten, with "one" being "not at all," and "ten" being "extremely."

The results indicated that an attractive smile does have broad ranging benefits:

Characteristic Average "Before" rating Average "After" rating Increase

Attractive 4.6 5.9 1.3
Intelligent 5.9 6.5 .6
Happy 6.2 6.8 .4
Successful in their career 5.8 6.7 .9
Friendly 6.3 6.8 .5
Interesting 5.4 6.1 .7
Kind 6.0 6.4 .4
Wealthy 4.9 5.9 1.0
Popular with the opposite sex 5.0 6.2 1.2
Sensitive to other people 5.6 6.1 .5

While the change was most dramatic for attractive, popular with the opposite sex, wealthy and successful in their career, the change was statically significant in all areas.

Based on a lot of interaction with happy patients, we were expecting this type of difference in attractiveness and popularity with the opposite sex at SouthEnd Dentistry. To have large gains in how successful, intelligent, interesting and wealthy patients appeared after cosmetic dentistry caught even us by surprise. We've been telling people that a beautiful smile was a great investment in their futures. Now we have independent evidence.

The full survey results by Beall Research can be viewed on the AACD Web site at www.aacd.com.

About the AACD
Comprised of over 8,000 cosmetic dental professional in 70 countries around the globe, the AACD is the world's largest non-profit membership organization dedicated to advancing excellence in cosmetic dentistry (comprehensive oral care that combines art and science to optimally improve dental health, aesthetics and function). The AACD fulfills its mission by offers superior educational opportunities; promoting and supporting a respected Accreditation credential; serving as a user-friendly and inviting forum for the creative exchange of knowledge and ideas; and providing accurate and useful information to the public and the profession. To learn more about cosmetic dentistry visit www.aacd.com or call (800) 543-9220.