What are your expectations, we really need to know!

Published on 01/11/2012 by William Gerry. Dentistry

Dentists can do some pretty remarkable things–they can straighten smiles, treat gum disease, and restore missing teeth. However, your dentist is not a mind reader. If you don’t communicate with your dentist to let them know what you hope to achieve from your appointments, there is no real way for them to know. Instead, without your guidance, your dentist may choose procedures that he feels will benefit you the most. Depending on your dentist’s philosophy on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, though, those results may not replicate what you had in mind.

At Smile Designs, Charlotte Gerry DMD encourages her patients to voice their opinions and to make her and the staff aware of what is most important to them. As an experienced cosmetic dentist in Jacksonville, Live Oak, and Lake City FL, Dr. Gerry understands that aesthetics are very important to many patients. Therefore, in addition to helping patients achieve healthy smiles, she also strives to meet their personal expectations as well. If you are unsure how to approach this topic with your own dentist, Dr. Gerry offers this advice.

If you have a pretty good idea of how you want your smile to look after your dental treatments have been completed, then Dr. Gerry suggests bringing in a photo of a celebrity or model that you have seen whose smile meets your expectations. Show your dentist the photo, pointing out the key aspects that are important to you, and ask if the same results are possible for you.

At Smile Designs at Agape Family Dentistry, Dr. Gerry says, many new patients come in for a consultation, which among many things, includes a tour of the office and the technology that the staff uses on a regular basis. Though some people only know that they want their teeth fixed, she says, it gives us a chance to talk about the programs that will get them the results they want. There are also instances where patients are ridden with anxiety and want to know every last detail about the treatments that are available to them. And that is okay, too, Dr. Gerry says.

Though chances are that you are in a rush to get through all of the things you have to accomplish before your day is done, she recommends at least spending 10 minutes prior to your appointment speaking with the dentist if it is your first visit to a new office. There are so many choices to be made and techniques that can be used throughout the many fields of dentistry that can offer similar results, Dr. Gerry says, but not every option may be the best for you. In many ways, this also lends to the idea of different dental philosophies that dentists have. Some see a missing tooth and instinctively assume that an implant is the only option without considering the other alternatives. This is not to say, Dr. Gerry says, that one method is always better than another. However, if you are concerned about budget or your ability to maintain the restoration, these factors could alter your final decision.

In the end, your mouth is no one else’s but your own and you owe it to yourself to make the wisest and healthiest choices. If you are ever concerned about your upcoming procedure, Dr. Gerry recommends asking your dentist for all of your treatment options and that you ask all of the questions you need to until your confident you have made the right choice—about both the outcome and your dentist.