Teeth created out of layering bonding material
So as my week long course in Curitiba, Brazil comes to a close, I have Brazilian music on my Itunes and I have Brazilian calm in my soul. The tempo of life is so different down here that it is infectious! My favorite example is that not once, after any meal at any restaurant, did a waiter come by to give us a bill- we had to flag them over ; quite a difference from the US rushing to get us out the door so as to turn over the table and get some new people in.
Curitiba definitely grew on me this week but even more impressive was the immense amount of learning that went on at Dr. Newton Fahl’s office. The intensity of each day (averaging 12 hours a day) was in direct contrast to the laid back culture of Brazil. I am coming back to the US of A with a better understanding of what makes teeth look like teeth and how to better create amazingly beautiful smiles with bonding material, as opposed to porcelain.
Now any one who has read this Blog (www.chewonthisblog.com) knows that I LOVE porcelain veneers. They can change and transform a smile completely and seamlessly. Well, bonding material shares these same qualities with the added advantage of being very conservative. I look for any way that I can to preserve the patient’s own tooth structure without having to drill too much away. Bonding procedures are done chairside, as opposed to taking an impression and sending it to the lab and having the patient come back and putting in a lab processed veneer.
No, the deal with this is that it’s all done in one visit, many times without any Novacaine. And here’s the best part- I have total control of the entire process, from the design and shape of the tooth to the actual color, including the depth and translucence in the patient’s other teeth. In other words, it is much more custom made and I do not have to rely on a lab that, many times, is across the country, to be able to mimic the colors that are in my patient’s teeth. This is so cool and full of potential that, yes, it was worth flying to the other side of the world to be the best that I can be.
So it’s back to Baltimore, where I am looking forward to English speaking people, a good Cesar Salad , my own bed and …… especially seeing my patients and getting to use this exciting technique to create a beautiful smile!
