Have You Heard of Spa Dentistry?

Are you afraid of going to the dentist? You are not alone. Twenty-five percent of Americans have a fear of going to a dentist. For years, dentists and their staff have concentrated exclusively on fillings, cleanings, restorations and other dental work. The most you could hope for in the way of a bit of comfort while undergoing these torturous procedures was the canned muzak piped into the dental cubicles. Well, things are a bit different now.

Spa dentistry is the latest innovation in luxury dental care and cosmetic denistry. Patient comfort and peace of mind is finally being recognized, and some dental offices are taking pride in delivering five-star, VIP services to their patients. Put away your phobias and call one of these luxury dental spas today.

THE DENTAL SPA

Imagine a trip to a dental office where you will be greeted at the door by the Patient Concierge. As you step inside, you hear the trickling sound of cascading water from a fountain in the center of a luxurious spa setting complete with marble floors, custom furniture, beautiful columns, granite counters, fresh cut flowers and scented candles.

You will be shown to a 'relaxation room' that is softly illuminated with candles and filled with the soothing sounds of Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman drifting from the surround-sound, state-of-the-art stereo system. You will relax on a custom programmable massage chair and be offered a variety of freshly prepared beverages, including champagne, and canapés served by the concierge as you wait your turn for treatment.

Shortly, the Patient Concierge escorts you to a comfortable. reclining massaging dental chair. A soft neck pillow is gently tucked under your head. During your treatment, hand and foot massages are given and hand-warming mitts with lotion are offered. You can also choose a variety of other services for your complete pleasure and relaxation, incuding hot wax mittens, lavender aromatherapy, acupuncture for relaxation, a manicure or pedicure, a tingly peppermint foot scrub, cooling eye mask or private flat screen television and headphones.

You are also given the opportunity to watch the progress of your dental treatment via an intra oral camera. After completion of your dental work you
are offered a moist hot towel and an Italian chocolate truffle on a silver platter.

There are also a variety of other amenities you may wish to enjoy such as massages, facials, makeovers, botox treatments and other skin care options.
Would a trip to a dental spa like the one above ease your fears about going to the dentist?

In recent years, dentistry has changed dramatically. Because straight, white smiles are highly in demand, cosmetic dentistry is a big business. The definition of cosmetic dentistry is the art and science of creating a beautiful smile.

No longer is dentistry just about fillings, crowns, bridges root canals, partial plates, false teeth and metal braces. New techniques such as teeth whitening, bonding, laminates, tooth-shaping, gum-lifts, porcelain technology, porcelain veneers, tooth-colored fillings and porcelain crowns are being performed on children, teens and adults.

Words like invisalign, clear braces and lingual braces are being tossed around among pre-teens and teens with teeth that need straightening. This is a division of cosmetic dentistry known as cosmetic orthodontics.

COSMETIC ORTHODONTICS

Gone are the days of metal mouth--the metal braces, head gear and a year or two of not being able to eat sticky candy or chew gum. New orthodontic techniques do away with the ugly, painful and troublesome metal braces and offer a new trend in tooth alignment correction--the invisible brace system.

One option in invisible braces is a series of clear plastic aligners that gradually achieve results the same as the old metal braces. They are nearly invisible, can be removed to eat or chew gum and brush and floss your teeth. This technology is called invisalign.

Another type of straightening devices that are available are clear brackets with white wires that are bonded directly onto the teeth. These braces are much more cosmetically pleasing to wear than the traditional metal braces. Ceramic 'tooth-colored' braces are also available. Linguinal braces are metal braces that are put on the inside of the teeth so it appears that no braces are being worn at all.

Cosmetic dentistry and spa dentistry is the way of the future. Today, dentists are taking their patients comfort and peace of mind into consideration above everything else. They are seeing many formerly dental-phobic patients having much needed restorative work done . Patient-friendly dentistry is truly possible and available, so put away your fears, and take out you checkbooks because cosmetic dentistry does not come cheap. Dentists may be considering the patient first, but not his wallet.