The term „esthetics” comes from the Greek „aisthesis”, which means perception/sensation. By today, this term has gained great importance in dentistry, so much so that dental clinics use it to refer to their area of specialization. The question arises what one considers as esthetic and how that subjective point of view is related to natural. Attention must be paid to the patient’s own esthetic expectations: does the patient wish to have a „lifelike” restoration or rather a „Hollywood smile”? Do these expectations match the biologically and functionally optimal solutions?
Psychology has been my hobby for long, and for a few years, I have dealt with patient perception in dentistry. Based on my experience, I do my best to find the best match between what my patients wish and what the strict professional standards allow. However, it is of utmost importance to me not to let esthetics supersede function. Form and function are in an indivisible unity, and, among other factors, this is why I consider the restauration of the original morphology so important also in the posterior region.
To prepare restorations that make a really natural impression may be time – consuming, regardless of whether one applies direct or indirect techniques. By all means, such restorations take much longer to make than the treatment that is commonly known as „filling”. Patience, however, pays: these restorations last much longer and their value in use is much higher.
While I do esthetic restorations at the highest level, I avoid labeling myself as an esthetic or cosmetic dentist. The reason for this, on the one hand, is that no matter how important esthetics is, I still consider fuction just as important. On the other hand, and this is what counts the most, whatever I do, my foremost aim is to heal.