Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

COSMETIC TRIBUNE The World’s Cosmetic Dentistry Newspaper · U.S. Edition Teeth whitening seems to be on everyone’s wish list — and this momentum is likely to continue through 2011, according to a quick poll of members at the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). AACD members performed an average of 77 whitening treatments last year, and 57 percent said they expect this number to rise. “We are doing more whitening than ever before in our practice,” says Shannon Pace Brinker, certified dental assistant and clinical editor for CPS magazine. Pace Brinker performed more than 400 whitening treatments in the past year, and gives credit for the treatment acceptance due to the ability to offer a high-quality whitening system with options to treat her patients based on bleaching strength, time, finances and patient compliance systems within her prac- tice at Greenbrier Dental in Chesa- peake, Va. Pace Brinker says that her prac- tice has reduced its whitening fees, which has not only brought in more patients seeking whitening — but it’s also opened their eyes to other cosmetic dental treatments. “Our existing patients are saying ‘yes’ to other procedures after the whitening, such as bonding, replac- ing amalgam fillings and replacing porcelain restorations to match the whitening they have achieved,” she said. While the number of patients seeking whitening treatments will likely increase this year, Pace Brink- er expects that the fees for whiten- ing will actually decrease, due to specials offered by dental practices through deal-a-day sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial. The average price for a whitening treatment is about $150 for take- home whitening and $350 for in- office, Pace Brinker says. Since her practice adjusted the fees for treat- ment, she sees up to 12 to 14 patients per day on Mondays and Tuesdays just for whitening. “Our case acceptance has exceed- ed our expectations with these adjusted fees,” Pace Brinker said. AACD members said their prac- tices generated about $19,100 on average from whitening last year. The majority of AACD members polled said they provide in-office and take-home whitening treatments. Twenty-two percent said their patients have told them they use over-the-counter or commercially available whitening treatments. Gender-wise, it seems that women are more concerned with a white smile. Roughly 65 percent of dental patients seeking whitening treatment last year were female, according to the poll. “I think women are used to paying higher fees for services to make us look and feel better,” Pace Brinker says. “Currently, men are more con- cerned about costs; however, as the market continues to be concerned with whiter teeth, I think you will see a trend from our male patients that is more equal to our female cli- ents’ philosophy.” Wanted: whiter, brighter teeth (Photo/ScottRubenstein, www.dreamstime.com) g CT page 3B Alternative treatment options with nanohybrid composites In the past few years, the economic condi- tion of many of our patients has changed, thus limiting their options when making dental treatment choices. In situations where lab-processed restora- tions may be the optimal long-term option, patients may be forced to choose dentistry that will transition them, not only spread- ing out treatment over a longer period of time, but choosing restorations that require less immediate cost. For many of us practic- ing dentists, this can include our family and friends. In my practice, I have always developed patient-friendly choices both for financing as well as the treatment offered. We use digital X-rays and photographs to triage and explain treatment needs and solutions, encouraging our patients to be involved with treatment decisions. There is little doubt that today’s porcelain crowns offer maximized esthetics for the lon- gest period of time. However, these types of restorations, especially when multiple teeth are involved, may be beyond a patient’s abil- ity to pay. Recognizing that a current financial limita- tion can be temporary should be considered when charting a path that hopefully assists a patient in keeping his or her teeth for a life- time in comfort. Our ability to offer different treatment options to solve the same clinical condition can be a tremendous service to our patients and creates some of our most satisfying suc- cess stories. In that regard, I am sharing in this article two situations that I encountered where the need for restorations was immediate and yet the patients were financially limited as to how much they could afford. In my practice, nanohybrid composites are my preferred restorative materials of choice when creating alternatives to lab-processed porcelain. These restorations can be sculpted in a way that minimizes the amount of tooth structure removed while providing durable long-term success when done with bonding agents and techniques that maximize adhe- sion. The following cases offer insight into how we use these materials to offer treatment June 2011 www.dental-tribune.com Vol. 4, no. 6 By Bruce J. LeBlanc, DDS Fig. 1 Fig. 2 g CT page 2B AACD members expect the demand for teeth whitening to increase this year