Fashion And Beauty

Imagine not having the ability to return the smile of a loved one or being too embarrassed by your mouth’s appearance to display a smile. At the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS) Plastic Surgery 2008 conference, Oct. 31 - Nov. 5, in Chicago, plastic surgeons or “smile doctors” will reveal state-of-the-art “facial reanimation” procedures that give people, who previously were unable, the ability to smile. Additionally, ways to rejuvenate an aged smile and enhance the often overlooked mouth region will be discussed.

“A smile is a universal greeting and it’s often the starting point for all social interactions,” said Richard D’Amico, MD, ASPS president. “Unfortunately, some people can not smile or are too self-conscious because of a defect, droopiness or wrinkles around the mouth, or protruding gums. “The inability to smile can be devastating to a person’s self-image.”

Facial reanimation treats two types of people: those who are born without the ability to smile on one or both sides of their face and those who, due to traumatic accident, tumor or illness, like Bell’s palsy, can no longer smile. Many life-changing, successful “facial reanimation” procedures are being performed at the Facial Nerve Program at Duke University, which began with the arrival of ASPS Member Surgeon and “smile” course instructor Jeffrey Marcus, MD, six years ago. Dr. Marcus and his partner, Michael Zenn, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and fellow “smile” course instructor, developed the multi-disciplinary program at Duke.

“The simple return of a smile creates a brief mutual connection. When we can’t do that, it can lead others to misinterpret our mood, intelligence or intentions,” said Dr. Marcus. “Facial reanimation surgery gives those who never could smile or those who have lost the ability, the power to communicate.”

Facial reanimation consists of one or two microsurgical procedures that involve connecting a specific nerve in the face to a transferred functional muscle taken from the leg. The nerve serves as an energy source while the muscle acts like a motor to create the motion needed to smile. For a patient who can’t smile on one side, a nerve graft (taken from the back of the calf) is connected to the nerve on the functional side of the face and extended to the paralyzed side. The nerve graft acts like an extension cord providing electrical currents to the paralyzed side. Six to twelve months later, after the nerve on the paralyzed side becomes “live”, the muscle is connected and its artery and vein are attached to vessels in the face. Typically, for a patient who can’t smile on both sides, the muscle is transferred and attached, in one procedure, to a nerve found on both sides of the face not usually used to smile, but is responsible for chewing.

In addition to reconstructing a smile, rejuvenating the aging or unattractive smile is a facial area that has not been commonly discussed. “Restoring a smile’s motion is only the start of making a beautiful smile”, said Andrew Wexler MD, ASMS president and “smile” panelist. “The beautiful smile is a complex combination of lip and dental anatomy, which creates an aesthetic balance we view as beautiful.”

As with all plastic surgery, there are visual norms and factors, like symmetry, shape and texture that make up what is instinctively known as beautiful. Plastic surgeons have surgical and non-surgical procedures and devices available to address areas of concern around the mouth.

“Dental and lip shape and color, tooth show, and lines of expression all must fall within our preconceived notions of beauty,” said Dr. Wexler. “To restore or rejuvenate the unattractive smile we must first understand and define those notions of beauty then apply our surgical skills to change the merely functional to the highly attractive. At one time the scalpel and sutures were the only tools we had. Today lasers, injectable fillers, fat, and Botox have opened a new frontier of possibilities.”

“Smile rejuvenation procedures use a team approach to take the patient’s smile to the next level,” said Seth Thaller, MD, ASMS past president and “smile” panel moderator. “Plastic surgeons can work in conjunction with dentists or orthodontists to give patients the sparkling, full and shapely smile they desire.”

ASPS Public Relations
American Society of Plastic Surgeons

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) today announced a partnership agreement with RealSelf.com to provide consumers access to more accurate, timely, and realistic information about cosmetic procedures. RealSelf.com is an unbiased consumer resource for cosmetic treatment information that uses social media to encourage conversation between consumers on beauty-related topics. ASAPS is the leading professional society of board-certified plastic surgeons specializing in cosmetic procedures.

The partnership agreement lays the foundation for ASAPS and its 2,400 board-certified plastic surgeons to provide answers to the thousands of community-generated, cosmetic procedure-related questions posted on RealSelf.com. ASAPS will also contribute authoritative content for RealSelf.com plastic surgery guides and both entities intend to pursue joint market research and consumer safety campaigns.

“The Aesthetic Society recognizes the powerful impact social media has in supporting the consumer’s opportunities to learn first hand about cosmetic experiences,” said ASAPS president Alan Gold, of Great Neck, NY. “RealSelf.com has proven itself to be different from other Web sites in that it represents a consumer community that discusses cosmetic surgery without a commercial bias. We’re excited to see our members get involved in a social media Web site that shares our commitment to accuracy, ethics, and patient education,” said Dr. Gold. “Our involvement will help consumers make well-informed decisions based on science and facts rather than marketing promises and medically inaccurate information.”

Online consumers often cannot find information that goes beyond marketing materials when researching a cosmetic procedure. For some consumers, their research efforts are unsatisfactory.

Natalie Moreno of Monterey, Calif, found that she couldn’t find detailed information on a laser liposuction procedure on the Web. Moreno based her decision on information gleaned from a magazine article and doctor’s Web site. After her procedure, Moreno joined RealSelf.com to share her real-world experience to help others become better informed.

“I think it’s very hard to find good information out there. I really enjoy RealSelf as you can honestly share your story and even have doctors answer or view your stories,” Moreno said. RealSelf.com views credible cosmetic treatment organizations like ASAPS as instrumental to improving the consumer education process.

“Consumers want and deserve the complete picture before undergoing a cosmetic procedure, whether it is an injectable like Botox or a significant procedure like tummy tuck surgery (http://www.realself.com/tummy-tuck-surgery/reviews),” said Tom Seery, President, RealSelf.com. “Our partnership with ASAPS gives our community members easy access to board-certified surgeons who are driven by their interest in patient safety and education, not just another advertising channel. This relationship aligns doctors with consumers that seek authentic conversations and trustworthy answers.”

About ASAPS

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the leading organization of board-certified plastic surgeons specializing in cosmetic plastic surgery. ASAPS active-member plastic surgeons are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. http://www.surgery.org

Dr Asif Chatoo of LLOC along with Dr Zaki Kanaan and Dr James Goolnik Spotlight the Patient Experience At the BACD Fifth Annual Conference 2008.

Dr Asif Chatoo of the London Lingual Orthodontic Clinic (LLOC), along with Dr James Goolnik and Dr Zaki Kanaan, will put the spotlight on the patient, explaining how a well managed practice team can meet and often exceed patient expectations at the At the British Academy of Dental Surgery (BACD) Fifth Annual Conference in Birmingham next month.

The aim of the presentation, dubbed ‘The Aesthetic.Orthodontic Interface? But Not Ads You Know It!’, aims to examine how the team approach to orthodontics can give patients another dimension to conservative and aesthetic dentistry if approached in the right way.

The trio will examine interdisciplinary management of the patient, who may require several disciplines within dentistry to correct or solve the problem.

Dr. Asif Chatoo, dentist and co-Founder of the London Lingual Orthodontic Clinic explained “We will aim to show how patients can be managed successfully in a friendly environment where there is good communications between clinicicians, to meet and even exceed patient expectations. We will look at the limitations of treating a patient with one discipline of dentistry and show how the sum of our clinical skills can provide a better result than we may have achieved individually”.

The presentation will focus on team work and how communicating the problem to the patient and the various dental disciplines can lead to a better result than the patient ever dreamt of. The dentists will outline the importance of treatment planning, phasing treatment and how to look at the various dental options available for a patient. In addition, the trio will explain how and why orthodontics work.

The BACD Fifth Annual Conference, dubbed ‘The A to Z of Cosmetic Dentistry: From Beginner To Winner!’ takes place at The Hilton Metropole, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, West Midlands from November 13 2008 to November 15 2008.

For further details click here

The California Center for Advanced Dental Studies (CCADS) has successfully completed its first graduating class of doctors. Fifteen doctors from all over Northern California have completed a unique ten month educational program designed to advance their clinical skills in the area of cosmetic dentistry. Along with other recipients worldwide, educational grants in the amount of $18,500 were awarded to each doctor in this select group.

Under the guidance of CCADS Senior Instructor/Mentor Todd A. Franklin, DDS; a dentist from Lodi, CA., doctors were taken through a series of study groups, lectures, a typodont program, and two live-patient hands-on programs in San Francisco, CA. Throughout the program, doctors were trained in smile design, preparation design, full mouth rapid cementation, and practice management which involved personal one-on-one training for each doctor and their staff.

With thirteen programs scheduled through 2009, CCADS is the first of its kind offering access to full scholarships worldwide to doctors and their staff for comprehensive training. “Led by the top clinicians and professionals in this field, our program is unsurpassed in the area of secondary post-graduate education, helping to develop, manage and support some of the most prominent programs in the world,” said Garrett Caldwell, President of The California Center of Advanced Studies.

“We are very proud of this talented group of doctors. It is rewarding to be able to personally train these doctors on a very special set of skills that they can take back to their practice and provide the best care possible. By awarding educational grants to qualified doctors, we are raising the level of care provided. I’m very excited to start the next series of study clubs so that we can find the right doctors to train,” said Dr. Franklin.

On September 1, 2008, the board of the California Center for Advanced Dental Studies announced the approval of a second phase of grants, totaling $277,500.00, earmarked for the San Joaquin Valley based study group. The next opportunity for doctors to join the San Joaquin Valley Cosmetic Study Club will be Thursday November 20th. Doctors seeking information regarding these grant opportunities are encouraged to contact Dr. Todd Franklin or The California Center for Advanced Dental Studies.

The California Center is focused on providing the highest quality of continuing education in a not-for-profit setting. Building on the success of the educational continuum, CCADS has established itself in cities across the United States, Canada and Europe.

California Center for Advanced Dental Studies

The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the not-for-profit, leading organisation for the advancement and ethical delivery of cosmetic dentistry, today unveiled results for their 2007 audit which polled over 200 practices around the country and outlines over 100,000 procedures. In a possible backlash against dramatic smile makeovers and perhaps as a nod to the expected credit crunch, Britons - and considerably more males than ever before - are opting for more subtle and less invasive treatments, such as braces instead of veneers.

Highlights:

– 106,536 cosmetic dentistry cases, women accounted for 61% of all procedures

– Orthodontics (which include both visible ‘train track’ braces as well as invisible and removable) have more than tripled since 2006, going up by a whopping 345%

– Males, who used to account for less than a fifth of all orthodontics, now represent almost a quarter at 24%, with 400 cases this year

– Veneers have stayed consistent, with dentists averaging about the same number as last year, but male patients, who used to account for 28% of the total, now account for nearly a third, or 32%, of all procedures

– Onlays were another area of considerable growth, increasing by more than a third (34%) - this treatment is much less invasive than its traditional counterpart, crowns
– With 5,564 cases, whitening remained similar to last year in terms of average number of cases per dentist. Women still account for the majority of these (70%), but unlike last year, when 4% of people said they were ‘unhappy’ with the results, in 2007 only 0.8% stated dissatisfaction

– Bridges are another procedure which has become more popular with men, who used to account for 42% and now edging ever closer to women at 46%

– The number of ‘removable’ braces, such as the innovative Inman Aligner (which only takes months to straighten teeth) used to account for less than a quarter (22%) of all orthodontic cases now accounts more than half at 58%

According to Dr. David Bloom, dentist and President of the BACD;
“This audit has highlighted some very exciting trends, such as an impressive increase in the number of orthodontic cases. This could well be a backlash against the dramatic smile ‘overhauls’ popularised in makeover shows but may also herald a more subtle, and indeed cost-effective, approach to cosmetic dentistry by the industry as a whole. It’s also interesting to note the overwhelming preference for less invasive treatments such as onlays, which are porcelain fillings to cover part of the tooth, over crowns - which involve drilling to achieve full coverage.”

The audit mechanism tracks the top 10 most popular procedures including whitening procedures, tooth-coloured fillings, veneers, implants and crowns. This year’s results encompass all practices of full members as of 2007.

According to Dr. James Goolnik, dentist and BACD Board member;
“These results show that men have become more accepting of cosmetic treatments in general - reflecting the importance we now place on a healthy smile. The advent of new procedures such as the removable adult braces and more realistic-looking veneers which require much less drilling also means people are less likely to choose invasive and irreversible treatments. At the BACD our mission is to continue training dentists around the country in these innovative and cutting-edge options.”

David Bloom adds;
“The remarkable increase in satisfaction levels with whitening results also shows that not only are techniques advancing, but the public is more educated and realistic in terms of their expectations of what can be achieved.”

The results in full:

– White fillings (back teeth) 39,308
– Crowns, Inlays and Onlays 27,972
– Porcelain Veneers 14,500
– White fillings (front teeth) 10,800
– Whitening 5,978
– Bridges 2,900
– Implants 2,856
– Orthodontics 1,644
– Gum Contouring 1,444

Women accounted for 61% of all procedures this year (64,620 treatments carried out). The top 5 dentistry procedures for women in 2007 are: white fillings (back teeth, usually replacing silver amalgams, 22,056 procedures), Crowns-Inlays-Onlays (16,884), Veneers (9,488), white fillings (front teeth, 6,944 procedures) and teeth whitening (3,800).

Men had 39% of all dentistry treatments (41,916 procedures in 2007). The top 5 procedures for men are: White fillings (back teeth, 17,252 procedures carried out in 2007), Crowns-Inlays-Onlays (11,088), Veneers (4,568), white fillings (front teeth, 3,856 procedures) and whitening (1,764).

About the BACD

The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry is a not-for-profit, inclusive organisation for the advancement and ethical delivery of cosmetic dentistry, open to all dental professionals including dental technicians and hygienists. The BACD, which has over 900 members, is affiliated with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. http://www.bacd.com