The procedures behind 'extreme makeovers'

What catches the eye is the easy part of cosmetic dentistry: porcelain veneers and laser whitening. Both are easy procedures for the dentist and the patient. That's why you see them advertised more than anything else in cosmetic dentistry. Both can be done quickly. Less easy and much more time consuming are periodontal surgery, oral reconstruction and implant surgery. It takes time to reconstruct a smile and many dentists wonder, how long some of the 'extreme makeover' smiles shown on TV will last. How much time it will take depends mainly on ... your teeth. When I see advertisements that suggest complete makeovers in one or two visits, it reminds me of books that promise to teach you the Thai language in two hours. It takes time to construct a beautiful smile, but it can be done. And if it's done right, it will last.

A few things to consider

Before choosing a dental clinic or a specific dentist you might want to review

• Before and after pictures - examine a dentists work on other patients to see if it meets your expectations.
• Testimonials - get a sense from other patients to what type of service you can expect.
• Educational records - you often find them posted on their websites or the websites of the clinics they work for. Especially in the filed of implant surgery a lot has happened over the last few years. It is reassuring to see that a dentist try to stay up-to-date with his knowledge.

Gum reshaping and contouring, root canals, crowns, bridges and implants are in a modern clinic usually performed by different specialists. Complete makeovers are therefore a team effort and not a one-man show. After you have read Choose a clinic heck out the web sites of the facilities listed under Bangkok's top clinics and see which site addresses your specific needs best.