A beautiful smile should be natural looking, symmetrical and striking. Sydney aesthetic reconstructive dentist Dr Sarkis Nalbandian takes a minimally invasive approach in preserving, improving and maintaining a patient’s natural smile.
‘Optimising the smile should be about imitating nature and working with what’s already there,’ Dr Nalbandian explains. ‘It is essential that the smile is considered in relation to the rest of the face. The shape and shade of the teeth, as well as the arch shape, should be recreated according to the facial frame. It’s really about the face, not about the teeth – that’s true aesthetics.’
While Dr Nalbandian uses a variety of techniques to create aesthetic and functional results in smile rejuvenation, he often recommends composite porcelain and ultra-thin porcelain veneers to achieve noticeable results with minimal intervention.
Dr Nalbandian performs a One Visit Smile Lift, where he uses composite and ultra-thin porcelain veneers developed by him and his technical team to rejuvenate the smile without damaging the existing teeth. ‘Porcelain veneers require no local anaesthetic and, most importantly, the existing enamel is always preserved,’ Dr Nalbandian explains.
Composite veneers can be effective in improving the appearance of worn teeth that are damaged by ageing or tooth grinding. They can also improve the appearance of a reverse smile line, and correct any asymmetry and tooth discolouration.
‘Bruxing, or teeth grinding, is a habit that can impact both the canine and front teeth, wearing them down and leading to asymmetry,’ Dr Nalbandian explains. ‘While orthodontic realignment is often the ideal way to improve crowded or worn upper and lower teeth, there are many ways we can use non-invasive methods to improve a patient’s smile in just one visit.’
Dr Nalbandian makes a point of examining the mouth directly to accurately devise the most suitable treatment plan for each patient. This is a major point of difference, as other dentists often use digital design software during the diagnosis process.
‘Smile design is an art form and I work within the mouth directly to diagnose and plan the best treatments for my patients,’ he says. ‘The challenge is to create a natural smile that complements the patient’s beauty and facial aesthetic. This demands an individualised approach, and cannot be digitalised.’
Even though a One Visit Smile Lift involves minimal downtime and a relatively speedy process, it requires extensive and individualised planning to ensure optimum results. During the consultation process, Dr Nalbandian will photograph the patient from three angles – front, oblique and profile – to establish the most important aspects of their smile, and evaluate the interplay between their lips, gums and teeth.
In complex cases, Dr Nalbandian may incorporate the use of dental implants to achieve the best result. For patients considering future orthodontic treatment, he will usually suggest composite veneers, as tooth enamel is preserved and the veneers can be removed to accommodate future realignment.
‘There are numerous options in smile rejuvenation, and it’s important to work with each patient individually to establish the best treatment plan,’ says Dr Nalbandian. ‘Whether it’s reconstructive and implants are needed, or aesthetic where veneers will suffice, each patient will undergo an extensive consultation process to ensure the results are natural-looking and suited to the rest of the face.’
Case Study
The following patient had worn upper front teeth which impacted negatively on her overall appearance, speech and confidence. Initially during diagnosis, Dr Nalbandian established the patient’s ideal tooth length and aesthetic and she was happy to proceed. Eight composite reconstructions were completed in one visit with no drilling of the tooth structure and no injections for complete smile rejuvenation.
