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Before and After Photos - Why Do Dentists Take Before and After Photos?

Very often, when you visit a dentist for a cosmetic procedure they will want to take a before and after photograph of your smile. By having the information provided by the photo, the dentist is able to compare the changes resulting from the procedures, thereby giving the patient and the doctor a reference point.

Benefits of Viewing Before and After Photos

Commonly, good cosmetic dentists are very comfortable with showing before and after photos of patients for whom they have done previous cosmetic dental work. For patients who are considering cosmetic dental procedures , it is always good to have references of the dentist‚’s success.

Additionally, viewing the cosmetic dentist‚’s collection of before and after photos will give a patient an idea of the type of cosmetic procedures the dentist is most comfortable with. Patients should look for before photos of people who have problems similar to the issue they want the dentist to address, and examine the after photo to determine if they like the end result. Also, patients should take this opportunity to talk to the dentist about what procedure they used, any problems or complications that occurred, and how they would address problems, should they occur.

Dental Imaging Software

One of the newest innovations in before and after photos is the use of dental imaging software . This software allows the cosmetic dentist to take a before photo, scan it into the software and then graphically illustrate the anticipated changes to your smile.

Dental imaging software can be extremely useful in understanding the details of the procedure. Some software has the ability to allow the cosmetic dentist to walk the patient through the procedure, step-by-step, answering questions throughout the process.

Patients should be aware that many photos presented in dental imaging software are stock photos and do not represent photos of actual patients that the cosmetic dentist may have worked with. An important question to ask any dentist a patient is contemplating using is the source of the photos being presented.

A Word of Warning

In many cases, cosmetic dentists will send patients to anther provider to complete procedures they are unfamiliar with or do not have substantial experience in. If this is the case, ask the dentist to provide you with photos of patients they have themselves worked with, and then ask for before and after photos of patients of the referral provider.

Summary

Before and after photos serve a significant purpose when considering cosmetic dental procedures, such as veneers , bonding or teeth whitening . Ask to see your potential cosmetic dentist‚’s collection of before and after photos of patients and look for patients displaying problems similar to the dental problems you want addressed. Ask the dentist to walk you through the procedure step-by-step and to discuss any problems that occurred or could occur as a result of the procedure. In the end, /cosmetic-dentistry/ should result in a beautiful and brilliant smile.