Before and After 2022: Smile Design 2.0 (Part 2) – Performing a Smile Makeover on Social Media Influencer
In Part 1 of ‘Smile Design 2.0’, I introduced my well-established standardised protocol for smile design, applied to a dental professional – often one of the most challenging types of patients due to their high dental IQ and elevated expectations. Treating fellow colleagues requires absolute precision and a deep understanding of the nuances within my specialties.
In Part 2 of this blog series, I will again cover the essential requirements for digital photography and effective communication between dental professionals and patients, taking a consistent step-by-step approach. This time, however, my focus shifts to a social media influencer.
The case presented here features an Asian female patient who shares her physical appearance and life experience on social media. Working with celebrity or influencer patients requires consideration of the unique visibility of the outcome – one that will be shared immediately and globally and closely examined by many without my control. Nevertheless, my approach remains the same: I treat every patient with the same dedication and attention to their internal and external concerns, regardless of their public profile.
Again, just like Part 1, this blog post only previews my upcoming dental journal article, so stay tuned for the official publication!
Pre-op Condition:
Shade Selection:
Temps in Situ:
Post-op Treatment:
Feedback from the patient: Jennifer Tang
When I was 7, I had trauma to my two front teeth, which resulted in my adult front teeth being knocked out. Over time, one of my teeth darkened; although it was whitened and internally whitened, it remained discoloured. I initially visited Dr Michael Cai with the intention of getting veneers because I was insecure about the discolouration of the front tooth, and I was recommended to get Invisalign treatment prior to getting my veneers. When the x-ray was taken at my Invisalign consultation, it was identified that one of my front teeth would have to be removed. Several months into my Invisalign treatment, my front tooth was removed, and I had a bone graft with the intention of getting a dental implant. While waiting for the bone, I inserted a “fake” tooth in my Invisalign tray so that my missing front tooth would not be noticeable. Unfortunately, by the end of my Invisalign treatment, the bone graft was not successful, and so Dr Michael Cai walked me through my options. I decided to proceed with a dental bridge instead and was able to get my veneers at the same time.
Going into this treatment, my main goal was to address the discolouration on my front tooth, but the care and attention that both Dr Michael Cai and Yugo took went far beyond this. They understood what my insecurities were when it came to my smile and combined this understanding with their professional industry experience to create the most beautiful result. Dr Michael Cai understood that once my tooth was removed that I would want to speed the process up as much as possible because of how this would impact my esteem, and both he and Yugo worked tirelessly towards that timeline. There was a very human touch to the treatment from both doctors, who considered not only the outcome that I wanted to achieve but the value of what this transformation meant for me.
Despite being the experts, they were open to my feedback and were personally invested in making sure that I, as the patient, would be happy with the result. They took the time to educate me on the trends, the features of a more feminine vs more masculine smile, how a smile can be made to appear more youthful, and a comparison of the colour of my original teeth vs the veneers. My teeth were originally very square, and I opted for a more curved, youthful-looking smile with a more feminine profile. I could see how invested both doctors were in my satisfaction with the end result, and they would often invite me to think as carefully as possible about what changes I might want to make. I was given the opportunity to have ‘temp veneers’ to trial what my smile would look like before I got my final veneers. Both Dr Michael Cai and Yugo encouraged me not to be biased by their views but to give critical feedback on anything I wanted to improve, and would show me variations so that I could give informed feedback (although I was very happy to proceed with their recommendations which were well thought out to my lifestyle and smile goals). Having both a dentist and a smile designer who are very particular and paid attention to the smallest of details is every patient’s dream and I was able to place my complete trust in them. The experience was not only professional but also incredibly personal and empathetic.
The result was a smile that looked natural, and I haven’t been able to stop smiling since. I had been thinking of getting veneers for some time and it has honestly been the best investment in my appearance and confidence. Yugo is definitely a master of his craft and I am so pleased with the final smile design. I’m so grateful to both Dr Michael Cai and Yugo – I know how challenging my case was, but most of all I appreciate how comfortable and heard they made me feel through this process.
As someone who spends a lot of time in front of the camera, I had previously felt insecure about smiling with my teeth. The results exceeded my expectations in every way possible. Beyond feeling more beautiful and comfortable with my smile, I am also so much more confident because of this smile transformation. Out of habit, for years I had never eaten using my front teeth because I knew how fragile they were. The fact that I can now confidently bite into an apple is something that is still new. I could not be happier with the result, and I have recommended it to so many of my friends/followers who have been with me on this journey. The fact that I even get strangers telling me “I love your smile” makes me feel ecstatic and happy with my decision to get veneers! Investing in my smile transformation has been one of the best decisions of my life and I have zero regrets! After such a wonderful experience, I would highly recommend it to everyone.
Again, a huge thank you to you – Yugo and Dr Michael Cai. I mean, every word I’ve written, you guys have literally changed my life, and my only regret is I didn’t do this sooner!
Feedback from the treating clinician: Dr Michael Cai (Pitt St Dental Centre)
I was, fortunately, to have met Yugo fifteen years ago as a young budding cosmetic dentist. I wanted a world-class ceramist to provide restorations for my patients. At the time, Yugo was already one of the most famous ceramists in the country. Over the years, we have successfully treated countless patients, from homemakers to A-list celebrities.
Naturally, Yugo is exceptionally talented in what he does. His ceramic work is also beautiful and flawless. The fit is always excellent, and the contacts are always spot on. It makes the cementation appointment simple and stress-free.
However, what is even more impressive is his dedication. He can work seven days a week with extremely long hours to produce the finest restorations. It is not unusual for Yugo to email me at midnight on a Saturday to discuss the nuance of treatment.
We have always enjoyed the seamless communication between Yugo, my patients, and myself. Yugo would often see my patients at the beginning of the treatment before the diagnostic wax-up, during the provisional phase and at the review appointments. This way, the vision and expectations of the patients, ceramist and myself are aligned to meet each patient’s unique needs.
My close friend Jen reached out to me for a smile makeover, and she had trauma to both of her upper central incisors as a child. She also had a bimaxillary protrusion, a narrow arch, bruxism and crowding. She wanted to improve the colour, alignment and shape of her dentition.
Upon examination, her 21 developed external root resorption and became ankylosed. I improved her occlusion with Invisalign clear aligners and referred her to a periodontist for extraction and graft for tooth 21. Unfortunately, the graft shrunk quickly, and further bone grafting was required if Jen wanted an implant on tooth 21. As a social media influencer, Jen could not wear a removable appliance for another 12 months.
The treatment plan changed to a porcelain fused to zirconia bridge from teeth 11 to 22 with e.max veneers on teeth 14/13/12/23/24. This case was challenging in both pink and white aesthetics. Jen has a high smile line, and the pontic site must look natural with perfect gingival margins. She also has a dark stump on tooth 11 from her previous trauma. We had to go with a zirconia bridge for maximum strength, as Jen is a strong bruxer. It is also challenging to achieve a harmonious result when mixing different restorative materials.
Yugo kindly provided an accurate diagnostic wax-up with a virtual aesthetic articulator (invented by Yugo himself) with dental-facial aesthetics principles. As a result, I was able to perform a pontic site development so an ovate pontic is possible for maximum pink aesthetics.
During the insert appointment, Yugo not only provided perfectly fitting restorations. He was also able to mask the dark stump on tooth 11 and get a beautiful, even, bright and natural shade on all the restorations. Jen loved her new smile and could not stop smiling since.
I continuously look forward to changing countless smiles and lives together with Yugo!
Dr Michael Cai (Pitt St Dental Centre) – https://pittstdentalcentre.com.au/
