REASONS FOR A SMILE

Smile is the quickest manifestation of our good mood. This is probably why children smile at an average of 400 times per day, the happy adults – about 40-50 times per day, and the average person – around 20 times per day. Regardless of the mood, smile is good for our health. Even when we are in a bad mood and we force ourselves to smile, it yet brightens us.

Regardless of their mood, however, many people are not able to smile. The reason? Bad teeth.

Happily, modern science and dentistry offer us reliable ways to deal with our dental problems, regardless of whether we are talking about prophylaxis, caries treatment, correction of crooked teeth, replacement of missing teeth, whitening or smile correction.

It might sound banal, but care for our health begins with prophylaxis. Regular visits to the dentist are a must at least once a year, and should include cleaning of dental tartar, which can damage the gums. Teeth should be cleaned twice per day with a toothpaste containing fluoride. It doesn't matter whether you will opt for a classical or electric tooth brush, if you carefully clean all the surfaces of the teeth. Recently, the benefits of dental floss in prevention of bad breath and dental tartar were disputed, but in all cases it is better for removing of food particles from the teeth than toothpicks, which can damage the gum.

In the past 20-30 years, modern dentistry offers innovative methods for dealing with the different types of dental problems, from the types of the fillings to prosthetics and aesthetic dentistry.

The old amalgam fillings are still on the menu, but an increasing number of people prefer fillings of ceramics or photopolymer. Crowns underwent the same change, and technical advance in them doesn't stop in the materials used. The implementation of computer technology in the practice of dental technicians allows the amazingly precise and quick making of the crowns.

The loss of a tooth or teeth due to an illness or trauma until recently was a sentence for life – the patient should put up with a dental bridge, which asks for the filing of healthy teeth, or with the uncomfortable dentures. Today, prosthetic dentistry is experiencing a heyday with the introduction of dental implants. With this treatment method in the bone, on the place of the missing tooth or teeth, is inserted an implant, usually of titanium. When the implant is integrated with the bone, on it is placed a crown that looks completely like a natural tooth. The procedure is already available as well for patients who lack the sufficient amount of bone tissue, on which the implant should be inserted. The advantages of dental implants can be hardly overstated. They restore the self-confidence of the patient and his or her ability to eat properly. The care of implants includes excellent dental hygiene, stopping smoking, regular check ups.

People have tried to correct crooked teeth since Antiquity. Modern orthodontics, however, has the most effective methods of dealing with this problem. Brackets become better and lighter, and the innovations in the field are impressive. They include brackets created with technologies like 3D imaging, software for treatment planning, robotic design of the wire. Another advanced technology are removable transparent brackets. The so-called smart brackets are also developed; they have a microchip measuring the pressure on the bracket and the tooth surface.

The abilities of modern aesthetic dentistry for complete change of the smile are  impressive, too. Thanks to the veneers of ceramics or zirconium, imperfections can be corrected quickly and easily. Tooth whitening is becoming a popular procedure. What is important to know, however, is that it should be done under the supervision of an experienced dentist.

Professional education in dentistry in Bulgaria is at an exceptional level, and specialists are constantly honing their skills with attending trainings, seminars and conferences in the country and abroad. Bulgaria has not only the advantage of having excellently trained specialists: it is also incredibly competitive in regards of the cost of dental services.

In the US, a large filling of white coloured materials is about $200. Treatment of root canal is about $700, a porcelain crown is $1,200, and the implant is $1,900. Having a veneer is $870, and tooth whitening is $440. In the UK, a private dentist will take about £100 for a large filling of non-white material, the treatment of root canal is £380, a golden crown is £420, and an implant costs £1,320. The veneer is £340, and tooth whitening is £300.

For comparison in Bulgaria (we quote the price list of a mid-range dental practice), a large filling with photopolymer costs 70 leva, the treatment of root canal is between 70-150 leva, a crown of white material is 250-500 leva, and the implant is 1,500 leva. The ceramic veneer is 600 leva and tooth whitening is 250 leva.

All of this is more than a reason enough for us to smile wide, and feel happy.