Due to the outdated knowledge structure and lack of communication with outside world, our understanding and recognizing of cosmetic dentistry is always single-faceted. It is misunderstood that cosmetic dentistry refers to the complete rehabilitation for reaching standard alignment and whitening of teeth. However, many comprehensive indexes in aesthetics should be taken into consideration, such as the patient’s periodontal and soft tissues condition, the facial structural proportion, the personal image and temperament, career, cultural need, and so on. Along with the understanding of advanced at abroad and improvement of professionality at home, an increasing number of cosmetic dentists come to realize that cosmetic dentistry is a systematic treatment process covering collaboration among various stomatological departments, high requirements for clinical dentists and combination of artistry with creativity.   

To achieve a cosmetic result simply by restoration of tooth crown can no longer meet the cosmetic requirement and standard. In addition, the past failures are constantly reminding us of the highest requirement for cosmetic dentistry, which should try to pursue a sort of functional cosmetic restoration featuring in harmony and no trace of decorating. Occlusion is a key point usually being overlooked but leading to a long-term failure in cosmetic dental restoration. Thus everyone engaging in cosmetic dentistry must be skillful at the knowledge and technology of occlusion.

From my personal perspective, there are two major concepts in field of cosmetic dental restoration. One strives for a nearly perfect reconstruction in aesthetics, with the help of cross-major and cross-subject medical measures, covering restoration, periodontology, implantology, orthodontics and face-lifting. While the other one aims at a minimally invasive restoration by the most-advanced material and technology. In this respect, it requires a lot from the dental surgeon who should be equipped with both excellent skills and innovative mind, good at capturing the important factors that is in accordance with the patient’s temperament. Only those meet the high requirements are able to reach a decent result under the limited condition.

It is hard to tell which one is better than the other one. They are merely the different choices and judgments of dentists with various knowledge of cosmetic dentistry, in accordance with different requirements and situation of different patients. As long as you can reach the satisfaction and clinical indexes of patients under the premise of remaining dental functions, that can be called the realization of nearly perfect treatment in cosmetic dentistry.

As a Chinese saying goes, the road ahead is long and I will spare no efforts to explore. When it comes to the cosmetic dentistry in China, summing up the past failures and embracing the advanced concept as well as technology, provide those engaging in cosmetic dentistry with motivation and direction for achieving a higher-level performance.