Tooth Art

Here’s something you might not know about being a dentist—it’s fun! I get to hang out with
my friends all day (team and patients) and talk or do art projects. OK, it’s tooth art, but it gives
me a chance to work with my hands, which I love.

Dentistry is the perfect profession for the Type A artist. (Is that an oxymoron?) The
perfectionist gets to work on the smallest details of comfortable bite, seamless blend of tooth
with filling and ease of cleaning. The artist in me likes to recreate the natural beauty as closely
as possible. It might seem that teeth are monochromatic, which would make tooth art a little
boring. Actually, teeth are many different colors. You might hear us describe teeth in colors like
blue, red, orange, grey, or brown. Admittedly, the colors are a little subdued, but capturing them
accurately is definitely an art form.

On my team, the person who does that best is Russ, my lab technician. He is the one who
creates the better-than-natural crowns and veneers that keep many of our patients smiling.
Whenever we create a smile enhancement, Russ is there with his little color wheel to make sure
our patients don’t get an “Extreme Make-Over”!

- Carol