Cosmetic dentistry is what every dentist practices and is no longer related to the few “cosmetic dentists” that have looked to limit their practice. Even if a dentist does a tooth-coloured restoration, aesthetic principles have to be followed to get optimal result both clinically and facially. Unfortunately, we as a community of dentists fail to see the whole picture and often limit ourselves to the oral cavity.
A general dentist can practice injectables like dermal fillers, Botox etc after some training. People in our country often associate this procedure with dermatologist, plastic surgeons etc. and the dentists fail to recognize their capability. Dr.Bob Khanna, who’s the pioneer in facial aesthetics, to whom plastic surgeons, dermatologists and dentists go for training, is a dentist himself. But the sad part is there are very few dentists who practice this in India.
You might ask, “Is it even legal for these procedures to be performed by a dentist?”, the simple answer is yes. Then why aren’t the dentists in India aren’t as aware of these procedures as our western counterparts? My personal opinion is that many new graduates have a herd mentality and they often tend to follow each other into the more conventional specialities of dentistry. It isn’t entirely their fault, it’s the fault of the Dental Council of India who has just failed in its work and it’s the fault of the colleges(Almost all of the Indian dental colleges) who fail to educate students with whats going around the world because of which the knowledge of a new graduate is as primitive as it gets.
Let’s not go on with the rants, because we all know it goes on forever. But why should a dentist go for facial aesthetics? Because we are freaking trained the best for giving LA blocks (local anaesthesia) on the face. A dentist can give complete painless and comfortable treatment, whereas “The patients treated by other health practitioners were quite uncomfortable and indeed this is one of the biggest patient complaints about dermal fillers.” (American Academy of Facial Aesthetics, not my words, still don’t trust me, google it.)
For those who don’t know about dermal fillers, They’re also known as ‘injectable implants, soft tissue fillers, or wrinkle fillers and are medical devices approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in helping to create a smoother and/or fuller appearance in the face, including nasolabial folds, cheeks and lips and for increasing the volume of the back of the hand.’ according to USFDA.
What are some dermal fillers with good results?
Some popular chin dermal fillers with good results include:
– Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a natural substance found in the skin that keeps it hydrated and volumized. It’s commonly used in dermal fillers like Juvederm and Restylane.
– Calcium Hydroxylapatite: A mineral-like compound found in human bones, often used in dentistry and reconstructive plastic surgery.
– Poly-L-Lactic Acid: A synthetic filler that stimulates collagen production, providing gradual volumization over several months.
These fillers can help create a more defined jawline, reduce the appearance of a double chin, and add lost volume due to aging.
It’s high time that dentists in India start this practice, instead of crying about oversaturation. Yes, oversaturation is real, but as I said India is oversaturated with dentists with herd mentality who don’t give quality treatment and deceive patients by using counterfeit Chinese materials for treatment (not trying to offend anyone, but this is what I have seen)
All I mean to say is, there are many options other than doing MDS…
If any dental student or dentist reads this, please at least think about iti
I was introduced to facial aesthetics by Dr. Nisha Kundu, who was the resource person for CDE (Continued Dental Education) organized by Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, MCODS, Mangalore on the seventeenth of August, two thousand and eighteen. She gave us basic information about the legality of practising facial aesthetics and introduced us to Botox, dermal fillers (Hyaluronic acids) resorbable threads for the nonsurgical facelift and much more. The CDE ended with a short demo on how to and where to inject and what type of needles and blunt cannula to use.
Blunt tip cannula
I would end by quoting Dr.Kundu,”If you don’t practice, the people from alternative medicine will, and some have already started.” And that’s what I call rising quackery.
Hi i am Dr Sneha Paradkar
Can you guide more on this topic
U would like to know about the courses related to it.
Would want to know the course reg it plz I’m interested
Hi Doc, you can check Ilamed for some of these courses in India.
There are many more, like timeless aesthetics, all this would be much more expensive than ilamed, as you will be doing more patients and better support after the course… if you are talking specifically about the course written in the article, than that was just 2 hrs CDE which happened in 2018