Cover Dr Jo Tan (right) and Cheng Yee established Dental Remedy to offer a unique service not found anywhere else
Dr Jo Tan (right) and Cheng Yee established Dental Remedy to offer a unique service not found anywhere else
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The future of dentistry, Dental Remedy is revolutionising the practice and transforming the smiles of patients with Digital Smile Design and veneers
While a dentist visit is still terrifying for many, recent advancement in dentistry is progressively turning the fear that has been long-associated with it, into a thing in the past. Thanks to technology, not only can once-dreaded dental procedures such as root canals and implants be done considerably painlessly, less invasively and even quietly, it is completely revolutionising the way dentists work with new approaches like Digital Smile Design (DSD).
DSD essentially enables dentists to first “correct” a patient’s teeth digitally on a computer before actually “fixing” it on the patient. Patients can also now “test drive” their new teeth before having it permanently fixed with braces and/or veneers. What’s more unique about DSD is its design element, where dentists can design a patient’s teeth to perfectly complement their face, in addition to fixing dental problems such as overbite, underbite, crowded or gapped teeth.
“What DSD does is it provides the missing link between the patient’s face and teeth, allowing the dentist to properly align the patient’s teeth to their facial structure as per the Golden Proportion rule in dentistry, which makes a harmonious and U-shaped smile. We call it facially driven smile design, meaning we take your face into consideration while correcting your teeth,” shares Dr Jo Tan of Dental Remedy, the only DSD clinic in Southeast Asia, located along Jalan Maarof in Bangsar.
Digital Smile Design: before and after photos of a patient
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Previously, with traditional braces and even with Invisalign clear aligners, dentists could never really give patients a guarantee of how their teeth would look like on them in the end. While Invisalign has made it more predictable (than braces), by forecasting by computer how the patient’s teeth transform during the course of wearing the clear aligners, it also isn’t able to show the end result on the patient. “With DSD, there is no guesswork, patients can not only see how their teeth will exactly look like after the treatment but they can try out their new teeth, made possible with 3D printing, and even make adjustments before they decide on a final design,” explains Tan excitedly. The best part too, is that the results are guaranteed, which is why DSD is also referred to as “copy and paste dentistry”.
Originating from Spain, Digital Smile Design comprises five standard procedures, namely “digitalising” the patient, 3D facial-driven design via cloud dentistry, digital treatment plan, smile test drive and guided treatment.
The process begins with a “photo shoot” where various angles of the patient’s face will be taken with their teeth showing, for example while they are talking, smiling and laughing. This is followed by a detailed scan of the patient’s teeth using a handheld 3D scanner, which digitally captures the structure of the teeth and gums, all within minutes. Once the patient has been digitalised, the scans and the photos are transferred to a team of specialist dentists in Spain for the analysis and design process. Through cloud dentistry, a gum specialist, braces specialist, implant specialist, general dentist and cosmetic dentist will each contribute their expertise to the design of the patient’s teeth. “They will analyse your teeth based on aesthetics, function and bite so they will make your teeth function well and look good at the same time,” explains Tan. Once the design is completed, patients do a Smile Test Drive and discuss any adjustments they’d like to make with the dentist.
When the patient has confirmed the design, the detailed treatment plan is put into action, whether that includes Invisalign clear aligners and/or veneers. Depending on each case, treatment can take three months up to two years. “With how predictable Invisalign is, patients only need to see me once in two months just for me to check if the corrections are on track,” reveals Tan, who has been specialising in Digital Smile Design for the last five years.
Comfortable seats and natural lighting at Dental Remedy add a sense of comfort and relaxation
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“About two years into practising dentistry, I found myself drawn more towards cosmetic dentistry. I just loved seeing the journey of the patient’s transformation and how happy it makes them,” says the DSD specialist behind hundreds of truly stunning transformations.
While working on getting his certification in DSD, which took around five years, his partner Cheng Yee encouraged him to open the first DSD clinic in Malaysia. “With her support, I was more confident to go into this full-time and offer DSD in a bigger way in Malaysia,” shares Tan.
Together with the soft-spoken and entrepreneurial Cheng Yee, who takes care of the business aspect and provides the introductory consultation in the clinic, they set a vision for their space to be as far removed as possible from the typical dentist office. Working with their interior designer, they decided on more of a spa-like ambience by incorporating nature themes according to their brand identity, and also Chinese elements like a skylight and a tea table.
Being a DSD clinic too, which emphasises on the patient’s journey as much as the procedure, the space needed to be designed with the patient’s ultimate comfort in mind. “They (DSD) had a say in every aspect of the journey of a client, from the time they step into the clinic to when they leave, so things like where is the best place for consultation, the height of the table, the dentist chair and so on are considered,” shares Tan. This includes their state-of-the-art dental equipment, the type of dental procedures that are offered at the clinic, as well as guided treatments that are safe, predictable, painless and with zero error, in keeping with the latest advancements in dentistry.
For an appointment, WhatsApp +6016 333 2933.
Credits
Photography: Imran Sulaiman
Make-Up: Joey Yap
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