Although for many years dentistry was mainly concerned with repairing damage caused by dental decay and diseases of the periodontium - bones and gums - today it is involved with the aesthetic correction of the face, which demands well-aligned, perfectly white teeth.

This requirement is not out of place in a period when communication and the image are paramount. After all, the first contact between two people involves an exchange of looks, and the second aspect of non-verbal communication concerns the smile. Today every "re-looking" clinic has understood that, and systematically redesigns its patients' dental smiles.

The psychological effects of an unsightly feature, however noticeable, or a poor alignment can seriously affect the freedom with which a person smiles, restricting their ability to communicate freely.

This is why we sometimes encounter people who smile with their hand in front of their mouth, or keep their lips closed when smiling.

There are numerous ways of correcting these unsightly features, allowing any number of patients to fulfil a hidden dream by giving them an impeccable smile associated with the complete freedom to laugh uproariously.

Aesthetic dentistry is often associated with a reorganisation of the posterior teeth, whose role is to protect the anterior teeth by enabling efficient, un-traumatic mastication for the anterior teeth.