cosmetic dentistry_ beauty & science

I 03 editorial _ cosmetic dentistry I cosmeticdentistry 1_2012 _Welcome to the first issue of cosmetic dentistry! The year 2011 was very successful for us and I would like to thank our readers, authors, supporting companies and the entire team of the cosmeticdentistry magazine for their support. This year, we are planning to present articles in cosmetic dentistry in a different way. In each issue, we will focus on certain clinical aspects, such as porcelain restorations, direct bonding, implant treatment, occlusion, etc. We will focus on introducing new authors with a variety of clinical cases and treatment strategies. With the recent advancement in materials, science and technology, the dental practice is becoming increasingly technology based, leading to an increase in treatment costs. In many developing countries, people cannot afford regular dental treatment owing to their inability to afford health insurance and poor government health care. However, it is interesting to note that even in these countries, the demand for cosmetic dentistry is growing. The influ- enceofglobalmedia,increasedmigrationandexposuretoglobalfashiontrendsarethemain reasons for the global popularity of cosmetic dentistry. Reducing the cost of cosmetic treatment should be the focus of today’s cosmetic dentists ifwewishtodeliverservicestoeveryonewhoneedsandwantsthem.Duringmyinternational lecture activities, I have noticed that most young clinicians today want to treat cases using complex procedures immediately rather than use simple cosmetic procedures, such as anterior tooth alignment, tooth whitening, bonding and cosmetic contouring procedures (type I cases), which can enhance smiles significantly. Certainly, procedures like implant and bridge placement and full-mouth restorations generate good financial income; however, these services demand extensive knowledge and a vast amount of clinical experience. It is to be noted that a large number of type I cases are treated in the general cosmetic dental practice.Oncethesecasesaretreatedproperly,withlong-termhealth,functionandaesthetic in mind, the volume of type II and type III cases will slowly start to increase as well. Ongoing education is a fundamental requirement in dentistry, but choosing the right knowledge and skills training is not an easy job. In this issue of cosmetic dentistry, we present clinical articles mostly related to type I cases. I hope you will enjoy reading our first issue of 2012! Yours faithfully, Dr Sushil Koirala Editor-in-Chief President Vedic Institute of Smile Aesthetics (VISA) Kathmandu, Nepal Dear Reader, Dr Sushil Koirala Editor-in-Chief