Dentist goes high-tech in aesthetics

      It's the U.S.S. Enterprise of Las Vegas dental offices. Each exam room comes complete with laptop computer and the latest in state-of-the-art dental video that can take a viewer down to the gum line.
      The dental practice is called Exceptional Dentistry, located at 9501 Hillwood Drive in Summerlin, and offers the latest in aesthetic dentistry to make a patient's smile look like a million bucks.
      "Not only has it reshaped what patients are experiencing but it has invigorated many dentists," said Cal Evans, a partner in Exceptional Dentistry and a local dentist since 1969. "The things we are doing now are far beyond anything any of us could have imagined."
      Evans and Exceptional Dentistry could be classified as the plastic surgeons of dentistry, but their work isn't covered by insurance due to the "aesthetic" portion of the title.
      "It's not covered by insurance but our clients are willing to make the investment because the look of their smile is important to them," Evans said. "Patients walk out of here with a new sense of worth and it is wonderful to see it."
      Evans, and his partners Laurie Blach and William Dickerson, now use fiberglass instead of metal for fillings and even reconstruct teeth with porcelain to give them a real look. They even use lasers instead of drills to chip away at decayed teeth sparing their patients the hair-raising shriek of the old whiny drills.
      All of that said, who benefits most from this new approach to dentistry?
      "Oh, the patients most definitely," Blach said. "We can use the lasers and other equipment on soft tissues to sculpt them and the same goes for hard tissues. Instead of filing teeth we can now use these lasers to work on the teeth. There's less pain and the patient is more comfortable."
      Evans and Blach both said they came from the old "drill-and-fill" generation of dentists who were taught to drill out decay and fill with metal. Because of the new technology, both dentists are happier in turn making their patients happier.
      "We can do so many things we couldn't before and it's rewarding for both doctor and patient," Evans said. "I'm 60 years old and I'm having the most fun of my life."
      At the heart of cosmetic dentistry is every space-age chemical imaginable. Drilling has been replaced by the shot of an argon laser and adhesives strong enough to hold teeth together are used instead of gutting the tooth to save it. Teeth can now be saved and the fillings actually bond with the tooth and can never come loose like standard fillings.
      "You'd be surprised at how many people come in here with a mouth that looks terrible and by the time they leave they literally have a perfect smile," Evans said. "I know it sounds like we are doing magic and in essence we are."
      The advances used at Exceptional Dentistry also make some orthodontics obsolete. A patient with crooked bottom teeth can have them straightened with the shot of a laser and some artistic bonding by Evans, Blach and Dickerson.
      "The important thing is that people know this work can be done rather quickly and so well it always looks natural," Evans said.
      The cost of cosmetic dentistry is the largest obstacle in making it a mainstream practice. Costs can range from $1,000 to $10,000 for certain procedures. Despite the high cost, business at Exceptional Dentistry is brisk and steady for the three dentists.
      "We're busy but we only see 8 to 10 patients per day," Evans said. "Before in my old practice I would be working on three or four people at a time. Now I can sit down and spend time getting to know my patients and that in turn makes them comfortable with me. As I said, it makes for a much more rewarding experience for everybody."
      Blach agreed with Evans and said she would never want to go back to the old way.
      "By getting to know the patients you can find out what they really want and make sure they get it," Blach said. "The quality time we spend with them really makes a difference."
      For Evans, he wants to make everyone's smile beautiful and he said everyone has the power to do it.
      "It does cost money you can't get back from insurance but the investment is worth it," Evans said. "If people spent the money they used on non-essential items they may be able to correct their smile.
      And, in pure 21st century style, they even can finance your new smile.
      "Sure it's a self-esteem boost," Evans said. "But for the price of a few designer suits and dresses you can have a sparkling smile."