DR MANOL IVCHEV: THE SMILE DESIGNER

A leading expert in functional orthodontics in Bulgaria, Dr Manol Ivchev has 18 years of experience and has specialized in South Korea, Austria, Colombia, and Luxembourg. He is a lecturer and trainer and became the youngest instructor in Bulgaria on the philosophy of Prof. Rudolf Slaviček, after specializations at the Slaviček Institute in Vienna (VieSID). Dr Ivchev uses his expertise to help patients at his clinic, COLDY DENT Functional Atelier, by adhering to Slaviček's protocols for functional treatment and diagnostics, which aim at comprehensive treatment.

Dr Ivchev believes that only comprehensive and holistic treatment ensures harmony between function and aesthetics. "Patients often tell me that they have tried everything and only found their full step-by-step solution with us. At COLDY DENT Functional Atelier, we work with digital analytics. This allows not only precise diagnosis and planning, but also clear communication with the patient," he says.

What is smile design in orthodontic practice?

In modern dentistry, smile design is a mandatory part of planning. When making a smile design, we first create a framework for the work. We integrate the face, the teeth and the dynamics.

At COLDY DENT, we do this entirely with digital equipment: intraoral scanners, facial scanners, a 3D scanner of the patient's bone. Thanks to this we can plan with the whole picture in mind. That is, planning the teeth shape and length while correlating them to the patient's facial parameters.

Smile design is a must in all practices that claim to be high level.

What part of the dental practices are these?

When I say "a must" I am comparing my practice with the world's best. Very few in Bulgaria fit this description.

Besides digital design we, at COLDY DENT, also integrate mandibular movements through sensors and cameras. We record all the patient's movements – opening, closing the mouth, chewing, swallowing, phonation.

Once we make the smile design, we integrate shapes, colors, tooth texture to shape, skin color, overall facial composition. We can also base the functionality – how the movements of the lower jaw would be tailored to those shapes.

We do this because the aesthetic and the functional component should be in harmony. We can design any tooth or teeth, but if they conflict with the patient's movement parameters our build-ups may break or cause problems with speech, chewing, and even the joint.

That's why in our practice we also integrate dynamics through two advanced tools, Modjaw and condylography (Cadiax4). COLDY DENT is one of the few practices in the world that use both tools.

What do you do when patients want one thing and you recommend another?

Digital smile design allows us to communicate better with the patient. When building one's teeth functionally and aesthetically the dentist needs to explain everything to the patient. Visual communication is the best way to eliminate patient misunderstanding and disapproval.

In my practice, when I make any functional decisions for the case, the patient also has a say. They may not understand anything about function, but function is directly related to the shape of the teeth. At the same time, the patient will see the color, length, and texture of their teeth. It is important that they like them because aesthetics is a subjective feeling.

The goal is to avoid a gap between expectation and outcome, right?

Exactly. A lot of clinics make a smile design, the patient approves it, but the teeth end up different from the approved. In my practice, it's very important that what we've offered to the patient is achievable and doesn't change. After we clear all the adjustments, we shouldn't change the end result even a little bit.

That's why it is crucial to discuss this step at the outset, that it is as visual as possible. When I offer a design solution to the patient, I have already covered the functional part. Then we start to discuss. The patient, for example, might want a different shape for some of their teeth. This is how we determine what the smile will look like, the time it will need and the costs.

When the patient accepts these conditions, we can complete the task as they expected. Unfortunately, a lot of practices cannot deliver on their promises.

Is all this done at COLDY DENT?

Yes, we do everything here from the first to the last step. We have dental technicians, dentists and other specialists.

How long does such a complex treatment last?

From a few months to two years. It depends on the patient's needs and wishes. Sometimes we need to say no to patients who want one thing and I consider that they need something else.

What teeth do patients prefer?

More patients now want smiles as close to their natural teeth as possible, maybe a little bit whiter. A smile giving the impression of nice natural teeth.

Do you work with children?

Of course. We consider children as complex systems, so our osteopath examines the entire body and when it comes to bite correction, we try to get the whole organism in balance. It's the same with adults.

For us, the mouth is not isolated from the rest of the body. A well-planned holistic dental treatment can benefit the entire organism and a poor one can trigger problems in the low back, feet, knees, neck, etc.

Children are developing organisms so function, rather than aesthetics, is the priority with them.

Sofia, 2 Balgarska Legiya St

+359 896 593 939

office@coldydent.com

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