The tooth about Millennials – Mr. Trevisan

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  Posted by: Dental Design      27th February 2018

Compared to the infamous Baby Boomers of the last century, the priorities and expectations of millennials are sharply different, including their attitudes towards dental care. As a matter of fact, they are far more interested in self-improvement than the generations that criticise them for being nothing more than a spoilt group of individuals who are self-entitled, lazy, narcissistic, and difficult to manage.[i] For many, establishing a personal image to be proud of begins with looking good and, as the dental profession has come to find, achieving a beautiful smile is a top priority. It is, therefore, crucial that practices seek to market their services to this pool of individuals in order to cultivate stronger patient-practitioner relationships.

Millennials possess greater spending power than their predecessors and thus, are far more willing to pay premium prices for cosmetic dental treatments that will enhance their image. It is important that the dental profession seize this opportunity to cater to their desires in dental care. Millennials’ affinity for technology has changed their habits and has led to an obsession to photograph everything in order to share it via social media for the rest of the world to see. Photo-applications such as Snapchat and Instagram, in particular, have given rise to a ‘selfie’ culture, which has fuelled the desire to look good and prompted many people to seek cosmetic treatment. A mouth of missing teeth, to say the least, is not something that much of us would aspire to.

Tooth loss can happen to anyone at any age, but it can be particularly difficult for millennials, who are currently between the ages of twenty and late thirties, as it impacts heavily on the way they look – they may be embarrassed or self conscious about missing teeth, which could affect their overall self esteem. People can lose teeth for a number of different reasons, which include the effects of tooth decay and gum disease, or a tooth could have been knocked out during sporting activities. Moreover, some younger people also suffer from gastrointestinal reflux – this causes acid from the stomach to regurgitate in the mouth, which, over a period of time and frequency of regurgitation, can erode the teeth.[ii]

Dentures offer a solution to tooth loss but there is a negative stigma surrounding the use of them among younger people. One of the many challenges of living with dentures is that they may feel there is no one else in the same situation, particularly as many denture advertisements are directed at older people. Traditional dentures can also make a person look older, and give them a sunken expression that makes it more visually obvious that they have dentures – in this case, it can be particularly difficult for many younger people to maintain a positive attitude towards their own appearance.

In contrast, a dental implant might be a more discreet and effective tooth replacement option for some tooth loss victims. This kind of treatment can be suitable for anyone who has reached maturity and their facial bones have stopped growing. Not only will the implant look and feel like a natural tooth, but it also essentially functions like one. In the event of successful osseointegration, implants have the potential to last a lifetime, as long as the patient maintains a good oral health regime – which is no different than how they should care for their natural teeth.

In some cases, greyish spots caused by titanium in some implants, can be visible under the gingiva, and thus compromise the natural looking result patients expect. Once they are placed, however, the most effective implant system is non-distinguishable from the natural teeth surrounding it. The TBR implant systems available from Dental Express (a trading division of Surgery Express LLP), for example, are manufactured and engineered to be used in both posterior and anterior regions of the mouth, and ensure to improve the overall aesthetic of a patient’s smile. The TBR Z1 implant, in particular, combines zirconia and titanium in one seamless component – the advanced design of the Z1 encourages the tissue to heal around the implant in a way that mimics natural gingival growth, so patients can achieve a pleasing aesthetic result, and a natural transparency of the gum.

For the dental profession, it is vital to take time to understand what young people value, what they buy, and what they desire most, in order to enhance your business and meet their demands. Tooth loss can make younger patients feel especially sensitive about their appearance, so it is important for practitioners to offer them a solution to it, through exceptional service and a reliable product. Following this, dentists will be able to reap the rewards of positive relations with millennial patients for many years to come.

 

For more information visit Dental Express at www.dental-express.co.uk, call 0800 707 6212 or learn more about the Z1 implant at http://z1implants.co.uk/

 

 

[i] Time. (2013) Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation. Link: http://time.com/247/millennials-the-me-me-me-generation/. [Last accessed: 14.12.2017].

[ii] DentistryIQ. (2007) Understanding Acid Reflux and Its Dental Manifestations. Link: http://www.dentistryiq.com/articles/wdj/print/volume-5/issue-2/special-section/continuing-education/understanding-acid-reflux-and-its-dental-manifestations.html. [Last accessed: 14.12.17].


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