If you’ve ever dealt with a crown or extracted tooth, you may recall having a big ol’ tray of goop jammed in your mouth, then waiting weeks for your tooth to arrive.
Dr. Jon Marashi — dentist to stars including Ben Affleck and Cher — can get it done in ~3.5 hours, sans goop, per The Hollywood Reporter.
He takes a 3D scan of the patient’s mouth, 3D-prints a replica tooth, and uses a Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) milling machine to produce a porcelain crown.
Other modern dental miracles include:
- Augmented reality and AI tools that take facial scans, then create Instagram-esque filters depicting what a new set of pearly whites would look like.
- A laser that can remove gum tissue and bone to improve gummy smiles or remove veneers in ~15 minutes.
- Lasers that can whiten teeth without heating them, ideal for patients with sensitive teeth.
The dentists THR mentioned…
… are working with big-name celebs with deep pockets — Cher has an estimated net worth of $360m. But can the average person enjoy these advancements?
Well, it depends: Cosmetic procedures — such as whitening, veneers, and gum shaping — are not typically covered by insurance, so it depends on what they can afford out-of-pocket.
But many dentists are using digital scans over traditional impressions. After a practice pays upfront costs of ~$21k-$24k, the cost per digital impression generally comes down to ~$30. Plus, they’re comparatively less messy and more efficient (here’s a video of how they work). Those digital scans may even be covered if they aren’t strictly for cosmetic work.
But will your dentist rush to get you in if you’re not starring in a prestige drama? Good luck.
