Dr. Cosmin ȘTEFĂNESCU

Good things take time. When we aim to provide an accurate diagnosis and start a complex staged treatment, we must understand that extraordinary results come after several carefully calculated sessions.

In prosthetics, it is very important to evaluate the teeth, occlusion, and the temporomandibular joint that supports the bite. Modjaw helps tremendously in this regard. All the patients I restore orally, I scan with Modjaw – there isn't a patient I don't scan with Modjaw.

We also have a new facial scanner, RAYface, which scans the skin and creates a 3D model of the face that can be transferred to SmileCloud, the tooth design software, superimposed on Modjaw, and sent to the laboratory. The prosthetic work planned in this way will take into account the patient's physiognomy and facial conformation.

Following the example of my mentor, Prof. Dr. Alexandru Petre, who is primarily a prosthodontist and from whom I learned digital prosthetics for about six years, day by day in the clinic. In research, I like that I can select topics that interest me, such as digital technology, which includes milling machines, materials, zirconia – which is done only digitally, scanning, and software. Digital technology has great applicability in prosthetics.

But most of all, I love teaching students.

I was talking with Dr. Adelin Radu, my colleague at DENT ESTET clinics, that we both share a strong drive for teaching.

At the beginning of a semester, you start working with a student who knows nothing about what you are teaching, and throughout the semester, by explaining things and showing them how to make teeth, how to do prosthetics, in the end, they can reproduce the material 80%-90%, maybe even 100%. The student mirrors you or vice versa. What they know is the result of your work.

The pathology of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and I have patients who come just for this, referred by fellow doctors, because they have pain in the joint area. In this aspect, I follow in the footsteps of my mentor. There are starting to be more TMJ specialists, but they are still very few. The treatment is specific, with relaxation splints that aim to stabilize the joint.

It is a common subject with orthodontics, and I even collaborate on interdisciplinary cases with my wife, Valeria Ștefănescu, who is also a specialist in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics at DENT ESTET clinics.

I remember a young patient from Germany who chose to have his dental treatments done in our country, at DENT ESTET Oradea. At only 24 years old, he suffered from an enamel problem and wanted to have that beautiful smile. After meticulous planning of both procedures and appointments, as well as flights, he returned to Germany with PREMIUM ASPEN crowns and veneers – Digital Smile Design, photos of which can be seen on our Facebook page.

His reaction at the end of the treatment was very strong – “Wow, man! I have amazing teeth.” – the impact was very significant because he was very young and didn't smile much. I saw how his expression completely changed when he looked in the mirror with his new teeth. In July, his father will also come from Germany for dental treatments.

I try to empathize with them as people, not just with their dental problems. We talk, joke, and in the end, they realize it didn't hurt at all; it was even a bit fun.

Additionally, technology helps me show patients what they wouldn't be able to visualize when I explain it only with words. When we have images in front of us and can discuss them together, patients have predictability and can understand the treatment result.

Like my guilty pleasure? Coffee. I am 100% dependent on a properly made espresso. I could drink one right now while talking to you 😊.

In the clinic, I couldn't do without Modjaw, because it shows how the two arches move and gives me a lot of information about the bite. It provides me with a perspective on the patient's problems, so I can understand and solve them, and in the end, the patient has a correct bite.

"Getting veneers will ruin my teeth." When we prepare the tooth for veneers, we only shave off 500 microns of the surface, and the veneer brings more benefits than the preparation.

Veneers provide functional benefits – they change contacts, correct the bite, and offer aesthetic benefits.

I can give the example of a recent case where the patient had 10 veneers on the upper jaw – the teeth were very worn, the bite and contacts were pathologically deficient, and through veneers, we corrected not only the aesthetics but also the way she chews, which was verified with Modjaw.

I like to go to the pool and swim. The moment I have my head underwater and can't hear anything around is the best therapy of the day. Then I am ready for another challenge! I participate in cycling competitions – I have participated in 20 such competitions and have also completed a triathlon.

A moment I fondly remember was at "Prima evadare," where I participated with my wife, Valeria, and we even have a photo together taken from a helicopter.

But most of my free time is spent with my son, who fills me with joy, balances me, and I will always be there for him, no matter what path he chooses.