The glorious weather and great lifestyle that have made Miami one of America’s top tourist meccas has also drawn retirees who have chosen to transfer there and make it their home in their twilight years.

Because ageing is one of the major factors for deteriorating oral and dental health, dentists and dental clinics have become an indispensable part of Miami life. So much so, that dentistry has become an industry in Miami, with more than 2,000 listed dentists and dental clinics.

It was inevitable that, in time, people seeking dental care, particularly aesthetic dentistry, would choose to go to Miami to have their procedures done and, at the same time, enjoy a southern Florida vacation. And even more people now know that to find a good cosmetic dentist in Miami Florida is the ideal place to look.

But why do people need cosmetic dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry is more than your regular kind of dentistry, which focuses on preventing and curing dental and oral health problems. Cosmetic dentistry, on the other hand, is elective, meaning it offers services only to people who may need or want it.

Although most of the procedures used in traditional and cosmetic dentistry are similar, the similarity stops there. Established cosmetic dentists say their practice is a mix of "art" and dentistry that requires many more years of study after dental school and acquiring a specialty before it can be mastered. The objective of cosmetic dentistry is not so much healing as enhancing.

Ironically, though cosmetic dentistry is not recognized as an official field of specialization, many of the techniques developed by cosmetic surgeons have found their way into general dentistry, among these the use of tooth-colored fillings and some methods of teeth whitening. However, this lack of recognition also means that any dentist can claim to be a cosmetic dentist.

This makes it doubly important to make sure any dentist Miami Florida lists in its directory possesses the proper credentials and training to perform good cosmetic dentistry.

If you choose a dentist who is inexperienced or lacks the additional skills needed to perform proper cosmetic dentistry you could, at the very best, end up with lackluster results, especially since the materials used by traditional dentists for, say, dentures or caps are usually plastic that will never match the gleaming results you get with the special materials cosmetic dentists use.

You could very well end up spending far more than you thought because then you would have to find a real cosmetic dentist to repair the damage or redo the whole thing altogether. At worst, you could end up with more damage or even complications, such as infections that can seriously affect not only your dental but overall health as well.

Try to check with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and American Society for Dental Aesthetics if the dentist Miami Florida-based you are considering is accredited with them. Consult your regular dentist and ask for a referral, if possible. If you have acquaintances in Miami, seek their opinion.

You can call or email the dentist Miami Florida you may be thinking off and ask questions about experience, the procedure, costs, aftercare expenses and other concerns. Chances are, a good cosmetic dentist will honestly answer you and even give you options and advise you what is necessary and what is not. With a good cosmetic dentist Miami Florida sunshine and vacation time, you couldn’t ask for anything more.