Cosmetic dentistry is dental work that improves the appearance of your teeth and enhances the aesthetics of your supporting gums as well. Some cosmetic dental procedures can improve the functionality of your bite and make it easy to chew food. Oftentimes, the issues that cosmetic dentistry seeks to correct (e.g., cracked teeth) will improve the radiance of your smile and the integrity of your bite. The upshot could be fewer dental issues down the road!
Teeth Whitening Procedures
One of the most common dental procedures in cosmetic dentistry is teeth whitening. This typically starts by evaluating your current smile and finding out your individual goals. From there, the dentist will work with you to find out whether whitening procedures would be the ideal cosmetic dental solution for you (sometimes bonding is better for certain patients).
Although many people are tempted to go about teeth whitening on their own at home, this can be a timely, futile, and sometimes harmful process if not done correctly. At a cosmetic dentistry office, you can get your teeth whitened in a very short amount of time by a dentist who has done this procedure literally thousands of times before. Due to the affordability, safety and convenience of teeth whitening overseen by a trusted cosmetic dentist, more people are going the professional route.
Tooth Reshaping
If you are dealing with misshapen teeth (e.g., one or more teeth that are too long, too short, or that otherwise are not the desired shape), then dentists can help in that department as well. Tooth reshaping procedures remove part of the enamel so that chips can be corrected and teeth position issues potentially remedied.
Tooth reshaping goes by many different names: slenderizing, recontouring, stripping, and the more technical-sounding odontoplasty. Cosmetic dentists can do these procedures very quickly and, in certain cases, recontouring could help you to avoid the need for braces. Braces are a more elaborate and costly procedure, so you might want to ask us whether tooth reshaping could be the right solution for your needs.
Tooth Bonding
Bonding is another cosmetic dental procedure that most cosmetic dentistry offices will provide. Bonding is a cosmetic dental process in which a very realistic-looking dental composite is bonded to your existing tooth’s surface to match the surrounding teeth. Bonding can be used in conjunction with teeth whitening to give you truly outstanding results!
Bonding procedures can involve the use of inlays or onlays. An inlay includes the pit and fissures of your existing tooth whereas an onlay will typically involve one or perhaps multiple cusps being covered. Bonding might be a good solution if you have a few cracked teeth that you would like to restore.
We see patients all the time for whom bonding procedures are the ideal cosmetic dental solution. Fractures, limited decay, and erosions can make bonding a great option.
Porcelain Veneers
Veneers can be used to match the shape and aesthetics of your natural teeth. Veneers are composed of porcelain laminate and custom-made to match your unique dental needs. The dentist make sure that the diagnostic mockups of your future veneers serve as a useful guide. Veneers are an option that millions of people have already chosen because they can help with chipped teeth or to close noticeable gaps between teeth.
Are you looking to improve your smile? Whitening procedures, reshaping, bonding, and veneers can all help you gain a more dazzling smile moving forward!
