With huge advances in cosmetic dental procedures and the increased interest people take in their overall well-being, cosmetic dentistry has become more popular and much more effective.
From replacing a single tooth to getting a complete smile make-over, there are a number of cosmetic dental procedures you and your dentist can consider. It’s time to change that dull smile into a dazzling one!
There are a number of cosmetic dental procedures that can boost your smile if what you need fixing involves:
– Correcting crooked, misshapen or uneven teeth
– Replacing missing teeth
– Whitening stained teeth
– Fixing uneven spaces between teeth
– Repairing chipped or worn teeth
Without a doubt, a thorough examination is always necessary to determine what you really need. But if you want to enhance your smile, here are some of the main cosmetic dental procedures you can get at a cosmetic dental office.
1. COSMETIC DENTAL PROCEDURES: VENEERS
Porcelain veneers are layers that fit over your tooth and help your smile look its best. Veneers are shaped and custom-made in a dental laboratory. You will need two office visits.
First, your teeth will be prepared and shaped for bonding (a small amount of your natural tooth needs to be removed to fit the veneer).
Also, your dentist will take molds and choose the correct color shade to match surrounding teeth.
Veneers generally last many years, providing you with a new and beautiful smile. The treatment is quite short and your teeth will look naturally flawless.
2. PORCELAIN CROWNS
Porcelain Dental crowns are among the most widely used cosmetic dental procedures in cosmetic dentistry.
Especially designed in a lab, dental crowns can either cover a spoiled tooth or be fixed to an implant.
Porcelain crowns are key in permanent treatments as they are meant to function and look like a natural tooth.
Typically, before getting your definite crown, you will need a mold and tooth reshaping.
All porcelain crowns make one of the most attractive types of crowns because they look and are shaped like a natural tooth. For front teeth restoration, it is generally the most widely chosen type of crown, providing outstanding aesthetics.
3. COSMETIC DENTAL PROCEDURES: TEETH WHITENING
The fastest and most effective cosmetic dental procedure to make your smile whiter and brighter is an in-office teeth whitening.
This cosmetic procedure takes just a few steps: Your dentist gently applies the whitening gel on your tooth surface, the gel is chemically activated and your teeth start the whitening process right away.
The whitening treatment takes only one office visit. It will give you excellent and long-lasting results.
Teeth whitening can also take place in the comfort of your home if you decide to get the take-home whitening system.
4. TEETH BONDING
Dental bonding means that a tooth-colored composite material is applied to the tooth and hardened with a special light.
Bonding is a solution when you need to change the shape of your teeth, close spaces between gaps, or repair cracked teeth. It gives you great cosmetic improvement and it also protects sensitive teeth.
The process is usually completed in one visit when the surface of the tooth is prepared for the application of a putty-like material called resin.
The resin is then applied with careful sculpting, shaping and coloring to contribute to the natural teeth in your mouth.
The bonding will typically last for many years before any replacements need to take place; however, bonding is not as durable as dental crowns.
5. INLAYS & ONLAYS
Inlays and Onlays are similar to dental fillings but rather than having them placed into your tooth directly, they are made in a dental laboratory.
Once ready, they are cemented into your tooth. Inlays repair your tooth when there is a large cavity or decay that does not affect the cusp (biting part) of your tooth.
In case of a decayed tooth, a large filling would weaken the remaining tooth so you might better get an inlay instead.
Or maybe the injury does not permit placing a crown on the tooth because the remaining part is not strong enough.
Inlays are made of porcelain or resin and they often require two office visits.
First, you get the decayed part cleaned out and removed. The dentist will also take the molds and send them to the lab for preparation.
On the second visit, you will get the permanent inlay fixed. The difference with onlays is that they are used to repair teeth with damaged cusps or tips. But the process is quite the same.
You know you need a change in your smile. But you don’t know which would be the best way to go.
Depending on your particular needs, and after a complete examination, your cosmetic dentist can recommend the best cosmetic dental procedure for you. These procedures are quite simple and can enhance your smile as you’ve always wanted.
So, do you already have a cosmetic dentist you can totally trust and feel comfortable with?