The primary focus of cosmetic dentistry is enhancing facial appearance. This is achieved by altering the position, color, size, shape, or alignment of teeth. However, cosmetic dentistry can also bring about oral health benefits, and there are several areas where general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry overlap.
Teeth whitening is the most popular form of cosmetic dentistry. Dentists typically offer two types of professional teeth whitening – procedures in the dental chair, and prescription custom whitening trays you can use at home.
Dental implant restoration is the optimal solution for lost or significantly damaged teeth. Dental implants are different from dental bridges in that implants work and look like regular teeth. Titanium posts are used in place of the missing tooth roots. Crowns are added so the teeth look completely normal.
There will likely come a point in time when you suffer gum deterioration. The gums are quite formidable and resilient yet they are not completely infallible. From gingivitis to gum line recession, periodontitis, and beyond, there are plenty of things that can go wrong with the gums. Gum issues typically start with general soreness and/or slight bleeding. Fail to proactively address your gum problems after such signs arise and you just might suffer a nasty infection, tooth loss, and even a significant health decline.
No two cosmetic dentists are the same. Though these oral health professionals perform similar work, each cosmetic dentist has unique merits, flaws, training, experience, and education. The question is how to select the best cosmetic dentist for your particular needs. Follow the tips detailed below and you will find the perfect cosmetic dentist to enhance your smile.
If your smile is not perfect, it is time to transform it with dental veneers. Dental veneers beautify compromised teeth, ensuring they look like clean natural teeth and also function like regular teeth. Once your veneers are in place, you will love the look of your smile, proudly showing it off at work, get-togethers and other social events.
Are your teeth perfectly straight and properly spaced? If you are like most people, your answer to this question is “No.” The average person has at least one crooked tooth and a spacing issue or two. Instead of living with an unsightly smile, the better option is to straighten your crooked or improperly spaced teeth with Invisalign translucent aligners.
Dental crown technology has advanced to the point that crowns can be applied to the teeth on the exact same day the patient goes to the dentist for his or her visit. Dental crowns also called “caps”, are helpful for a wide variety of dental issues. People have their teeth crowned to repair sections damaged by decay, to replace a lost tooth as a component of a dental implant system, to cover a cosmetically damaged tooth, restore a cracked/broken tooth and simply add more stability to a tooth weakened by root canal therapy.
Getting a dental crown can take a fortnight or longer, with at least two trips to the dentist, each requiring anesthesia. Now, there’s a much faster, streamlined option – you can have state-of-the-art same-day crown treatment in a couple of hours or less, typically with better results.
Throughout history, dentists and those intent on improving oral health have used a number of different filling materials for compromised teeth. From pure gold to silver, composite and even beeswax, plenty of materials have been used to fill teeth. Two fillings have emerged as the best: composite resin and silver amalgam, also known as metal fillings. Part of the appeal of the composite variety is it looks exactly like natural teeth. However, there are some benefits to metal fillings as well. Let's take a look at the differences between composite resin fillings and metal fillings to help patients select the type that is optimal for their unique mouth.