Cosmetic Procedures that can Help Improve Your Smile
Cosmetic dentistry is becoming more popular and dentists have more advanced methods and tools for helping you improve your smile. There are several procedures that can be beneficial for helping your smile like shaping or replacing teeth, closing in spaces or whitening. It’s important to know the risks involved with each procedure as well as the benefits they may provide. You’ll also want to determine what you should expect during the process. Your dentist can discuss your options with you and which ones might benefit you most.
Teeth Whitening to Improve Your Smile
Your teeth can become stained over time and lose their beautiful, white appearance. Certain activities can cause them to stain like tobacco use, drinking dark colored beverages like tea and coffee, and some medications. Your dentist can do an in-office whitening or suggest an over-the-counter system that will work to make your teeth whiter.
Dental Bonding to Improve Your Smile
Bonding can be used in a variety of ways to help improve your appearance and your smile. It can be used to fill in spaces between teeth, fill small cavities or cover up a root that has become exposed. This can usually be done in a single office visit and requires no anesthesia. They can last for many year, but over time they can break down or become stained.
Veneers to Improve Your Smile
A veneer is a custom-made shell that fits over the front of yoru teeth to change their appearance. They are usually made out of porcelain, but sometimes they can be plastic. Veneers generally last longer than dental bonding and are less expensive than crowns. Veneers can be used to fill in spaces, cover stains, better shape a tooth, improve the outside of a crooked, chipped or worn tooth. It will take at least two visits to have veneers placed on the teeth since they are made in a lab.
Crowns to Improve Your Smile
Crowns are used to restore a tooth’s normal shape or appearance. They are often called a “cap” since they fit over a tooth to totally cover it. Crowns can be used to cover a tooth that is misshaped or discolored, provide protection for a weak tooth, cover a tooth with a large, unsightly filling or to hold a dental bridge secure. Crowns can be made out of porcelain fused to metal, metal, ceramic or resin. This is an expensive procedure and they are usually only suggested when other options are not expected to have a positive result.
Enamel Shaping and Contouring to Improve Your Smile
Dentists can combine this procedure with the bonding process. Enamel shaping and contouring will remove or contour dental enamel. I can be used to shape, position, lengthen or reshape teeth. It’s an effective method for correcting overlapping or crooked teeth, irregular or chipped teeth and minor problems with the bite. If your teeth are very healthy and you have plenty of bone between your teeth providing support, this procedure can be perfect.
