Brighten Your Smile With Cosmetic Dentistry

Many a verse has been written by poets about inspirational and enigmatic smiles.

The elusive “perfect smile”, which has in past generations been limited to the luck of genetics, is now available to virtually everyone.

Cosmetic dentistry has removed all barriers to ownership of a dazzling smile.

As more and more men and women get more conscious about their smiles, cosmetic dentists are offering increasingly varied services.

Whether a childhood fall that led to chipping-off of that incisor, the gallons of coffee, tea and sodas that have created nasty stains you can’t get off, or even a bad history of cavities and fillings  – everything can be corrected with the vast array of options in a cosmetic dentist’s ever-growing list of choices.

But remember that it isn’t always cheap. Depending on the procedure, you may feel your pocket lighter by one to several thousand dollars.

Some of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures include bonding of front teeth, whitening of yellow teeth, and using tooth-colored fillings, which almost blend in with the natural color of teeth.

However, there are still many more other techniques that exist. You see, all “cosmetic dentists” are general or family dentists first and foremost.

But keep in mind that there are a couple of other types of dentists who are specialists, that also play a big part in cosmetic dentistry – the Orthodontist and the Oral Surgeon.

So, with that said, here is a list of some key cosmetic dental procedures that can help your smile dazzle:

Bleaching or whitening – Both the enamel and the underlying tooth structure (the dentin) are not impervious to stains, and often yellow over time.

Bleaching is a popular method for treating moderately stained or discolored teeth.

Here the dentist makes a mold of your teeth to make a custom ‘bite tray’.  This tray fits your teeth and arch perfectly.

A small amount of bleaching agent is placed into the tray and the tray is pressed over the teeth until it fits snugly.

Since the bleaching agent is usually caustic, wipe off any excess material from all soft tissues such as your gums.

The tray is generally worn for up to 2 hours a day. A noticeable improvement can be seen within 2 weeks if not less.

Bonding – Here the dentist ‘bonds’ a tooth colored resin onto the tooth in order to repair a fractured, worn or chipped tooth.

This process can also cover up a discoloration on a tooth, or close a small space or gap between two teeth.

The dentist coats the tooth with a bonding liquid and then shines an ultraviolet light on the tooth to set the liquid.

After any necessary drilling, the next step is to prepare the tooth by etching it. The etch is normally a phosphoric acid gel that is colored blue for easy visibility and application.

The putty-like tooth-colored filling material is then placed on the tooth and is then formed into the desired shape.

The ultraviolet light is again used to cure the resin.

A trim and polish later, the end product is ready to steal a heart.

And the best part is that it will be 3 to 5 years before the bonding may need to be repaired or replaced.

Veneering – A porcelain laminate veneer does the same job as bonding does, only it is a stronger way to repair a broken tooth.

Veneering can also cover up discoloration and even change the shape or size of your teeth. The process comes with the advantage that the luster will not be lost.

Recontouring Uneven Teeth – This is basically a procedure to reshape an uneven tooth so that it’s a better match with the entire set.

Braces – Braces are a very common method of changing one’s appearance.

An orthodontist who is involved with diagnosis, prevention and treatment of problems caused by poorly positioned teeth prepares and attaches the braces.

These braces come as fixed or removable appliances. The idea is to use the appliances to gently and gradually move the teeth and bone until they are in a desirable position.

The process may take anywhere between 18 to 30 months (or sometimes even longer) for the desired result.

Oral surgery – Often performed in conjunction with orthodontics, oral surgery allows the actual jawbones to be aligned properly through surgical intervention.

In many cases, unless oral surgery is performed to align the jaws – through a procedure called an osteotomy – orthodontic treatment will be limited in its effectiveness.

The majority of oral surgery procedures are performed under general anesthesia in the operating room.

However, the most common oral surgery procedure done in conjunction with Orthodontics is removal of wisdom teeth.

This is done at the request of the Orthodontist in order to open up some room in the mouth to gradually move the teeth into proper position via the braces or other appliance.

Oral surgery may also be used to repair or correct a wide number of other dental cosmetic issues.

This has been only a brief overview of some of the many various cosmetic dentistry procedures and disiplines.

Browse our other articles for additional information.

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