Cosmetic Dentistry

It used to be that you would go to the dentist only when you needed your teeth cleaned or a cavity filled. No longer. Nowadays, dentists are right up there with dematologists and plastic surgeons when it comes to making us look and feel good!

Cosmetic Dentistry: Redefining Your Smile

Cosmetic Dentistry is the field of dentistry dedicated to the art and science of enhancing a person's smile and overall appearance, resulting in a better self-image and a sense of well-being.

If you are among the many people who limit your expressions of happiness because you worry about a less-than-perfect smile, then it may be worth your while to learn more about cosmetic dentistry. Breakthroughs in technology have made a beautiful smile more affordable and attainable than ever before.

Stars in Hollywood have long known that improving your smile can dramatically change your appearance, but today the benefits of cosmetic dentistry are being discovered by more and more people across the U.S. In addition to beautifying your smile, there are cosmetic dentistry procedures for the alignment and function of your teeth.
 
Cosmetic Dentistry can brighten dull teeth, whiten stained teeth, close gaps between teeth, repair chipped teeth, mask metal fillings, and straighten crooked teeth. It opens doors and removes obstacles to professional and social success.
 
Stained or dull teeth can be dramatically improved by in-office whitening, laser whitening, home whitening, veneers or bonding. The reason why many people choose cosmetic dentistry instead of over-the-counter products such as whitening toothpaste and bleaching kits is that cosmetic dentistry offers much better, longer-lasting results.

Here are a few other things that cosmetic dentistry can do for you:

• Misshapen, chipped, or worn teeth can be improved by veneers, bonding, or cosmetic contouring.  
• Gaps between teeth can be closed up with veneers, bonding, or orthodontics.  
• Old/unsightly fillings can be replaced with tooth-colored fillings (resins and porcelain) for a natural appearance.  
• Crooked or crowded teeth are improved with veneers, bonding, or orthodontics.  
• Missing tooth or teeth can be remedied with a fixed bridge or dental implant(s).  
• Excessive/uneven gums are often helped with gum grafts.  

Combined Techniques are frequently used in smile design to create an ideal natural-looking smile. For example, bleaching may be followed with minor orthodontics and completed with porcelain veneers.
 
 The first step to improving your smile is a visit to a cosmetic dentist. The initial consultation is often free and gives you an opportunity to discuss all your options and to look at before and after photographs of patients who have undergone similar treatment.
 
Cosmetic dentistry procedures are elective, and therefore not usually covered by insurerance. However, the new technologies in this field have made it much more affordable today. When you meet with a cosmetic dentist, they will inform you about the cost of your treatment option(s) and the payment methods available to you. A good patient financing program can also help you by spreading out the cost into low monthly payments.
 
 Getting the smile of your dreams is easier than you think with Cosmetic Dentistry.

Cosmetic Dentistry 101

The objective of cosmetic dentistry, which is elective dental work, is to improve the appearance of the teeth and to enhance one’s smile. Cosmetic dentistry does not contribute to the health of the teeth.
 
 The art and science of dentistry has made advances such that one need not remain resigned to stained or chipped teeth. There are several cosmetic techniques available that allow one to correct dental anomalies that can impair appearance. These include:
 
Bleaching/Whitening
 
 The process of bleaching or tooth whitening helps to brighten teeth that become dark with age or get stained due to smoking, tea/coffee drinking, etc. Bleaching removes extrinsic as well as intrinsic stains. The process, which can be carried out once every three years, is carried out largely by using hydrogen peroxide solution. Bleaching can whiten teeth by up to 5 times the original shade. A bleaching tooth tray that carries the peroxide solution can cost between $ 200 - $ 500.
 
Bonding
 
 The appearance of teeth that have spaces in between or are cracked and chipped can be improved by the bonding process in which a hard, sterile, and inert tooth-colored plastic is affixed to the teeth. The manner in which bonding is done affects the shape, size, and appearance of teeth. The composite fillings wear more quickly than the traditional silver fillings and patients are usually advised to refrain from hard foods that may result in the chipping of the bonding material. The bonding process takes 10-15 minutes for a tooth and can cost around $ 300 to $ 700 for a tooth. The bonded restoration stains similar to natural teeth.
 
Porcelain Veneers
 
 These are extremely thin shells used to cover the front side of the teeth. Porcelain veneers are more resistant to stains and chipping as compared to bonding. They are bonded to the teeth using a special bonding material and can be used to alter the appearance of teeth, provide fullness to the upper lips, and fill gaps between teeth. Porcelain veneers enable a more consistent appearance as compared to bonding, they do not stain and a veneer treatment can last for up to 15 years. Veneer application on a single tooth can cost up to $ 2,000. As compared to the application of crowns or caps, teeth are ground to a lesser extent during veneer treatment.
 
Orthodontics and Periodontics
 
 Orthodontics deals with the prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Braces are used in orthodontics for the treatment of crooked teeth, protruding teeth, widely spaced teeth, an underbite, etc. Metal braces made from titanium are expensive and need to be worn for 2-3 years. Non-invasive straightening braces cost less and require to be worn for a lesser period of time. Lingual braces are placed behind the teeth and are ideal for those who lay emphasis on cosmetic appeal. Periodontics helps individuals to enhance their smile by altering the contours of the gums, it is a simple surgical process accomplished using laser and can cost up to $ 2,000.
 
 Porcelain Crowns
 
 Porcelain crowns are used for broken teeth, teeth with silver filling or those with excessive decay, and also teeth that have undergone root canal treatment. Crowns can be matched to tooth color.

On the next page we will focus on the most popular cosmetic procedure, Teeth Whitening.