Know How Cosmetic Dentistry Can Enhance Your Smile
By: Dr. Boyer
July 30, 2020
The strides in technology and overall dental skills have greatly improved the way dentists treat their patients and, in a way, this has made cosmetic dentistry more sought out than ever. Nowadays, dentists are more equipped to deal with client concerns such as teeth whitening, teeth replacement, and installing dental bridges to complete their smiles.
What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Before we talk about the common procedures, clients go through, let’s talk about cosmetic dentistry: what is it?
Cosmetic Dentistry is, in some ways, an expression of art. While there is no official body that issues a certification for this expertise, a dentist can acquire his or her skills through years of training and experience. Cosmetic dentistry refers to any dental work done that improves how your teeth, gums, and/or bite appear (without necessarily contributing any improvement in functionality thereof). It’s a branch of dentistry that focuses on dental aesthetics to make your smile better-looking overall.
There are dozens of procedures involved in cosmetic dentistry. It may include introducing new material to your teeth and gums (such as crowns, laminates, veneers, and gum grafts). It could mean removing an entire tooth structure or a portion of your gums. Dentists might also perform a technique that will neither add nor remove anything from your dental structure but will still include using solutions to, let’s say, whiten your teeth or adjust the color of your gums.
As such, we gathered a few of the most common services people benefit from and share with you how it’s done:
Whitening is perhaps the most common non-invasive form of intervention in cosmetic dentistry. Our teeth often become stained and discolored over time. When one frequently smokes, takes certain medications, or regularly consumes tea or coffee, the natural discoloration process is accelerated. Luckily, teeth whitening is now an option. Your dentist completes a chemical process involving bleach, and you can expect to have glistening white teeth after the prescribed time.
Some dentists can even come up with a procedure allowing you to do this safely at home, or you can opt to visit the clinic and spend 1-2 hours there for the procedure.
The nearest word that can describe bonding accurately would be sculpting. Dentists use this technique when one of their clients wishes to improve how their teeth appear, especially if they have excess space between them, or they are chipped, broken, cracked, or stained. A dentist also uses this technique to fill small cavities in one’s tooth to protect its exposed root.
In bonding, a dentist uses a combination of etching solutions and a tooth-colored resin and applies it to the needed area.
Bridges refer to the process of adding fake teeth to connect gaps between your teeth. It’s sometimes called a fixed partial denture. The commonly used material to create fake teeth is porcelain, as its color resembles a tooth’s natural color the closest.
There are at least four types of bridges: traditional, cantilever, Maryland, and implant-supported bridges.
For the latter, the difference is that instead of just using frames and crowns, it will involve two procedures. First, an implant needs to be embedded directly into your jawbone. Typically, an implant is necessary for each tooth to secure the fake tooth in place later on properly. The second procedure is the actual addition of the bridge or fake tooth on top of the implant support.
If you are experiencing some problems that may be fixed with any of the procedures mentioned above, please feel free to give our dentist at Elite Dental Implant Center a call or visit our office in Simi Valley, California.
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