Are you happy with the look of your smile? Or do you find yourself concealing your smile behind closed lips? If you tend to hide your smile, you are not alone. Many people have problems with their smile, especially if they have teeth that are damaged, decayed, or missing. Luckily, it is possible to restore your less than perfect smile with cosmetic dentistry.
Cosmetic dentistry restores the function of your teeth while simultaneously improving the visual aesthetics of your smile as well. In short, cosmetic dentistry gives you a smile that you will be happy to smile with. With cosmetic dental treatments, you can address teeth that are decayed, damaged, missing, unevenly sized, oddly shaped, overlapping, stained, or that have gaps in between them.
This is because there are different types of cosmetic dental treatments that are used to improve the look of your smile. Each treatment offers various options in terms of what is addressed, the procedure, and the cost. Out of all the various treatments, here are the top 5:
Teeth Whitening
Whitening procedures are performed by applying a whitening product to the surface of your teeth. As this product is absorbed into the teeth, it breaks apart discolored molecules in the enamel and dentin layers. The final result is teeth that are around 5-10 shades whiter than before. Teeth whitening procedures are highly popular because they are minimally invasive, effective, and affordable.
Composite Fillings
Composite fillings are used to restore small to medium areas of decay. Once the decayed tissue has been removed, composite resin is used to fill the remaining cavity. Composite resin can be color matched to your natural tooth color and can be sculpted to blend in with the surrounding tooth structure. Composite resin can also be used to repair minor chips and cracks using a technique called composite bonding.
Veneers
Veneers are highly versatile and are used to conceal a number of cosmetic issues such as teeth that are stained, crooked, damaged, oddly shaped, unevenly sized, or that have gaps in between them. Most veneers are made from thin porcelain shells that are adhered to the front side of visible teeth. In some cases, however, veneers can also be made using composite resin. Veneers can be used to restore a single imperfect tooth or an entire imperfect smile.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are used to restore damage or decay that has affected more than half of the natural tooth structure. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over the entire visible portion of the tooth in order to protect the remaining tooth structure from further damage or decay. They allow the tooth root to remain intact, while restoring the aesthetic appearance of the tooth. In some cases, multiple crowns can be fused together to form a dental bridge.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are used to restore one or more missing teeth. They are small titanium screws that are placed in the jawbone to act as artificial tooth roots. Once healed, dental implants are fused with the surrounding bone and can act as an anchor for a dental prosthetic. The number of missing teeth will determine what prosthetic is used. Dental crowns are used to replace a single missing tooth, while a dental bridge or denture is used to replace multiple missing teeth.
