What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Unlike restorative dentistry, which focuses on correcting and treating underlying issues with teeth and gums, cosmetic dentistry improves the appearance of your teeth, gums, and bite. After all, even the healthiest teeth can suffer the effects of age, lifestyle, and misalignment.
Top 5 Reasons People Get Cosmetic Dentistry
- STAINED TEETH
Deeply discolored teeth may be the most common problem in cosmetic dentistry. Over time, teeth can become discolored from consuming drinks like red wine and coffee. Discoloration can also happen from medication, aging, smoking cigarettes, or chewing tobacco. - MISSING TEETH
When you lose a tooth, you lose more than a smile. If it is not replaced quickly, bite functionality significantly decreases and the jawbone will begin to shrink away from disuse, causing a sunken look in the face that makes an individual appear much older. - CHIPPED TEETH
As we age, our teeth become vulnerable. Even without pain or obvious problems, a cracked or broken tooth should be taken seriously! The tooth is now susceptible to decay, is more likely to further crack or break, and you risk losing your tooth completely (whether naturally or via extraction). - GAPPED TEETH
Tooth gaps can trap food particles, which may cause plaque and tartar to easily form in those cracks. Filling in problematic gaps in your teeth can help you improve your oral health, and in cases where a gap is unwanted, it will likely even help boost your confidence and self-esteem! - CROOKED TEETH
The quickest route to a beautiful smile is fixing crooked teeth. Crooked teeth are hard to keep clean, leading to many problems. Teeth misalignment may occur naturally, or as a result of not wearing a retainer prescribed by your dentist.
Veneers
Veneers are thin shells directly bonded to the front of the tooth, designed to cover a variety of dental obstructions. Veneers tend to last longer than bonding, so consider a veneer if your bonding needs ongoing maintenance. Veneers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so be sure to ask your dentist about which material will benefit you the most:
- Porcelain– Porcelain veneers are thin shells of porcelain adhered to the outer surface of the tooth that mimic the light-reflecting properties of natural teeth. They are both stain-resistant and gum-tolerant. Once bonded to a healthy tooth, porcelain is extremely durable.
- Composite Resin– Composite veneers are veneers that are not quite as durable as porcelain but are more easily replaced and repaired. The resin is added to your teeth as a liquid before being cured and polished. While porcelain veneers are not reversible, composite veneers are.
- Lumineers– Lumineers® are minimally invasive porcelain veneers made of a thin laminate layer applied seamlessly over your existing teeth. This typically requires no shots, drilling, and less preparation than traditional veneers. Like composite veneers, they can last between 10 and 20 years but may be removed if needed.
Cosmetic Bonding
If damage to a tooth is minor, you may be able to fix it with cosmetic bonding. A simpler form of cosmetic dentistry, dental bonding is often performed without the use of an anesthetic (except for a filling procedure) and usually requires only one visit to a dentist.
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