What type of cosmetic dentistry treatments are available?
While general dentistry focuses on treating and preventing oral complications, cosmetic dentistry is focused primarily on improving a person’s smile, as well as the overall appearance of their teeth. And, although most cosmetic procedure are usually performed for aesthetic reasons, in some cases, the procedure may also offer some type restorative benefit as well.
5 of the most common types of cosmetic dentistry procedures include:
Composite Bonding: Bonding is one of the most cost-effective cosmetic procedures and is used to repair all sorts of minor issues ranging from tooth decay to chipped teeth. Simply referred to as “bonding”, the procedure requires that your dentist remove any damaged or decayed areas of the tooth before applying the bonding agent. Next, he or she will apply the composite directly to the tooth’s surface and then shape it to match your natural teeth.
Dental Implants: Dental implants are typically used to replace missing teeth. For the implant procedure, your dentist will surgically insert a small screw into your jawbone. This screw will then serve as a permanent support for the implant’s crown. Once the screw has healed and the surrounding tissue has fused to it, your dentist will be able affix the crown to the screw. Dental implants are said to be virtually indistinguishable from your other teeth.
Whitening: Having your teeth whitened is one of the simplest and most common of all cosmetic procedures. Your dentist will first clean your teeth and make sure that there is no plaque or tartar left on your teeth. Then, they will apply a whitening, or bleaching solution to your teeth. If desired, this procedure can be used to achieve shades that are even lighter than your natural tooth color.
Inlays and Onlays: Also known as an indirect filling, inlays and onlays are molded in a lab and are shaped to match your teeth perfectly. Indirect fillings are typically used when mild to moderate tooth decay is present or when there is not enough tooth to support a traditional filling. Inlays are used when a tooth’s cusps are still intact. This allow the inlay to be placed directly on the surface of the tooth. On the other hand, onlays are used when the cusp, or a large portion of the tooth, is damaged.
Veneers: Dental veneers are made specifically for each patient and are designed to closely resemble a person’s natural teeth. Veneers are usually made from a super-strong medical-grade ceramic and tend to look exceptionally realistic. Furthermore, veneers can be used to fix other cosmetic issues such as crooked teeth, cracked enamel and they can even be used to fill in minor gap between teeth.
Who should consider them?
Any person who has stains on their teeth, who has spacing in their teeth, who has crooked teeth, who has odd and ugly looking teeth, who desires a symmetric and beautiful smile, with cracked, fractured and unsymmetrical teeth. Basically anyone who wants a better looking and a beautiful smile can go for cosmetic dental treatments.
What are the health benefits if any of cosmetic dentistry?
Crooked teeth and irregularly arranged teeth tend to attach more calculus and plaque thus giving rise to gum diseases , bleeding , sensitivity and bad breath. Thus a cosmetic correction of teeth in such cases can be a preventive measure.
What type of treatment if any are suitable for children?
There are no specific cosmetic dental treatments for children but in case a child’s milk teeth gets rampant cavities they can be cosmetically restored to give them a clean and healthy look.
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