Cosmetic dentistry is a professional oral care method that focuses on improving the appearance of teeth. It covers a wide range of options, including teeth whitening, veneers, crowns, bonding, and dental implants. Modern cosmetic dentistry can give you a big smile if you have gaps between your teeth, your teeth are deformed, misaligned, discolored, stained, chipped, broken, or worn out. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) is the primary dental resource for patients who strive to maintain their health, function and appearance throughout their lives.
We believe that cosmetic dentistry should complement the patient's general and oral health. Depending on the particular variety of teeth whitening treatments you choose, you may be able to lighten the color of your teeth by two to nine shades. Results are temporary and last several months (depending on how well you care for your teeth). If you are not satisfied with your teeth and are looking to make the perfect smile, porcelain veneers offer an excellent solution.
However, keep in mind that unlike whitening, applying veneers is an invasive procedure that requires permanent alteration of your natural teeth. For those looking for an orthodontic solution without a mouth full of wire and braces, consider wearing invisible braces. There are several variants of invisible braces, including tooth-colored ceramic braces, inner braces (placed on the back of the teeth), or clear aligners (such as Invisalign or ClearCorrect). The different types are not necessarily interchangeable and must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
A common smile concern that many people share is the gingival smile, in which an excessive amount of gum tissue is exposed when smiling. Also called excessive gingival expression, gingival smile can be treated in a variety of ways, including laser treatment, surgical lip repositioning, orthodontics, maxillofacial surgery, and gingival sculpting. Gingival contouring treatments are usually performed by specialists such as periodontists, orthodontists or, in some cases, an oral surgeon. In dentistry, adhesion describes the process of permanently adhering dental materials such as fillings, crowns, and veneers to teeth.
Direct compounding is also used to repair chips, cracks and small voids with tooth-colored compounds, serving as a simple and inexpensive aesthetic solution for a large number of dental problems. Dental implants are the cream of the cream of restorative and cosmetic dentistry and provide the highest level of strength and durability with natural aesthetics similar to that of teeth. Implants consist of an artificial tooth root (usually titanium) that is surgically implanted in the jaw where it fuses with bone in a process known as osseointegration. A crown is placed on top of the implant to serve as an actual dental replacement. Among the easiest and least expensive cosmetic dental procedures is bonding which can repair chipped or cracked teeth, close gaps, change the shape of teeth or used as a cosmetic alternative to silver amalgam fillings.
This cosmetic dentistry procedure is also known as indirect fillings which are performed in a dental laboratory. If chipped cracked crooked or discolored teeth make you feel embarrassed or self-conscious about your smile talk to your dentist about options in cosmetic dentistry. Your dentist uses this material to cover and hide cracks crack lines (fine cracks) discoloration and other cosmetic imperfections. Cosmetic dentistry is more popular than ever with more and more people looking for ways to improve or restore the appearance of their smiles. If your teeth are stained discolored worn chipped broken misaligned deformed or have gaps between them modern cosmetic dentistry can give you a better smile. In most cases a dental implant should last the rest of your life (assuming you receive it at age 30 or 40). And while cosmetic dentistry procedures are often elective rather than essential some treatment cases also provide restorative benefits. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on aesthetics but always with an eye on your overall oral health.
Learn the most common procedures and how they work so you can make an informed decision about what's best for you.
