Cosmetic dentistry entails all those dental procedures that are aimed to enhance the appearance (not necessarily the functionality) of one's teeth and gums. They primarily center around improving one's dental aesthetics - color, shape, position, alignment, length, and overall appearance.
Though most cosmetic dentistry treatments are elective rather than necessary, some of the procedures also give restorative benefits and improve teeth functionality.Â
What can cosmetic dentistry fix?
Cosmetic dentistry treatments are highly versatile and can fix almost all aesthetic flaws in a patient's smile. Cosmetic dental procedures can correct or fix teeth that are:
- Proportionately small
- Cracked or Chipped
- Gapped
- Stained or discolored teeth
- Broken teeth
- Missing teeth
- Naturally misshapen teeth
- MisalignedÂ
- Worn teethÂ
Benefits of Cosmetic dentistry
- Cosmetic dental treatments enhance the overall appearance of the patient's teeth by fixing or concealing dental flaws.
- Cosmetic dentistry procedures correct bite irregularities and optimize oral health.
- The results offered by cosmetic dental procedures are long-lasting.
- The recovery time of cosmetic dental treatments is shorter.
- Cosmetic dentistry procedures can give a complete smile makeover, thus transforming the patient's smile.
Major Cosmetic dental treatments
Teeth whitening
One of the safest and standard cosmetic dental procedures, teeth whitening treatments eliminate dental stains and lighten the teeth' color.
Bonding
Dental bonding involves the application of an enamel-like dental composite material onto the tooth's surface to fix minor tooth defects by reconstructing the damaged portion with a bonding agent.Â
Bridges
Dental bridges replace one or more missing teeth using fixed prosthetics.Â
Veneers
Veneers are wafer-thin porcelain laminates bonded to the teeth to conceal dental defects by closing gaps, enhancing the teeth's shape, or eliminating dental stains that do not respond well to teeth whitening treatment.Â
Dental implants
Dental implants are titanium metal rods that act as replacement tooth roots to provide a foundation for fixed or removable replacement teeth that resemble the appearance of natural teeth.
Invisalign
Invisalign clear aligners help straighten the patient's crooked or misaligned teeth while being less noticeable than traditional braces.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are custom-made, tooth-shaped caps that are put over the patient's teeth to conceal their defects and restore their original structure, strength, shape, and size.Â
Gum Contouring
If a patient has a gummy smile, a gum contouring procedure reshapes the gum line by eliminating the extra gum, thus exposing more of their teeth. If a patient has periodontal diseases, a gum contouring procedure can be helpful in curing that as well.
Do you wish to know more about Cosmetic dentistry? Call Tod Anderson DDS at (408) 540-7813 or schedule an appointment online.
