Cosmetic dentistry is used all over the world to improve the appearance of your teeth and smile. It is mainly used by people who want to change the appearance of their teeth so that they can produce a beautiful smile. It is optional but it is also used for restoration of teeth. One of the branches of general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry has become one of the major dental work procedures used to enhance the appearance of the teeth and produce a gorgeous smile.
There are many procedures that cosmetic dentists follow. All the procedures cannot be used by everyone. Before deciding on which one is suitable for you, your dentist has to be consulted.
Some popular cosmetic dental procedures
The following are some common cosmetic dental procedures.
Dental Implants
Dental Implants are used not only as a cosmetic device, but also as a restorative component for missing and lost teeth. A dental implant is a metal screw made of titanium inserted into the jawbone where the soft dental tissues are allowed to grow around it. When the implant is fully surrounded by the dental tissues, it can act as an actual tooth root. The implant is then used as a root for the crowns which are placed on top of the implants with specially made attachment which holds the crown in place. One implant can hold more than one tooth. If more than one implants are placed in the jawbone, they can support many crowns, or even a bridge.
Dental implants are used on people who have enough bone mass to support and grow around the implant. The patient needs to be healthy generally and should not have any gum disease. He should not be on any kind of medicines which may hinder the growth of tissues around the metal screw. He should also not be on any medicines which can hinder healing processes.
Teeth whitening
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure which can be carried out in the dentist’s office, or at home under the guidance of the dentist. This procedure is used for the people who have stained teeth due to lifestyle choices or due to medical reasons. The teeth can get stained by excessive use of tobacco or drinking coffee and red wine. Sometimes some medicines also create a tinge of darkness on the teeth. Yellow or brown teeth do not give good smile. People who want white teeth and a better smile use teeth whitening method.
There are many products available for teeth whitening. There are tooth pastes, teeth gels and teeth whitening trays which are used for bleaching the teeth. The main ingredient of the bleaching agent s is hydrogen peroxide which breaks down the particles of stain into tine pieces which then does not appear to be darker. The process can be done with the bleaching trays, which fits onto your teeth like mouth guards and are filled with the chemical compound. The tray is kept on the teeth for a stipulated time and then removed. If this procedure is done in the dentist’s office, it is more effective, because the dentist gets the tray made with your specification and also knows your dental history, so adapts the method and chemicals according to your specific needs.
Dental crowns
Crowns or caps are made to order to fit the specific tooth it is made for. The dentist orders the crown from the lab after taking impressions of your teeth. The crowns are made of porcelain or composite material and bonded to metal to take on the pressure chewing. The crowns are fitted on to the prepared tooth by the dentists with special dental cement. Cosmetic dentists use crowns to reshape a tooth which may be cracked, chipped, or decayed and restored with dental work and fillings. The crowns are also used to hide small imperfections of the teeth.
Dental veneers
Veneers are a thin covering cemented onto the front of the teeth, which is made of either porcelain or composite resin. These procedures are permanent and cannot be reversed. It is mainly used for correcting minor imperfections of the teeth, like chipped or cracked teeth, stained teeth, crooked or crowded teeth, spaced out teeth and misaligned teeth. The dental veneers are ordered according to size and shape of the teeth it is required for and cemented on with a special dental cement by the dentist. Before the veneers are fitted, the dentist has to scrap the surface of the tooth and remove a very thin layer of enamel so that the veneer can be attached.
Tooth bonding and tooth shaping
Tooth shaping is also known as enamel shaping. In this procedure, the dentist either removes or adds to the enamel to reshape it according to requirement. This procedure is followed for either shorten or lengthen the size of the tooth or fill the space between teeth. In this procedure tooth coloured material is bonded to the actual tooth to hide some of the inconsistencies in the tooth.
Orthodontic procedures
Once thought of as a procedure to be used to correct the appearance of children and teenagers’ teeth, now all ages undergo orthodontic treatment. In this procedure, the teeth are moved to the desired direction with the help of braces. There are a variety of options available for braces which includes, metal braces, Invisalign, and clear ceramic braces. In this procedure, the brackets are placed on individual teeth which are connected with wires or rubber bands with each other and thus applying a little pressure tooth are moved to desired direction. Many irregularities of teeth can be corrected with this procedure. Overbite, underbite, open bite, misaligned teeth, crowded and crooked teeth can be corrected with orthodontic treatment.
With a consultation from your dentist, you can choose the braces from a wide variety offered, depending on the cost, time it takes to be effective and your requirement.
