Cosmetic Dentistry
While traditional dentistry focuses on treating and preventing periodontal diseases, cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving the appearance of a person’s teeth with a smile makeover. A cosmetic dentist can give a person a straighter, whiter, and healthier looking smile. Through the use of dental veneers (porcelain veneers), dental implants, teeth whitening, and other procedures, a person can improve the appearance of his or her teeth and smile.
Procedures that can be performed by cosmetic dentists are as follows:
Dental Veneers: Dental veneers are thin, porcelain or composite material shells designed to cover the front tooth surface to improve the color and shape of the teeth. The veneer shells are bonded to the front of the tooth changing the shape, size, and color. Veneers are ideal for patients who have gaps in their teeth or for patients for whom whitening is not successful. The cost of dental veneers are not commonly covered by dental insurance, however patients should check their individual dental plan for specific information.
Teeth Whitening: Teeth whitening is a common cosmetic dentistry procedure. Teeth whitening bleaches stains and discolorations on one or more teeth. Though teeth whitening is not permanent, teeth whitening can dramatically improve the appearance of stained and discolored teeth.
Dental Implants: Dental implants have artificial roots that a dentist implants into a patient’s jaw to hold a bridge or tooth. Dental implants are an ideal option for people with good oral health who have lost teeth to injury or to disease. Dental implants can provide natural looking teeth.
Dental Procedures
People who visit dentists may need one or more of these common dental procedures at some point in their lives. With new technological advances and methods in dentistry, such as sedation dentistry, these procedures are performed more quickly and comfortably than ever before.
Dental Fillings - Dental fillings remove decay in teeth and filling in the area where the decay was removed with porcelain or composite materials.
Dental Implants - Missing teeth from injury or poor oral hygiene can affect a person's smile and self confidence. However, dental implants offer people with missing teeth a solution to improve their smiles.
Dental implants are metal cylinders (they resemble screws) that act as roots for replacement teeth. Once the cylinder is implanted, an abutment is attached and an artificial tooth (dental crown) is fixed to the abutment. The crown looks like a real tooth and completes the smile. Dental implants are an alternative to dentures and dental bridges.
Bonding - Bonding repairs chipped and cracked teeth. A composite material is applied to the tooth surface and then molded and shaped to fit the tooth. It is then polished to disguise the chip or crack in the tooth.
Dental Bridges - Dental bridges are used to replace missing teeth with an artificial tooth that is held in place by material that wraps around other supporting teeth.
Dental Braces - Braces help to correct a person’s bite and teeth alignment for a straight smile and improved chewing.
Root Canals - Root canals are performed to remove diseased or damaged tissue within a tooth.
Dental Crowns - Dental crowns are used to repair decayed teeth. These crowns are used to cover the entire surface of the decayed tooth to add strength and stability.
Dentures - People often get dentures to replace missing or damaged teeth that can not be repaired or restored with other common dentistry procedures. Denture cleaning plays an important role in the maintenance of denture functionality and oral health care.
For more comprehensive information about cosmetic dentistry, laser dentistry, dentists, or other dental procedures, visit Consumer Guide to Dentistry.