Cosmetic Dentistry
A smile is indeed the most beautiful curve we wear. Misaligned and damaged teeth can not only affect our smile but also impact our self-confidence. Cosmetic dentistry offers several different solutions to fix the malformed, damaged or tainted teeth. Several affordable procedures have been introduced with manageable treatment plans for cosmetic dentistry. Let’s take a quick look at details of cosmetic dentistry.
Why Go for Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dental treatments can perfect your smile, by restoring a single tooth or giving you a complete dental makeover from restoring a single tooth to a full smile make-over. Cosmetic dentistry is a preferred solution for a number of dental issues such as:
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Discolored or stained teeth
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Chipped, broken and cracked teeth
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Tooth reshaping
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Removing excess gum tissue
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Misaligned, Misshapen
Veneers
A veneer is a thin shell-like a piece of porcelain cemented to the surface of the front teeth to enhance the smile. It is an ideal treatment method for patients with stained, crooked, chipped, overlapping, or irregularly spaced teeth. Porcelain veneers area durable solution that looks natural and works effectively. Porcelain veneers are generally stronger, more durable, and expensive than Composite veneers.
The tooth is prepared for bonding the veneer by roughening the front surface using a mild etching solution. A veneer is then bonded using dental bonding cement.
Teeth Bonding
Composite resins or porcelain/composite veneers are used in teeth bonding to create asymmetric and aligned appearance for broken or misshapen teeth.
For Composite bonding, the tooth is slightly reduced, followed by creating microscopic grooves on the tooth surface using a mild etchant. A composite resin in the shade similar to the adjacent teeth is applied to the tooth, shaped, hardened using a curing light, followed by finishing and polishing the final restoration.
The tooth-colored filling material is used to repair chipped teeth, fill in gaps between teeth, correcting length, width, and the color of teeth.
Tooth bonding is durable, lasting for many years, and is completed in 1-2 visits. However, it is more susceptible to chipping or staining as compared to other cosmetic dental options.
Crowns
Crowns function to cover and shield the fractured teeth. They are also used to protect restored teeth undergoing extensive decay. The first step is to take an imprint of the teeth and then reduce the tooth structure before proceeding. This impression is used for the fabrication of the final crown. Porcelain infused in metal, Emax and Zirconia are the most used types of crowns. With proper oral hygiene maintenance, crowns can last up to 15-20 years.
Whitening
Teeth can become stained or darker in color as a result of injury, certain foods, fizzy drinks, smoking, or taking medications. Teeth whitening or bleaching lightens the natural tooth shade.
Carbamide peroxide is an active ingredient of the whitening gels that oxidizes out the stain.
Teeth whitening might need to be repeated after one to two years depending on the individual’s personal habits. Patients may also experience slight tooth sensitivity or sore gums but the discomfort disappears after the procedure is completed.
Scaling can help remove these surface stains caused by food, coffee, cola, and tobacco. Teeth whitening helps to remove these stubborn stains and lighten the tooth color.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is a cylindrical, screw-like structure that is used to restore missing teeth. A sufficient quantity of jaw bone is required so that a titanium implant can be surgically screwed into it. It acts as an anchor for replaced teeth.
Dental implant procedures are done in 2-3 steps. It may take 3-4 months to heal after the implant is placed. It is an expensive procedure but it has a long lifespan and is a very durable treatment option.
Dental crowns, bridges, and dentures can be fabricated specifically to fit and attach to implants, providing a strong, stable, and durable solution for fixed dental appliances.
Gum Surgery
The appearance of an appropriate amount of healthy gums plays a vital role in an individual's smile. The gums are contoured around the teeth and cover the bone holding your teeth in place.
Gum surgery is a cosmetic procedure that is performed to correct gummy smile or treat the gum tissue recession due to periodontal problems or with age.
The gum tissue can be sculpted, using a laser, to remove excess or diseased tissue depending upon the specific treatment required. It results in an improved crown length. New gum tissue can be grafted for strengthening teeth and protecting the roots from continued shrinkage and risk of decay.
Orthodontics
With different options for materials used for brackets and aligners, less visible and more effective treatment options are making teeth alignment with orthodontics much more appealing to adult patients. Ceramic brackets and Invisalign have a minimal appearance with great results.
Will My Newly Whitened Teeth Stain with Time?
It is important to keep in mind that veneers and resin bonding can stain with time. To prevent staining, patients should avoid smoking, coffee, tea, cola, red wine, and heavily colored foods like berries and maintain a habit of brushing regularly with a whitening toothpaste.
