What Does Cosmetic Dentistry Include?

You can smile beautifully at any age. However, many people are unaware that it is possible to restore lost teeth or repair damaged ones in a way that enhances your appearance while allowing you to eat and speak comfortably. With the advances in cosmetic dentistry, the possibilities are endless!

Dentists Putney do more than just treat dental problems and pluck teeth. They can help you achieve whiter, straighter, better-aligned teeth with various cosmetic procedures. Read on to learn what cosmetic dentistry includes.

What’s Cosmetic Dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry is the branch of dentistry that focuses on enhancing the appearance of your teeth and smile. Cosmetic dentistry can involve anything from fixing a single tooth to restoring your entire smile. It can also help you achieve the perfect smile by improving the shape of your teeth, removing discoloration and stains, or changing the size and shape of your lips.

Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments

The following are cosmetic dentistry treatments:

Dental Veneers

Veneers are thin shells that are bonded onto the surface of your teeth. They can be made from porcelain or composite (a mix of resins and other materials).

Dental veneers can cover dental imperfections such as discoloration, chips, gaps, cracks, and stains. It’s also a good way to enhance the shape and size of your smile.

Veneers are durable; they last for ten years, but they can chip or break if you aren’t careful with them. If you have veneers, you must brush and floss so you don’t damage them during everyday use. You should also see your dentist bi-annually for regular checkups so they can spot any problems before they become serious issues.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns cover a tooth that has been damaged or lost. The crown can be made of porcelain, metal alloys, or both. Porcelain and metal alloys are rigid materials that can withstand high pressures, which makes them ideal for use in dental crowns.

A dental crown restores a tooth’s shape and size and improves its function. In addition to restoring the appearance of your teeth, a dental crown protects underlying supporting structures such as your jawbone. It can help prevent additional damage to your teeth and gums in case of future injury or trauma.

There are two types of dental crowns: partial and full coverage. A partial coverage dental crown is used when only part of the tooth needs to be replaced by a covering material such as porcelain or metal alloy. A full-coverage dental crown covers an entire tooth from its root to tip with a covering material such as porcelain or metal alloy.

Dental Implants

Dental implants replace missing teeth. They are made of titanium and last 15-20 years.

Dental implants are placed in the jawbone where your tooth used to be. It is done during a procedure called implantation surgery. This surgery can be done under general or local anaesthesia with conscious sedation. The surgery can take anywhere from 1-2 hours, depending on how many implants need to be placed.

Once the implantation surgery is complete and the implant has been inserted into your mouth, you will wait for it to heal before the prosthetic tooth is attached.

Teeth Whitening

It’s used to brighten teeth that have become yellowed or stained from tobacco use, age, or drinking red wine.

Teeth whitening can be done in-office by a dentist or at home with over-the-counter products. You place a protective hydrogen peroxide gel on your teeth during the procedure. The gel causes the surface of your teeth to become porous, which allows oxygen to penetrate the tooth structure and break down stains. Each session takes about 30-60 minutes, and results appear immediately after treatment.

Bonding

Bonding is a cosmetic dental treatment that uses composite materials to repair broken teeth. It’s great to want a quick, easy, long-lasting solution to your dental problems.

To bond a tooth, the dentist removes any decay or fillings that may be present in the tooth. They then shape the tooth’s surface so that it matches the shape of the rest of your teeth. Finally, they apply a special glue called bonding resin and harden it with a curing light under your gum line to hold it in place. It takes about an hour.

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are restorative dentistry that replaces one or more missing teeth. Dental bridges have two parts: the abutment and the pontic. The abutment connects the bridge to your natural tooth or teeth and is usually made from metal or porcelain. The pontic is what serves as your new tooth, and it’s held in place by crowns on each side.

Cosmetic dentistry is an umbrella term for all aesthetic dental services. Cosmetic dentistry is so much more than a simple smile makeover. Though a smile makeover can include whitening teeth and cosmetics bonding, the options available to patients are much more extensive. From shortening teeth or closing gaps to replacing chipped or cracked teeth, cosmetic dentistry means different things to different people.

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