Get Your Perfect Smile With Cosmetic Dental Care

Get Your Perfect Smile With Cosmetic Dental Care

Chipped or cracked teeth? No need to break the bank for a beautiful smile. Find out how cosmetic dental care and direct bonding can give you a reason to smile.

Are you embarrassed about your smile? Thinking about cosmetic dental care? You're not alone.

A recent survey by the journal Dental Economics showed cosmetic dental care accounted for 23% of general practice production. Another study by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry revealed 86% of patients who had cosmetic work done did it to look better and raise self-esteem.

Cosmetic dental care comes in a variety of forms. Whether you want to cover up any chips or cracks, replace a tooth or simply achieve a brighter smile, there are a number of procedures that can help. They don't have to cost a pretty penny, either.

Here are some cosmetic dental care procedures to help give you that perfect smile.

Whitening

Teeth whitening is one of the most common cosmetic procedures.

Depending on things we eat and drink, such as coffee, or particular habits, like smoking, teeth can become stained and discolored over time. A dentist can work on bleaching your teeth in the office or provide you with a kit to do it at home. Whitening at home may be more convenient, but you'll get results faster if you visit the dentist.

Whitening is not meant to replace cleaning and doesn't make your teeth immune to stains. It's important to maintain good oral hygiene and avoid the same things that stained your teeth in the first place.

Bonding

Bonding can fill in the spaces between teeth in order to hide gaps, chips or cracks by applying resin material directly onto your teeth. The material is shaped to your teeth to make your smile look as perfect as possible.

The procedure can often be completed in one session. Bonding can last for several years, but the material isn't as strong as natural teeth so it can be subject to wear and tear.

Veneers

Typically made from porcelain, veneers are shells that cover the front of your teeth in order to adjust the color and shape. Veneers last longer than bonding and can also look better.

Before inserting veneers, a dentist takes an impression of your teeth and buffs them before cementing the veneers in place. Porcelain veneers are made in a laboratory, so a second visit is required before they're applied.

Crowns

As the name suggests, crowns cover a tooth in order to give back it's normal shape and appearance. They can be used to fix a misshapen or broken tooth, protect a weak tooth or cover a tooth that's had another procedure performed on it.

Crowns are made of metal, resin or ceramic materials. They tend to be costly, but can have a very long lifetime if you take care of them.

Bridges

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by missing teeth and replace them with artificial ones. The surrounding teeth are first prepared for crowns before the false teeth are anchored to the crowns and the bridge is cemented to the prepared teeth.

Bridges can be made of metal, porcelain or a combination.

Implants

Dental implants are a more long-term solution to replacing missing teeth. Rather than being anchored to adjacent teeth, like in bridges, implants attach artificial teeth directly to the jawbone.

One implant can replace a tooth, while two or more can support the replacement of several teeth.

Show Off Those Pearly Whites

Are you thinking about getting a cosmetic dental procedure? Have you had one and would like to share your experience?

Comment below!