The face mirrors our personality. Similarly, the mouth which is a prominent feature of the face tells a lot about our overall health, and you can pick up early signs of many diseases that might be gradually growing inside the body. That is the reason why you must take proper care of oral health that not only keeps you healthy but also gifts you with the million dollar smile that can cheer hearts and lift spirits. Sparkling white teeth neatly placed that peeps through the parted lips and glows up the face is a dream for everyone, but not all have the perfect teeth setting. Moreover, some people born with a set of healthy teeth may be so careless about oral hygiene that they fail to maintain it.
With advancements in dentistry and dental procedures, cosmetic dentistry now allows people to reshape their mouth and make their smile more attractive. Cosmetic dentistry is all about aesthetical uplift that anyone can access for a price. Many procedures are available that can give a beautiful facelift, create an entirely new look and make you more confident about yourself. Any flaws with teeth that have been a reason for low esteem can be set right with cosmetic dentistry that has become quite popular. You can correct and improve several conditions of the mouth that results from problems related to teeth, and the procedures are available at many dental clinics.
Improve your smile
How you look when you smile used to be something gifted by God but science has now enabled us to take control of it. Now, you can improve the look of your smile, thanks to the skills of dental surgeons specializing in cosmetic dentistry. From whitening teeth to shaping it to closing spaces and even replacing teeth, you can expect many more things from cosmetic dentistry that has become a staple choice for those who want to beautify their facial looks. Dentists have learned advanced techniques and use special tools to craft a customized smile for you.
Before you decide to go for a cosmetic changeover of your teeth, you should know what the procedures are, the accompanying risks, and benefits. All dentists might not be skilled for undertaking all procedures, and you must first know if the dentist can handle the procedure of your choice efficiently and make you smile in the way you want. Knowing about the procedures should help to set realistic expectations which are at the root of any successful procedure. Besides, you must have an idea about the cost because these procedures are out of the purview of medical insurance. You must also know your responsibility in maintaining the newly acquired state of the mouth. Here, you will find more information about some popular cosmetic dental procedures.
Teeth whitening
Regular consumption of coffee and tea can stain teeth and leave a permanent mark as the whiteness of teeth disappears with time. Teeth discoloration also happens from some medications which you might be taking for a prolonged period and also due to smoking and from some other types of food and beverages. Even if you drink alcohol regularly, staining of teeth is unavoidable. The only way to get back white teeth is to take up teeth whitening procedure by consulting a dentist. The dentist uses a chemical bleaching process to remove the stain and uncover white teeth once again. The dentist can create a system for use at home or can undertake the procedure in the clinic as per your convenience. Although whitening at home is convenient, it takes a long time that can go upto 2 to 4 weeks as compared to the 1-2 hours it takes at the clinic.
The procedure is not permanent because if the causes of staining persist the teeth become discolored again. However, brushing twice a day and flossing regularly while rinsing the mouth with antiseptic mouthwash can ensure that the whiteness remains for the longer duration.
Veneers change the color and shape of teeth
Veneers are plastic or porcelain shells that cover the front side of teeth to give it a new color and shape. The makeover with veneers looks great and it provides a much superior appearance that will surprise you. The dentist will advise using veneers when you have poorly shaped teeth or slightly crooked teeth that you want to set right, at least visually. Veneers are useful to cover extra spaces between teeth and give a new look to stained teeth or to hide worn out and chipped tooth.
The procedure of placing veneers begins with the dentist taking an impression of your teeth and then buffing the location to affix the veneer in place with cement. The cement solidifies under a beam of light that the dentist points to the place.
Bonding
If you have chipped, cracked or broken teeth or are too much bothered with stained teeth, then bonding could be the procedure to set things right. If you have excess space between teeth and want to cover it up, then bonding is a solution for it. By the method of bonding, you give a complete makeover to your teeth and change the smile that you always wanted to make better. Bonding is also useful for filling cavities to protect the root of teeth from exposure. Dentists usually perform the procedure in clinics by applying an etching solution and then using tooth-colored materials made from composite resin on the tooth surface directly. Despite being long lasting, the teeth that undergo bonding remains vulnerable to wear and tear, chipping and staining.
Enamel shaping and contouring
One way of improving the appearance of your teeth is to remove dental enamel or contour it by the procedure of enamel shaping and contouring. Often, dentists use this process in conjunction with bonding. The method is ideal for changing the position, length, and shape of teeth as well as reshaping and contouring it. If you have regular and healthy teeth with an adequate bone between them to provide excellent support, you can be a good candidate for the procedure. If you experience minor bite problems, have chipped and irregular teeth or even overlapping and crooked teeth, the system should work well for you.
Crowns for your teeth
The art of covering teeth with caps, better known as crowns, help to cover your regular teeth completely to give a new look and shape to it. Ceramic materials, and metals, as well as porcelain fused to metal, are the staple materials for making crowns even though resin made crowns are also available. The cost of crowns will vary according to the material used for making it. Crowns are the last resort for dentists, and they use it when they have not got results from other procedures.
Crowns have varied uses, and it can cover a tooth with a large filling, restore a worn out or broken tooth, cover a discolored or ill-shaped tooth, protect a weak tooth, cover a tooth that has undergone root canal procedure, hold a dental bridge in place and even cover a dental implant. Crowns can be temporary or permanent and time taken for completing the process depends on your choice.
Bridges
The procedure involves replacing missing teeth with artificial teeth by using bridges which sometimes dentists also call fixed partial dentures. Gold, porcelain, alloys or a combination of these are materials used for making bridges. After preparing the bridges for implanting, dentists use the surrounding teeth to anchor it after preparing them for crowns. The dentist uses a false tooth to join the crowns and then cements the bridge to the prepared teeth. The foundation of the bridge determines the success of the procedure and better is your oral hygiene higher will be the success rate.
Braces
Do you have crowded or crooked teeth and want to correct it? Are you suffering from jaw joint disorder and want correct jaw positioning to improve irregular bite? In both cases, braces have the perfect solution for you. If you had known that braces are only for growing children who need to correct protruding teeth, then you lack updated information. Today, braces suit people of all ages and not children alone. The purpose of braces is to apply pressure to teeth and facilitate to reposition it, and you have to wear it for a specified period as advised by the dentist.
Implants
Implants replace missing teeth and last a lifetime even though the procedure requires your extensive involvement and is costly. Implants are substitutes for bridges and removable dentures and dentists implant it into the jawbone. There are three parts to a dental implant – Titanium forms the bottom part of the implant that fuses into the jawbone, the intermediate part is the abutment that fits to the portion of the implant sticking out from gums and at the top of all is the crown that gives the implant the natural looks of the tooth.
Cosmetic dentistry has given more options to people to improve their appearance and correct dental flaws to make them look more attractive and confident.