Cosmetic dental treatments are becoming more available and more advanced with each passing year. Previously a very specialized discipline renowned for the aesthetic results in the rich and famous, cosmetic dentistry today is a comprehensive approach to treating the aesthetics, medical condition, and lasting functionality of any persons teeth. As science improves technology, and as professionals fine-tune their skills through ongoing training and disciplined self-study, cosmetic dental treatments offer the patient both the beauty of a new smile and the peace of mind that comes from a truly improved quality of life. Many of these procedures are completely comfortable to the patient as well. Since this form of dentistry is an art as much as it is a science, only the most sophisticated tools and materials are used. This translates to two things for the patient: less pain, and optimal healing.
While many people may assume that cosmetic dental treatments are only intended to make teeth look better, it cannot be emphasized enough that the very same forces that shape the appearance of a tooth shape its function as well. Take, for example, the outer layer of a tooth known as the enamel. This is the part of your tooth that you see every day. In ideal condition, it should be a bright white color with a slight translucence to its surface. Few people in our society, however, have perfectly white teeth. A few cups of coffee in the morning, or tea, or even certain medicines can discolor teeth over time. This discoloration affects more than how good teeth. It affects the strength and resiliency of the enamel itself, and it can also affect the gum line below teeth. Over time, as teeth go from yellow to brown, they become weakened and more likely to develop cracks and cavities if left untreated for too long.
Simple cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth cleaning and whitening can remove these stains and restore the enamel of your teeth to optimum condition. This contributes to longer tooth life and helps prevent more serious problems like gum disease from developing as a result of neglect.
Teeth cleaning and whitening are not the only cosmetic dental treatments that can improve both the appearance and the general health of teeth. Teeth can develop pits, pock marks, and even hair line cracks over the course of several years. Regardless of whether or not this is the result of chewing on things like ice or hard candy that are hard on teeth is irrelevant. What is relevant is getting the problem fixed before it gets worse. Once a tooth experiences any type of structural damage, it is vulnerable to decay and abfraction, and requires medical attention as soon as possible.
However, since so many people have this exaggerated fear of dentistry in their heads, they often wait until severe pain strikes them, or a tooth begins to literally fall out, before they schedule an appointment. While it is regrettable that people do this to themselves, cosmetic dental treatments do exist that can nonetheless restore the health and beauty of the even the most damaged of smiles. Porcelain inlays and onlays, veneers, and dental crowns can mimic the appearance of natural teeth and prove impervious to chipping and staining as well. Missing teeth can be replaced with dental implants that look and function just like natural teeth, and even old dental fillings that are falling out and leaving holes in teeth can be filled and smoothed over with cosmetic dental bonding agents that look just like the surface of the tooth itself.
Ultimately, your own personal needs and case history is going to determine which cosmetic dental treatment is best for you. This is a very specialized, and highly personalized, art and science. It is tailor-made for the individual, with the goal of making each individual smile bigger, longer, and prouder than ever before.
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