Decades ago all forms of dentistry centered around treatment rather than prevention. In the 1960s new toothpastes came out that focused on prevention for cavities, and dentistry was brought into a new era. Suddenly our teeth were something to be proud of, not problems to be dealt with. Today in the 21st century we have gone even further - cosmetic dentistry is one of the fastest growing industries anywhere.
Not everyone is born with a beautiful smile. Teenagers grow out of proportion to their mouths and teeth become misplaced, crooked, or even impacted. Although orthodontics and braces play a pivotal role in getting things back to normal, braces can't handle everything. There are many other issues at stake that can solve problems sometimes more difficult.
Bonding was one of the first inventions when it comes to cosmetic dentistry. Common the early 1980s, bonding provided dentists with added income since most insurers didn't pay for this type of vanity service, and it provided patients with a very affordable method to repair chipped teeth and even fill gaps and fix cracks.
Bonding replaced the need for many caps. Wealthy individuals, previous to this new process, would choose to have all their teeth filed down and capped, giving them the perfect smile they dreamed of at sometimes a great cost - over and above the dentist's bill.
Caps, especially back then, were notorious for breaks and chips and even for falling off. When bonding came about, it was discovered that bonding could do almost everything a cap could for a fraction of the cost and discomfort. Actually, bonding has no pain or discomfort at all associated with the procedure.
The next major improvement was implants. This was a major boon to patients and the entire industry alike. No longer did perfectly good teeth need to be ruined in order to fashion bridges and dentures. If a tooth was missing, a brand new one could replace it. Although the process has always been fairly painful and expensive, it works, and it has been a blessing for many people who have lost prominent teeth that they didn't want replaced by an obvious partial denture.
Implants have come a long way since their original introduction back in the 80s, but the premise is the same. A metal screw is placed directly into the jaw bone and a "fake" tooth is made to sit on top. These implants look and act identical to real teeth. They are permanent and unless the jaw bone has a problem, they remain intact forever. The cost can be prohibitive for many, but as time goes on the prices have come down a bit and some larger insurance companies have started at least some partial reimbursements and dentists have teamed up with finance companies to provide payment options.
Veneers are another boon to the industry. Veneers are simply placed over the front of an original tooth without damaging the tooth itself. These are most commonly used for front teeth, and at a considerable cost for each one, many patients are happy to replace only their front teeth and still see a major improvement.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 