New advances in dental science have made a wide range of cosmetic teeth procedures available to the general population. Some are very basic treatments that can be performed in one or two office visits. Others are very complicated procedures that require the use of very advanced technology and special dental training.
Specialists in cosmetic dentistry take a great deal of time to study the specific individual needs of every patient and come up with a plan that maximizes that particular persons smile and overall quality of life. Cosmetic teeth procedures fall into a number of specific categories, and are intended to be customized to the needs of the individual patient through a treatment plan specific to that person that is developed by the dentist.
One of the most common problems people face as they get older is the discoloration of their teeth. Even a normal diet can, over time, cause teeth to take on a yellowish appearance. The use of caffeine and tobacco only compound the problem. To correct this, dentist may opt for one of two very simple and painless cosmetic teeth procedures: tooth whitening or cosmetic dental veneers.
Tooth whitening is done with a special bleaching gel that is applied in the dental office. For two weeks after the initial office visit, the patient will apply a similar gel using a special tray custom molded to his or her upper and lower jaws. Normally, this takes only 20 minutes each evening, and requires brushing teeth with special toothpaste like Sensodyne.
At the end of the two weeks, the patient returns for a final bleaching session, at which time more gel is applied, and a high intensity light is used to seal the results.
If the enamel is too deeply stained for the gel to remove, the dentist may opt to use cosmetic dental veneers made from porcelain. These veneers are extremely hard and stain resistant. Veneers are one of the more popular cosmetic teeth procedures because they can last for many years, and offer the additional benefit of correcting minor alignment problems and tooth chipping and pitting.
Another cosmetic teeth procedure that is rapidly becoming a dental mainstay is cosmetic bonding. Bonding is done with a special composite resin that matches the color of teeth. It is applied to cracks and cavities when soft, and then allowed to harden. Dental bonding achieves the same results that the amalgam fillings of the past achieved in terms of repairing holes in teeth.
However, the bonding resin blends more naturally with tooth enamel than metal fillings do, and it does not expand and contract with changes in temperature the way metal does. It is much safer to use in the human mouth, and much easier on teeth as a result.
More complex cosmetic teeth procedures have to be used when teeth are badly damaged or lost. Dental crowns made from porcelain offer the best solution to a tooth that has lost a large portion of its surface area due to an accident or tooth decay.
The crown is shaped to match the size of the tooth in its original state and the proportions of surrounding, healthy teeth. When it is placed over the tooth, it looks and functions like a natural tooth.
Dental crowns also play a significant role in the most advanced of cosmetic teeth procedures, dental implants. Implants are basically artificial tooth roots made from titanium alloy that screw into the jaw bone itself. Once the bone grows around the implant, a crown is used to cover the alloy and create the appearance of a normal, natural tooth.
Cosmetic dental implants are a much better tooth replacement option than dentures because they are permanently set in the bone and can be used to chew any foods typical of a normal, healthy diet.
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