How Cosmetic Dental Services Can Transform Your Smile

Your general dentist can provide cosmetic dental services to enhance your smile. The transformation can be gradual or instant. It depends on the treatment and the patient’s reaction to it. Understanding how the following cosmetic dental services can renew your smile can motivate you to work with your general dentist soon.

Dental bonding

This is one of the few cosmetic dental services that can transform one’s smile immediately. Most patients need only one visit to receive this treatment. The general dentist will use bonding materials to repair teeth or protect exposed dental roots. Dental bonding can also close dental gaps and correct dental discoloration.

The general dentist will first clean the target teeth. Applying an etching solution will roughen the dental surface. This step will help the bonding material stick better to the teeth. The dentist will then apply the material to the prepared teeth. Shaping and polishing the material will allow it to blend well with the dental structure.

Teeth whitening

One’s lifestyle, diet, and aging can cause dental staining. Specific medications can also cause discolorations. Professional teeth whitening enables the general dentist to use measured amounts of bleaching chemicals to whiten teeth at the clinic. The provider will mix the whitening reagents at the clinic and apply them to the patient’s teeth. Exposing the treated teeth to UV light will activate the chemicals. It takes less than an hour to see results.

The dentist can also provide a pre-mixed home teeth whitening kit. Cosmetic dental services like this are for people who lack the time for a regular dental visit. Whitening teeth at home often takes longer than whitening teeth at the clinic. The progress of the treatment depends on how consistently the patient applies the teeth whitening reagents.

Veneers

These custom-fitted shells are made from plastic or porcelain. The general dentist uses them to cover the front surface of the target teeth. Doing so can improve their shape and color. These shells last longer than dental bonding with proper maintenance and care.

Taking impressions of the teeth is the first step before applying dental veneers. Shaving off a thin layer of the enamel gives space for the shells. It also roughens the surface of the teeth, which allows the shells to adhere better to the treated teeth. Veneers are for the following:

• Mild dental misalignment
• Narrow gaps between teeth
• Permanent dental staining
• Worn teeth
• Mildly misshapen teeth

Enamel recontouring

Cosmetic dental services aim to improve the appearance of teeth. Enamel recontouring does so by removing a portion of the teeth’s enamel layer. The aim is to achieve a more balanced smile. Enamel contouring is the least intrusive of all cosmetic dental services. It is painless and fast. The results are also immediate.

Dental crowns

Also known as caps, these restorations can cover the teeth above the gumline. Applying dental crowns is one of the cosmetic dental services that can restore the healthy appearance of teeth. An individual may need caps for many reasons. The following are some of them:

• Strengthen root canal-treated teeth
• Cover discolored teeth
• Conceal misshapen teeth
• Keep teeth with large fillings intact
• Restore damaged teeth
• Cover a dental implant
• Support a dental bridge