Cosmetic Dentist Services

Many people have never been to a cosmetic dentist and therefore have no idea what kind of services these professionals are capable of providing. The technology available at their finger tips has been steadily advancing to the point where they are capable of amazing procedures.

The first thing people think when they are asked about a cosmetic dentist is teeth whitening. Although many more services are available to do different things, the technology behind whitening has advanced considerably from the past and can do wonders for the appearance of a patient's mouth. The slow yellowing is a gradual process that most people don't even notice happening. Only by comparing photos of a person's smile from a young age can you see the contrasting stains from coffee, cigarettes and general life.

Cosmetic dentists also provide a high tech instant treatment in tooth contouring. This service reshapes a crooked, chipped or cracked tooth very quickly. The reduction of some of the tooth along with the application of colored lamination can make for some very dramatic changes in a very short period of time. This procedure can sometimes be used in place of traditional braces, but only in certain cases where braces are barely needed anyway.

Cosmetic dentist also use bonding by applying a composite material that mimics enamel. This material can be used to form tooth shapes before it is hardened and polished to a permanent form. Veneers are an option when the patient is trying to close gaps or conceal yellowing that has not responded to whitening. Veneers are laminates that are custom made for each patient to be permanently bonded over their previous teeth. The teeth are slightly reduced in order for the veneers to fit properly. Lumineers are similar to veneers, but they are thinner and are only applied to the front for appearance making it unnecessary to reduce at all.

More complex work includes the construction of dental bridges or false teeth. The construction of a dental bridge usually replaces one or more teeth with a false tooth and porcelain crowns over the remaining real ones on each end of the bridge. This is an example of a fixed bridge that replaces a small gap. It is essential that you properly care for your dental bridge in order for them to last their full lifetime of ten years.

Finally, the most complex procedure these professionals perform is the gum lift. This is usually done to reshape and lift the gum line in order to create a more symmetrical smile. The procedure involves the reforming of gum tissue as well as bone in order to create longer and more even alignment.

Now that you understand the kind of services available from a cosmetic dentist, you can decide if any of these services would be good for you. The final word on what kind of work you can get done, however, will come from your dental professional during your consultation.