Cosmetic Dentist - What They Can Do For You

A cosmetic dentist focuses on the restorative aspect of your mouth and creating a beautiful smile, while a traditional dentist focuses on oral hygiene and diagnosing and treating tooth decay. Often times a general dentist may also perform cosmetic procedures, making it easier to have your mouth restored to all of its glory with one practitioner.

The trend today with a cosmetic dentist is to try and preserve as much of the original tooth as possible for restoration, and to use natural looking materials for fillings instead of the older fills that made dental work obvious. New fillings for example are known as inlays/outlays or indirect filings and are made up of a composite material or porcelain that are molded to the cavity hole in the dental lab. The inlay/outlay is then placed in the cavity as an invisible fill and creates a more natural looking, if not invisible filling.

New advances have also added options towards the restoration process that were not available in the past such as the use of dental implants to replace a missing tooth instead of bridge work or dentures. Dental implants consist of a titanium screw that is screwed into the jaw bone during surgery and remains invisible to the naked eye. What can be seen is an imitation tooth that will resemble the dentin of the teeth around it. Dental implants are as easy to care for as a natural tooth and can last the lifetime of a regular tooth. They are also a popular option because they don’t impose the same diet restrictions that false teeth or bridge work do.

The most popular cosmetic procedure however is probably teeth bleaching which can restore stained or discolored teeth to a dazzling white with at home or in office bleach kits and a dental mold. For teeth that are to badly discolored or stained for bleaching a cosmetic dentist can opt to do compost bonding. This procedure allows the dentist to build up the outer appearance of the tooth with composite material that is applied to the outer tooth and then shaped and molded to look as good as a real tooth.

Another option that is popular is veneers which are adhered to the original tooth to cover cracked, damaged, or discolored teeth and give an enhanced smile. Made out of porcelain or composite material, veneers are an option for many people who have not had much success with traditional bleaching methods.

If you are considering a smile make over and aren’t sure where to start or what you need and don’t need, a cosmetic dentist can help you create a treatment plan and help you understand your options to have a better smile.

Article Tags: Cosmetic Dentist, Dental Implants

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