Cosmetic Dentistry: Give Your Smile A Makeover

Admittedly, most people are not born with a "Hollywood Smile,"meaning straight, white and perfectly shaped teeth. Instead, a majority of Americans complain of discolored, missing, and littered with obnoxious metal fillings or full of irregularities such as gaps, chips or mismatched sizes that take away from an otherwise beautiful smile. Fortunately, makeovers now exist to quickly fix those troubled areas and bring a "Hollywood Flash"to average, everyday people in as little as one office visit.

A variety of methods are used to help create the look of one’s dreams, including filling replacement, laser whitening, porcelain veneers, and bonding altering of the gums. The following list provides information on each method.

Filling Replacement: During a filling replacement, old silver or gold fillings are replaced with a natural white filling that closely matches the actual color. This process is similar to having a cavity repaired and will require local anesthesia to dull some of the pain. Filling replacements are often best for those with very noticeable silver fillings in the bottom ones or for those health conscious individuals seeking to cut down on heavy metal poisoning in the body.

Laser Whitening: It is a fast and permanent way to brighten the smile up to 6 shades lighter in one simple office visit. Admittedly, this is more expensive than traditional over-the-counter methods, but the results are achieved much quicker and last significantly longer. This method is best for those with any form of permanent discoloration or for those that require pearly whites as a job requirement (i.e., actors, models, etc.).

Porcelain Veneers: Porcelain veneers are placed over the front to alter their color or shape relative to the rest of the mouth. This procedure can help correct the ones that are "too big"or "to small,"repair cracked ones or mask individually that have been discolored by aging or staining.

Bonding: A bonding process is used to cover natural flaws including spots of discoloration, crooked ones or gaps between the teeth. This is done by applying a thin layer plastic material to the front, which is then hardened with a high intensity light for permanent results. This procedure is appropriate for people seeking to alter the appearance of irregularities using the least invasive approach possible.

Cosmetic Altering of the Gums: This procedure exists for people that suffer from the appearance of "long teeth"because the gums underneath have slowly eroded away due to natural aging or gum disease. Cosmetic gum surgery then seeks to replace the missing gum tissue by removing tissue from the roof of the mouth and transplanting it back under the tooth. This "reframing"instantly creates a more youthful and healthier appearance to the teeth and gums.

Because there are numerous procedures to choose from in the world of cosmetic dentistry, a smile makeover should be customized and conducted to meet the individual needs of the patient. This should be determined with the help of a licensed cosmetic dentist, who can take x-rays and perform other evaluations to determine what procedure is best to not only for the smile makeover, but the long term health of the teeth and gums.