How to Get a Winning Smile From the Dentist

If you're not happy with your smile because your teeth are crooked, stained, chipped or just don't look as good as you wish they did you have a few options to get the smile you want. Bleaching is by far the easiest method and can be done at home with a custom-made mold of your teeth or it can be done in the dentist office. But if you're not a good candidate for bleaching, or you have more wrong with your teeth than simple discoloration, you may want to consider your other three options.

Veneers, bonding and caps are all viable options to help improve your smile that you should discuss with your dentist.
Veneers are generally made out of porcelain or a composite material and are a thin layer of material that cover the front surface of your tooth. And depending on what materials your veneers are made of, they can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years. And again depend on the type of material your dentist uses your veneers will resist staining, with porcelain less resistant than other materials such as ceramic or composite.

Bonding is generally the least expensive option and the easiest to apply, since it can be done in the dental chair and doesn't require the same amount of effort as veneers or caps require to be made in a dental lab.

Bonding is a tooth colored resin material that is putting like that your dentist can apply to your tooth and harden under ultraviolet light or laser light. Once this material has been applied it can be trimmed and shaped and polished to resemble your natural tooth. Bonding generally lasts 3 to 10 years and cost $100-$400 per tooth. This procedure generally takes 30 to 60 min. per tooth to accomplish.

Your other option is caps. This is probably the most expensive option because unlike veneers which only cover the front of your tooth, caps cover the entire tooth. Because they do cover your whole tooth they can conceal your whole tooth and act as a preventative measure against future tooth decay or breakage. They are considered a good option if you have teeth that are cracked, fractured or broken. Caps can be composed of metal or ceramic covering metal or porcelain over metal and again how stain resistant they are will depend on the material they are made of. Caps will last between eight to 15 years with the right care.

Your first step if you're considering any of these options is a visit to your dentist to have a complete exam and go over a treatment plan and goals. Not all of these are good options for everybody. For example if you have crooked but healthy teeth, you can achieve your goal of the straighter smile with veneers and save some money over caps.

On the other hand if your teeth are damaged, caps make a better option because they will protect your teeth from further damage and give you an instant they are looking smile.