The Difference Between A Cosmetic Dentist And A Traditional Dentist

What is the difference between a cosmetic dentist and a traditional dentist? For starters, a traditional dentist would see you to give you a cleaning. They might repair a filling, or pull a tooth that needs to be pulled. They would look for oral cancer, and gum disease. They are not likely to tell you that your smile could be whiter. They will probably remind you that you haven't been flossing like you should have been, however.

A cosmetic dentist can do all these things too, but they tend to focus on your look and appearance. Even though some things are fixed for medical reasons as well, most of their focus is on getting you a more attractive smile.

It can be hard to really see the difference in the two, especially since most anything you can do to look better has a medical component to it. For instance, you might be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. This can be treated with appliance therapy by your cosmetic dentist, but only after you have determined through a sleep study that this is what you have. Your baby may have a cleft lip or palate. While repairing this is certainly going to help your child appear more like his or her peers, it also serves to prevent speech problems and problems with feeding.

Sometimes it is not so easy to see the medical side of things though. While tooth loss might not seem like that big of a deal, there are medical reasons to have them replaced. When a tooth is missing, the surrounding teeth may loosen. Food can get stuck in the open spaces, which would lead to tooth decay and perhaps even gum disease. Over time your jawbone can actually begin to deteriorate.

In some cases, of course, you can get the results you seek through a bit of simple guidance. You can obviously purchase at-home bleaching kits. The benefit of having a dentist oversee your whitening is not so obvious, however. I am sure you think that if your teeth are stained or yellowed, then you must be a candidate. Well, not necessarily. Perhaps you have fillings, or perhaps you are a smoker. In the latter scenario, whitening just isn't going to last unless you quit. Perhaps you are a pregnant or lactating mom. There is actually a green-gray or yellow-brown pigment in everyone's teeth; some even have a transparency. Depending on your pigmentation, you will respond better or worse to these procedures. Proper guidance could lead you to the best option for whitening in your circumstance. This could include at-home whitening trays from your dentist's office or an in-office whitening.

While cosmetic dentists might work closely with traditional dentists, they offer a wide variety of services you don't get every six months. Both can lead to a brighter smile. Your cosmetic dentist, however, specializes in repair, while your traditional dentist focuses on your overall health.