What You Should Know About Three Methods Of Cosmetic Dentistry: Contouring, Bridges, And Whitening

Jun 3
08:34

2009

Alyshia Carolton

Alyshia Carolton

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Everyone wants a brighter, whiter smile (or even perfectly aligned teeth). Success for celebrities and movie stars is closely related to their picture-perfect, cosmetic smile. Why should the common boy or girl do without?

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Cosmetic dentistry is the latest cosmetic craze. Everyone wants a brighter,What You Should Know About Three Methods Of Cosmetic Dentistry: Contouring, Bridges, And Whitening Articles whiter smile (or even perfectly aligned teeth). Success for celebrities and movie stars is closely related to their picture-perfect, cosmetic smile. Why should the common boy or girl do without? The answer: they shouldn't do without.

Improved technology and modern procedures have lowered the expense of cosmetic dentistry methods to a level that practically anyone can afford. While there are many types of cosmetic dentistry procedures available, this article will focus on only three methods: whitening, contouring, and bridges.

Let's assume that you still have all your teeth. Let us also assume that, for the most part, your teeth are relatively straight. But what if a few of your teeth are shorter than the rest, or have bad discoloration? How can your dentist fix it? Tooth contouring and reshaping can help you.

Your dentist can use reshaping to alter your teeth length as well as reshaping them altogether. It is by far one of the fastest methods available to enhance a person's teeth. The procedure is relatively simple.

If you have longer teeth, your dentist must trim enamel from their surface. For teeth that need their length extended, your dentist will probably add tooth laminate to them. The idea is to align all of your teeth. Your dentist will increase (or trim) their length so they are proportional to your other teeth.

Contouring is considered to be a very safe procedure because only minimal enamel is removed from your teeth. The procedure does not require much time and can be completed in one or two dental visits. Although contouring is a quick and easy fix, its life expectancy is not much longer than ten years.

Bar fights and car accidents are dramatic ways to lose teeth. Cavities can also lead to missing teeth. A missing tooth should always be replaced as soon as possible with a dental implant or even a bridge. If there is too much of a time delay when replacing a missing tooth, your other teeth may move and shift from their position, which could potentially lead to additional problems.

A bridge has two crowns and an artificial tooth between them. The medical name for the artificial tooth is a "pontic". It will fill the gap of space from your missing tooth.

To properly install your new bridge, your dentist will be required to remove enamel from the remaining teeth on either side of your missing tooth. After the tooth enamel has been trimmed, your dentist will then create a mold of your teeth and forward it to a dental lab. While you wait for the lab to create your bridge, you will be fitted with a temporary one. When your dentist finally receives your new bridge, you will need to visit him or her again, and he or she will permanently cement the bridge into position. Bridges can typically last ten to fifteen years.

Coffee, soda, and tea consumption leads to stained and discolored teeth. The more you guzzle down those beverages, the higher your chance for stained or discolored teeth.

To have a nice, white smile is usually just a matter of getting your teeth whitened. The goal for any whitening system is to brighten your visible teeth by at least two or three shades.

While there are many brands of over-the-counter whitening kits you can purchase from your local grocer, your dentist can provide you with more powerful and chemically balanced whitening kits that will not only whiten your teeth faster, the whitening effect lasts significantly longer than over-the-counter kits. Here is quick list of some of the currently used whitening methods: laser whitening, abrasive whitening, acid, and chemical whitening. Your dentist also has access to some whitening kits that you can take home with you and use at home.

Technology continues to advance the methods available in cosmetic dentistry – procedures are getting better every year while costs continue to drop. The current materials that are used are much better than those that were once used. If you are eager to have a beautiful smile, you should visit your local dentist and discuss the different options currently available.