What is Cosmetic Dentistry

Traditional dentistry deals with oral hygiene, preventing, diagnosing and treating oral disease. While in most cases it is seen that people may not like the way their teeth are shaped.  Would they go to a general dentist? The answer is pretty simple, “NO”. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving the appearance of a person's teeth, mouth and smile. In other words restorative or general or family dental practices address dental problems that require necessary treatment, whereas cosmetic dentistry provides elective – or desired – treatments or services.

Cosmetic dentistry may also provide restorative benefits. For example, dental fillings are a common procedure used to treat decayed teeth. Previously, most dental fillings were composed primarily of gold, amalgam (silver mercury fillings) and other materials that left visible dark spots on the teeth.

A Very Common cosmetic dental treatment options include:
•    Whitening, or "tooth bleaching", is the most common cosmetic dental procedure.  Many whitening options are now available, however its always suggested to have dentist-supervised treatments for lightening discolored teeth.

•    Enamel shaping removes parts of the contouring enamel to improve the appearance of the tooth. It may be used to correct a very small chip. The removed enamel is irreplaceable, and may sometimes expose dentin. It is also known as enameloplasty, odontoplasty, recontouring, reshaping, slenderizing and stripping.

•    Dental reshaping and contouring is a procedure to correct crooked teeth, chipped teeth, cracked teeth or even overlapping teeth in just one session. The dental contouring procedure can even be a substitute for braces under certain circumstances. It is also a procedure of subtle changes. A few millimeters of reduction and a few millimeters of tooth-colored laminate can create a beautiful smile when performed by a cosmetic dentist, with no discomfort to you. Tooth reshaping, or dental contouring, is commonly used to alter the length, shape or position of your teeth.

•    Bonding is a process in which an enamel-like dental composite material is applied to a tooth's surface, sculpted into shape, hardened and then polished.

•    Dental Bridges are false teeth, known as a pontics. Dental Bridges are fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in the area left by a missing tooth. The two crowns holding it in place that are attached onto your teeth on each side of the false tooth. This is known as a fixed bridge. This procedure is used to replace one or more missing teeth.
Fixed bridges cannot be taken out of your mouth as you might do with removable partial dentures. In areas of your mouth that are under less stress, such as your front teeth, a cantilever bridge may be used. Cantilever bridges are used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space. Bridges can reduce your risk of gum disease, help correct some bite issues and even improve your speech. Bridges require your commitment to serious oral hygiene, but will last as many ten years or more.

•    Veneers are used during the case of openings between your teeth. Veneers are ultra-thin, custom-made laminates that are bonded directly to the teeth. They are an option for closing gaps or disguising discolored teeth that do not respond well to whitening procedures, changing the way your teeth look or even instant orthodontics.

•    Gum Lift is a cosmetic dental procedure that raises and sculpts the gum line. The procedure involves reshaping the tissue and/or underlying bones to create the appearance of longer or more symmetrical teeth.