Most Common Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

These days, technological and medicinal advancements have made many different cosmetic dental procedures possible. These procedures give patients a better-looking smile overall and can help to improve their self confidence as well. So if you are unhappy with the current state of your teeth, you may want to consider speaking with your dentist about the possibility of having one or more of the following common cosmetic dental procedures performed.

The most common type of cosmetic dental procedure that people get done involves whitening of the teeth. There are different specific procedures offered to achieve this goal, ranging from traditional tooth bleaching to newer laser whitening techniques. The effects of teeth whitening can last anywhere from a couple of years to decades, depending on how well the patient takes care of their teeth following the procedure. However, it is not uncommon for patients to return for further whitening procedures to get their teeth looking their absolute whitest.

Another common type of cosmetic dental procedure involves that of reshaping teeth. This is specifically common in situations where dental trauma has occurred. For example, a patient may seek teeth reshaping after being hit in the mouth, perhaps while playing a sport, and suffering from a chipped tooth. In many cases, a dentist can use special tools to file the tooth down or to otherwise reshape it so that it looks as normal as possible. In addition, having this procedure done reduces the chance of further injury, as chipped teeth can be dangerously sharp and lead to cuts and other mouth injuries.

Another common procedure that is similar to reshaping is known as bonding. This is often done as a way of replacing pieces of teeth that has been lost from chipping or gradual wear. In bonding, a dentist uses a special composite that resembles enamel and applies it to the surface of the afflicted tooth. Once it dries and hardens, the new enamel blends in with the existing tooth and gives it the correct shape and overall appearance.

The placement of veneers is also a very common cosmetic dental procedure. These are often done as a last resort, such as when a tooth will simply not take to teeth whitening procedures or the damage to a tooth is too severe to use bonding enamel or reshaping techniques. Veneers are a bit more of an involved dental procedure, as they involve inserting custom-made porcelain duplicates of teeth. These are adhered directly to an existing tooth, but it is usually necessary to file down the existing tooth almost entirely. Individual veneers are common, though people who have severe tooth decay or other problems may end up with several veneers.

Above are some of the most common cosmetic dental procedures these days. If any of these sound appealing to you, then you should speak with your dentist to find out whether you would be a good candidate for the particular procedure that you are considering. From there, you can take the next steps needed to achieve your ideal smile!