What Procedures Are Included in Cosmetic Dentistry?

What is Cosmetic Dentistry?

There are three classifications of dentistry: Preventative, restorative, and cosmetic. Preventative dentistry prevents dental diseases, and restorative dentistry repairs damaged or missing teeth. Cosmetic dentistry, such as veneers, tooth-colored restorations, and whitening improves the aesthetic appearance of the smile. Ideally, they begin with good dental hygiene and then prevent and treat dental problems.

Cosmetic dentistry in Westchase can be helpful for many different reasons. It can repair chips or breaks off may be discolored, crooked, chipped, or uneven teeth. Teeth that are damaged can be repaired with a variety of procedures. Sometimes, a tooth needs cosmetic improvements, such as a brightening of the tooth or a change in the tooth shape.

How Can You Know If You Need Cosmetic Dentistry?

The signs that you need cosmetic dentistry can be different for each person. Some people might have a tooth that they are self-conscious about because it doesn’t look like the others, while others might have a missing tooth or teeth that are discolored. You may need cosmetic dental procedures if you have cracked, chipped, uneven teeth or a gummy smile.

What Procedures Are Included in Cosmetic Dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry includes several treatments. While these services have a similar goal, they have different procedures that vary in cost.

• Teeth whitening

Teeth bleaching is a safe way to brighten your smile. Its minimally invasive procedure will leave you with a whiter, brighter smile. This popular procedure is done in-office and takes about an hour to complete. A cosmetic dentist near you will use a hydrogen peroxide bleaching agent to break down the stain and remove them.

We offer Zoom whitening that uses Zoom light with the bleaching agent to bleach the teeth. The procedure is done in 15-minute intervals, repeated either two to three sessions, depending on the severity of your stains. The dentist will give you sensitive toothpaste to ease the discomfort after the whitening sessions.

• Dental bonding 

Dental bonding is adhering a tooth-colored composite resin material to the tooth. This is an ideal procedure if you have teeth in need of repair but you are not in a position to have them repaired; this is a great solution. It will give your teeth a complete look.

The procedure uses an adhesive to connect the restorative materials to the enamel. Typically, it’s not long-lasting but can be more cost-effective than making veneers. It can also be a way to achieve temporary results by treating less severe problems such as discolored teeth.

• Dental veneers 

Porcelain veneers are customized tooth shells that offer a long-term solution to dental issues like cracks and chips. These restorations require more than one dental visit because it needs preparation and fixing. Once these shells are fixed, they can last for several years without issues.

Veneers can resist stains, but it is important to avoid taking staining foods and beverages, which can cause them to discolor.

The porcelain veneers match your natural teeth because the dentist will match the shells to the surrounding teeth.

• Gum contouring 

Gum contouring is a procedure that will give your gums a more well-defined look. It is a way to improve the gummy smile caused by having excess gums tissues on the teeth. It can also make your smile appear more youthful and attractive.

Our Westchase dentist may also use contouring to correct receding gums caused by gum disease or genetics. The dentist will take a small amount of tissue and attach it to the affected area to promote new gum tissue.

• Teeth reshaping 

Teeth reshaping can improve the appearance of your teeth and give you a more youthful appearance. Teeth reshaping can be used to correct the chipped appearance of teeth or change the size or shape of teeth.

The process will start by removing a small part of the tooth enamel to minimize the imperfections in the teeth. The dentist will trim the length and smoothen uneven teeth.

Schedule an Appointment

Visit AK dentistry for more information about our cosmetic dental procedures and which one is ideal for improving your smile.