Does your imperfect smile make you feel self conscious and uncomfortable? It can be difficult to feel confident when there are tooth imperfections like staining, gaps, or sharp edges causing concern. Fortunately, cosmetic treatment makes it possible to address most issues, and often quickly and with natural looking results. Are you interested in how a smile makeover could enhance your smile and improve your confidence?
There was a time when cosmetic dentistry was merely a dream for the average person. Today, cosmetic dental treatments are available to everyone and very popular. There are a variety of reasons to visit a cosmetic dentist from stained teeth to chipped teeth, worn teeth, missing teeth, or a complete smile makeover.
Questions to ask before undergoing any cosmetic procedure
- What are the risks and benefits?
- What can you expect before, during, and after?
- Approximately how much will it cost?
- Is the recommended treatment plan the proper on for you?
- Is the dentist capable of completing the plan to the level of quality you require?
- How much maintenance will be required after treatment?
- What is the service life of the planned restorations?
These are all questions you should have answered when you are looking to improve your smile.
Cosmetic treatments to improve your smile
There are several cosmetic treatments available based on what you need, want, and can afford:
Teeth Whitening: With age, your teeth become stained or discolored. Smoking, certain medications, and certain foods and beverages contribute to tooth stains. Your dentist can offer you whitening products for you to use at home.
Dental Bonding: Bonding using a resin composite material can correct chipped, broken, cracked, stained teeth, and spaces between teeth. It can also be used to protect exposed roots.
Veneers: Ceramic veneers can cover the fronts of your teeth to correct many issues. They can fix tooth decay, stains, crooked, chipped, and worn teeth, and fill spaces between them. The prettiest ceramic types to use are feldspathic porcelain and Emax. The amount of change in your smile can be stunning.
Crowns: Like veneers, crowns can cover your teeth to correct cosmetic and restorative issues. They can be made of many different materials. Dentists try to match the best crown for each treatment situation.
Other cosmetic dental care options include natural looking crowns, dental implants, and bridges.
How many procedures will it take to make your current smile match your ideal smile? You may fear a long and involved cosmetic treatment process. You can be relieved to learn how your dentist can cover up several flaws with a single procedure. Porcelain veneers have become a popular treatment solution for so many patients due to their ability to provide a dramatic smile transformation. When veneers are placed on your teeth, they can give you a smile that is fully improved. They can make improvements to the color and condition of your teeth.
Why Veneers Are Used To Help Patients Enjoy A Smile Makeover
Veneers can effectively “make over” a person’s smile because they can provide coverage for any superficial flaws that currently affect how you look. Are you concerned because of discoloration? Tooth colored veneers can hide stains, and they can cover up internal discoloration that a professional teeth bleaching can fail to remedy. Are you bothered by wear and tear, damage, or other structural flaws? Veneers can hide superficial surface concerns, and make your smile look uniformly healthy and attractive.
Undergo An Evaluation To Make Sure You Qualify For Veneers
While veneers are regularly approved for patients with wide ranging needs, there are some potential issues that can interfere with your treatment. Untreated gum disease or cavities need to be addressed before veneers can be placed.
Your dentist also has to check on the condition of damaged teeth, which could require more than just cosmetic treatment. More significant damage can make a dental crown necessary. Good oral hygiene habits with brushing and flossing is an ideal setup for veneers.
Should You Ask About No-Prep Veneers?
No-prep veneers are incredibly thin, to the point that your dentist may be able to apply them to your teeth without any preparatory work. This can be a relief to patients who are excited to fix cosmetic flaws. Especially when concerned about the placement process for traditional veneers.
Have you asked your dentist about how to improve your smile?
The first step in devising a treatment plan is simply talking to your dentist. Talk to your dentist about what you are hoping to achieve by seeking cosmetic treatment. In some cases, a single treatment may be all that is needed to greatly improve the smile’s appearance. For instance, if you are bothered by staining you could likely benefit from professional teeth whitening treatment. That said, if you are concerned by inconsistencies in the size, shape, or spacing of your teeth, there are other treatment options that could help.
Both cosmetic bonding and porcelain veneers can help to correct inconsistencies and cosmetic spacing issues, as well as permanent stains. Veneers will be a more long term solution.
For many patients, though, the best way to achieve a greater smile is through a combination of treatments as part of a customized smile makeover. For instance, you might benefit from whitening on all your teeth, and then veneers on the few that are oddly shaped. Perhaps you have recently been treated for periodontal disease and your gum line is now uneven. Often gum problems cause black spaces between your teeth.
Ready to learn more about how to improve your smile?
Is your smile marred by stains from red wine or a root canal? Have you been plagued with dental emergencies? Cosmetic dentistry can help your oral health and transform your smile. It can offer you a beautiful smile with more confidence, as well. You can call us for a personalized smile design today at 847-234-0517 to schedule your cosmetic consultation.