Cosmetic Dentistry

Dentistry is all about giving you the best, healthiest smile. When you are proud of your smile, you are more likely to feel confident and show it off. Suppose you need to fix your smile, whether by fixing a chipped tooth, making your teeth whiter, or changing the overall appearance of your smile. You don’t need to be worried. New and affordable innovations have made it easier to painlessly and quickly achieve a perfect smile.

What is Cosmetic Dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry is a field of dentistry focused on improving the aesthetics and appearance of your smile. Although general dentistry mainly focuses on oral hygiene, diagnosing, treating, and preventing oral conditions, cosmetic dentistry is all about improving the aesthetics of teeth, smile, and mouth.

Examples of common cosmetic dental procedures include veneers, teeth whitening, and dental bonding

In general, cosmetic dentistry involves:

• Adding dental material to gums or teeth – veneers, bonding, crowns, and gum grafts
• Removing gums or tooth structures: gingivectomy, enameloplasty
• Straightening teeth and improving the overall appearance of the face – orthodontics
• Neither removing nor adding dental material or altering gums or tooth structure – teeth whitening, gum depigmentation, laser whitening.

Types of Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

• Inlays or Onlays. These are made from composite materials or porcelain and are a durable yet aesthetically pleasing method of fixing teeth with structural damage, such as chipping or tooth decay. Onlays and inlays are usually created in a dental lab before being adhesively bonded into place by your dentist.
• Composite bonding. Broken, chipped, decayed, or discolored teeth can be repaired and have their appearance corrected through composite bonding. This involves applying a dental composite material with the same color as the enamel and dentin onto the tooth’s surface, sculpting it into shape, and hardening it with high-intensity light.
• Teeth whitening. This is perhaps the most recommended cosmetic dental procedure. It’s mainly used to enhance the look of a smile where teeth are stained from food, drinks (tea, coffee, & red wine), and poor oral health.
• Gum contouring. Some people are born with excessive gum tissue, which could make a smile appear gummy or unbalanced. Cosmetic dentistry specialists can help reshape the gum line by removing excess tissues for a more aesthetic appearance.
• Tooth contouring. This is a procedure where small amounts of enamel are removed to change the tooth’s shape. However, there’s a limit on the amount of tooth structure your dentist can remove.
• Dental veneers. These are porcelain or composite laminates that are usually bonded to the surface of a tooth adhesively. Veneers are used to repair and correct cracks and chips and should help improve severe tooth discoloration or worn appearance.
• Dental implants. These are artificial teeth replacements used in artificial tooth replacement dentistry (prosthetics) to treat tooth loss. This results in an enhanced smile and a more youthful appearance.
• Full-mouth reconstruction. Sometimes, the dentist may determine that you need a full mouth reconstruction to correct functional and aesthetic problems with your bite, bone structure, teeth, and muscles. The technologies available today make it possible to conduct this procedure for the desired results.

What is the most popular cosmetic dental procedure?

Teeth whitening. As mentioned earlier, tooth whitening or bleaching is the most popular and recommended procedure in cosmetic dentistry. The ease of access and relatively low cost make it an ideal option for people to enhance their smile aesthetics without being too invasive.

Most procedures are usually done through an in-office professional whitening treatment, though there are a few cases of dentist-dispensed at-home teeth whitening kits that let you do it yourself. Depending on what you opt for, you can whiten teeth color by 2 to 9 shades. The results are usually temporary and should last many months, based on how well you care for your teeth.

What is the difference between general and cosmetic dentistry services?

General dentistry addresses dental problems associated with oral hygiene, pain, and discomfort. Some general dentistry procedures typically include tooth extractions, root canals, and filling cavities. General dentists also perform a limited range of procedures like bonding and teeth whitening.

On the other hand, cosmetic dentists can also help with that. The primary concern of cosmetic dentists is how your teeth, mouth, and smile look. Most performed procedures such as teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, onlays and inlays, dentures, implants, and smile makeovers.

What is a cosmetic dentist called?

A dentist is usually called a “Cosmetic Dentist” when they specialize in cosmetic procedures. Much of the treatment done by a clinician is usually cosmetic and is meant to improve the smile. There are no other professional titles given to cosmetic dentists other than “Aesthetic Dentist” or “Cosmetic Dentist” by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Looking for a family Cosmetic Dentistry Professional?

At Miners Ravine Dental Group, we take pride in building a strong oral foundation for our patients, and we offer a wide range of cosmetic treatments to improve your smile, teeth, and oral health. To learn more about our services and cosmetic dentistry costs, visit our Roseville, CA office or book a free consultation today.