COSMETIC DENTISTRY
wANT TO IMPROVE YOUR SMILE?
Dental Bonding
Bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin is applied and hardened with a special light, ultimately "bonding" the material to the tooth to improve a person's smile. Among the easiest and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures, bonding can repair chipped or cracked teeth, close gaps, change the shape of teeth, or be used as a cosmetic alternative to silver amalgam fillings.
Veneers
Veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells that cover the front surface of teeth. Bonded to the front of the teeth, changing their color, shape, size or length, veneers can be made from porcelain or resin composite. Veneers offer a conservative approach to changing a tooth's color or shape compared to crowns, but the process is not reversible.
Crowns
A crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that's placed over a weak or damaged tooth to improve its shape, size, strength, or appearance. Most crowns last five to 15 years and can be made of metal, porcelain fused to metal, resin, or ceramic. Before a crown is seated, the existing tooth is filed down; then the crown is cemented over it, fully encasing the tooth. Onlays and three-quarter crowns cover the underlying tooth to a lesser extent.
Enamel Shaping
Enamel shaping or contouring is a quick and painless process of shaping natural teeth to improve their appearance. It is generally used to correct small imperfections such as uneven teeth or teeth that are slightly overcrowded. Results can be seen immediately. Enamel shaping is often combined with whitening, veneers, or bonding.
Orthodontics (Braces)
Braces can correct crooked or misaligned teeth, and can improve the health and appearance of anyone's smile -- adult or child. Braces work by applying steady pressure over time to slowly move teeth into alignment. As the teeth move, the bony tooth socket changes shape as pressure is applied.
Composite Fillings
Existing fillings sometimes need to be replaced due to wear, chipping, or cracking. Many people use this opportunity to replace their silver amalgam fillings with natural, tooth-colored composites. Their reasons may be aesthetic, or concern over the safety of amalgam fillings, which contain mercury. Composite fillings tend to wear out sooner than silver fillings in larger cavities, although they hold up as well in small cavities.
Gum Reshaping
Gum reshaping can improve a "gummy" smile in which teeth appear too short, or where the gum line appears uneven. A small amount of gum tissue -- and excess bone tissue if necessary -- is removed and contoured to expose more of the teeth. This procedure can be done to one tooth to even the gum line, or to several teeth to expose a natural, broad smile.
Bridges (fixed partial dentures)
A fixed (permanent) bridge replaces one or more teeth by placing crowns on the teeth either side of the gap, and attaching artificial teeth to them. The "bridge" is then cemented into place. A cantilever bridge is used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space. Maryland bonded bridges have porcelain teeth supported by a framework.
Gum Grafts
Tooth roots that are exposed due to gum recession may be sensitive to hot and cold foods or liquids, and they make teeth appear long. Gum recession can put you at risk of developing a cavity on the tooth root, and may lead to bone loss, eventually resulting in tooth loss. Soft tissue grafts, which move healthy gum tissue from one part of the mouth to another, can stop gum recession and bone loss and improve the esthetics of the gum line.