“Say cheese!”
Does hearing that when having your photo taken make you cringe rather than smile? Insecurities about how your teeth look can impact your confidence and your life.
Cosmetic dentistry works hand-in-hand with preventive oral care to ensure your teeth are healthy and looking good. As the name suggests, the primary goal of cosmetic dentistry is to improve the aesthetics of your teeth. But this restorative work can also prevent future damage.
Why get cosmetic dentistry?
There are a variety benefits of cosmetic dentistry for a person that result from including how people perceive you and how you perceive yourself. Research has shown that people who are not satisfied with how their smile looks have lower self-esteem.
It’s been shown that big, bright smiles can make people appear younger and more attractive. Patients that receive dental bleaching have been reported to show more of their teeth without embarrassment. Having a nice smile has been linked to improved self-confidence and psychosocial well-being. And having teeth that you are happy with makes you more willing to keep them nice and clean, improving your dental hygiene.
There are a number of cosmetic dentistry procedures that we can perform depending on your needs, including whitening, composite bonding, orthodontics, veneers, and crowns. These procedures can be used alone or in combination to achieve the results you are looking for.
Teeth whitening
Who doesn’t love coffee, tea, red wine, and other delicious drinks that stain our teeth? Life is too short to stop you from occasionally indulging! Thankfully, there are many great teeth whitening procedures now available to counteract our dietary habits.
As we get older, our teeth naturally become more discoloured. While there are now many at-home teeth whitening products on the market, having professional teeth whitening done by a dentist is safer and much more effective. It can result in some tooth sensitivity, which is aided with special toothpaste.
It’s important to know that if you have crowns and fillings, they may appear darker next to teeth that are whitened. People with irregular tooth discoloration, such as from antibiotics, medication or fluoride, may require additional or other treatment. Teeth whitening is expected to last up to one year, depending on your lifestyle choices, such as what you eat/drink and if you smoke.
Dental bonding
If you have misaligned, worn or discoloured teeth, dental bonding may be an option for you. In this procedure, a tooth-coloured composite resin is applied to the tooth in one appointment. The material bonded to the tooth is shaped and polished to match your other teeth, which requires a lot of artistic skill from the dentist.
Dental bonding generally lasts 4-10 years and requires minimal enamel removal. However, bonding can chip and wear away over time, and can also stain with coffee or red wine.
Orthodontics
Braces are not just for teenagers anymore, adults are also using orthodontics to straighten their teeth. Treatment with braces takes more time, but is a less invasive procedure than most dental veneers. Braces can also correct bite problems which can cause premature tooth wear.
Invisalign clear braces are clear trays that fit over the teeth to straighten them. They have the great added benefit of being removable, so you can continue to eat all your favourite foods. There have been advances in Invisalign technology to fix more difficult cases.
Dental veneers
Veneers are very thin shells of porcelain bonded to the front of the teeth to create a brighter and more even smile. They are semi-permanent and can fix a number of dental issues, including chipped, broken or unusually shaped teeth, mild discolouration, and gaps between teeth.
If your teeth have been severely worn and have little enamel remaining, or too much of the tooth is missing, veneers may not be an option for you. Veneers also cannot be applied to any teeth with decay or areas of the mouth with gum disease.
Dental crowns
If you have a badly damaged tooth — it could be broken, decayed, or chipped — a dental crown is likely your best option. Crowns, also called caps, completely cover the tooth and are made out of porcelain. They improve the strength of the tooth as well as cover and protect them.
Crowns can also be used to fill gaps between teeth, or help improve the appearance of misshapen or more severely discoloured teeth.
Make that smile shine
We want you to feel and look your best when you smile. There are now a wide variety of options for cosmetic dentistry, with different benefits of cosmetic dentistry for each procedure and different things to expect. We always work with our patients to find which procedures are the best fit for them in terms of time, cost and lifestyle.
We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your options and how we can make your smile dazzle.
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