Did you know that your teeth affect how your face looks?
Your teeth provide structure and support for the bones and muscles in your face. Without them, you would look much different.
Think about what an elderly person looks like when they take their dentures out. Their face looks shorter and their mouth looks sunken in.
Thus, cosmetic dentistry is not just about white teeth and dazzling smiles. It’s also about your face. Let’s look at 8 cosmetic dentistry treatment options that help you put on your best face for the world.
1. Crowns
Getting a dental crown will make you feel like royalty. Well, maybe not quite like royalty, but it does improve your confidence.
Dental crowns are basically caps that a dentist can slip over your existing tooth where you have a problem. They can be used for a variety of troubles.
- Misshapen teeth
- Heavy tooth decay
- Teeth with large fillings
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Fill spaces between teeth
In the past, crowns were gold or silver. Now you can get porcelain or acrylic crowns to match the natural colour of your teeth.
After all, gold and silver jewellery might look good on your skin, but not in your smile.
2. Veneers
In some cases, a cap over your entire tooth may not be necessary. Instead, a cosmetic dentist can use a veneer. This is a thin layer of porcelain or composite that the dentist cements to the front of your tooth.
Dentists can use veneers to make your teeth appear whiter and straighter. They can also use them to cover chipped or slightly broken teeth.
3. Implants
In other cases, neither a crown nor a veneer is enough to cover your dental woes. This can happen when a tooth is too broken or too rotten to save and your dentist needs to remove it.
An implant is a handy way of replacing missing teeth. It has a titanium root that is surgically implanted into the jaw. The top is made to blend in naturally will all your other teeth.
Implants are a much more permanent and convenient way of dealing with missing teeth. You don’t have to worry about them falling out when laughing or eating. Plus, the titanium root offers the support that your natural tooth would to maintain the shape of your jaw and thus the shape of your face.
4. Inlays and Onlays
Dentists use inlays and onlays when only part of a tooth is missing. This can happen if a tooth decays so much that it can’t support a regular filling, but not enough that it needs to be removed.
Inlays and onlays are custom-built in a dental lab. They’re made of a composite resin material. Once your dentist is satisfied with how they look, they will cement them to your partial tooth.
An inlay is used if the tooth cusps are still good. But if the cusp is damaged or most of the tooth is gone, your dentist will choose an onlay instead.
5. Composite Bonding
Composite bonding is actually somewhat similar to the process of filling a tooth. But instead of filling your mouth with metal-coloured fillings, your dentist can choose composite bonding.
To perform this procedure, your dentist will drill out the decayed or damaged part of your tooth. They will then fill the area with a composite that is as close to the natural colour of your teeth as possible.
For the finishing touch, they’ll sculpt the tooth to perfection before curing it with a light.
6. Tooth Shaping
What if you don’t like the shape of your teeth? You don’t need to build them up or do anything fancy, but they look bulky and huge in your mouth.
Dentists can also perform tooth shaping. This procedure simply involves grinding or filing your teeth into a more pleasing shape. It’s not painful and the results are immediate and permanent.
Just don’t go asking your dentist to file your canines to a point. We did mention that it’s permanent, right? It’s best to stick to false vampire teeth for Halloween.
7. Orthodontic Treatments
Orthodontics aren’t just for kids anymore. It’s true that major teeth movements are easier during the formative years. But that doesn’t mean that adults can’t shift their teeth around a little.
It also doesn’t mean that you have to walk around with a mouthful of metal. There are many options for discreet orthodontics like Invisalign that are virtually impossible for the casual observer to detect.
It’s that easy to have the perfect smile you always dreamed about!
8. Botox
Here’s one that might really surprise you. Dentists can perform cosmetic Botox treatments.
But wouldn’t you go to a plastic surgeon for that?
Typically, yes. But it’s becoming more widely accepted for dentists to offer this cosmetic treatment option as well. It makes sense, after all, your dentist does know a lot about the face.
Since this is a more recent trend, your dentist may not offer Botox injections yet. But it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Is Cosmetic Dentistry For You?
Bet you didn’t know that your dentist in Ealing has such an array of tools at their disposal to help you look your best. The best part is that you don’t even have to go see a specialist. Most general dentists already have the tools and training they need to perform these types of cosmetic dentistry.
What if you don’t have a good dentist and are in need of one of these procedures? Be sure to give us a call or request an appointment. We’ll answer all of your questions and help you get the brighter, whiter, more confident smile you deserve!