Beautiful Teeth and You
The difference between traditional and cosmetic dentistry is that traditional dentistry solves and prevents oral diseases and oral hygiene, while cosmetic dentistry is more about the improvement of the appearance. Cosmetic dentistry commonly solves issues like crooked or chipped teeth, discoloration of teeth, or missing teeth. Let us discuss briefly the different types of cosmetic dentistry.
For the person whose teeth have been subjected to years of wear because of too much grinding and acid reflux, the solution is to get bite treatment wherein the vertical dimension of his teeth is changed. Once treatment is done, the patient has a closed and shorter appearance in their smile and face.
If your teeth have chipped, are broken, cracked, stained, or have excess space between them, dental bonding is a solution to improve the condition of your teeth. Dental bonding is done in this way – an enamel-like composite resin is applied to the teeth, mold it into shape, harden it with an ultraviolet laser light, and then polish it. The improved teeth blends naturally with the surrounding tooth structure and the rest of the teeth thus improving the person’s smile. With a single visit, dental bonding is the easiest among the cosmetic dental procedures. It can be used to fill small cavities or protect the exposed root of the tooth.
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Another cosmetic dental procedure is the use of braces. Today, both children and adults are using dental braces. There are many benefits in wearing braces, not only will it correct crooked or misshapen teeth, but it can also help improve irregular bite, jaw joint disorders, or the proper positioning of the jaw.
The teeth are gradually aligned by applying steady pressure to the teeth in using dental braces. The dentist or orthodontist uses metal, ceramic, or porcelain brackets and bonds them to the teeth to reposition the teeth. Orthodontic braces are usually worn for a period of 1-3 years after which retainers will replace the braces to hold the teeth in their new position.
A way to replace missing teeth or to close a gap between the teeth is to put bridges or fixed partial dentures. Material used for artificial teeth are usually made of gold, porcelain, alloy or a combination of these materials. Bridges can last from 3-15 years if strictly follow the proper oral hygiene. To restore the tooth’s damage, dental crowns or caps, are placed over the damaged tooth, thus restoring the shape, size , strength and appearance of the damaged tooth. The characteristic of dentures is that it is removable, and it replaces missing teeth and surrounding tissues of the teeth.
Gum grafts can prevent or stop recession of the gums and bone loss by the procedure of transferring healthy gum tissue grafts to the other part of problem area. Considered as the most costly of cosmetic dentistry treatments, implants give a long term solution to replace missing teeth.