Get the Perfect Smile You Have Always Wanted
As you grow older or experience some kind of problem with your teeth, you want them to look good and have a great smile. Cosmetic dentistry aims to restore your teeth to the way you want them to look – often giving you that Hollywood smile that everyone is sure to notice.
What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?
In order to give you that fantastic smile, cosmetic dentistry has several ways of altering and repairing teeth. Even when teeth have problems, they can often be corrected. In fact, it might even surprise you what can be done to give you that smile that lets you show off your teeth and no longer hide them.
Five different types of cosmetic dentistry
Although there are several different methods of giving you great looking teeth, there are five kinds that are the most common. Not only will they improve the look of your teeth, but they can also help improve your overall oral health.
Teeth Whitening
After years of use, your teeth are going to become yellow with age. Eating and drinking certain foods, or smoking, is going to slowly change the color of your teeth. This is because the enamel on your teeth is not actually smooth, as it appears, but it has many places that microscopic pieces of food and dye can accumulate. As they get into the tooth, and as the enamel becomes thinner, it alters your tooth’s color.
Teeth whitening is one of the simplest forms of cosmetic dentistry because nothing is actually done to alter your teeth. Although teeth whitening kits are available at the store, they are not nearly as powerful as what you will get at the dentist’s office. The less expensive kits will only whiten your teeth one or two shades whiter, but the dentist can get them up to six shades whiter in one sitting. This means that they will stay whiter longer, too. Laser teeth whitening is also available.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are basically covers for the front of your teeth. They are made of porcelain and are custom-fitted to your teeth. They can correct many problems, including such things as gaps between your teeth, chipped teeth, slightly misaligned teeth, and discolored teeth.
Porcelain veneers can easily last about 15 years and possibly longer. In some cases, some of the enamel on the front of your tooth may need to be removed so that after the veneer is applied, the tooth maintains approximately the same thickness. Veneers are made in a lab. They look natural and will match the color of your teeth.
Dental bonding
When you want to alter the appearance of your teeth, dental bonding is the least expensive way to go. The process consists of applying a composite material, like a paste, to the front of the teeth. After it is applied, the dentist then works the material into the desired shape.
The composite material can be made to resemble the color of your other teeth. It can be used to hide problems such as gaps between teeth, chipped teeth, fillings, or to cover a discolored tooth. It can also be used to cover the root of a tooth that has been exposed. They are not as strong as porcelain veneers, but with care, they can last up to 10 years.
Dental implants
After a tooth has been lost or extracted, it can be replaced with dental implants. A dental implant is often made of titanium and it replaces the tooth roots. Since it is placed directly into the jawbone (in most cases), time is needed for healing to take place before the process is completed, which can be between three to five months.
After the gums and bone have healed, the implant is stable and a dental crown will be placed on top. They have the advantage over dentures in that the implants are permanent and your teeth do not slide around when talking or eating. They can also replace a single tooth, a few teeth or even all of them.
Inlays and Onlays
When a tooth develops a cavity, instead of getting a filling, you may choose to get inlays and onlays. While these choices are not available for every cavity, they can help to preserve more of the tooth. This enables the dentist to remove less material from the tooth, removing the necessity of getting a crown. Inlays and onlays are better fitting than fillings and they must be made in a lab. They also strengthen the tooth and can last a lifetime. While gold is the strongest material, you can also choose to get tooth-colored material.
Cosmetic Dentistry Cost
Cosmetic dentistry is often expensive, depending on which treatment you want. Teeth whitening will cost around $600, and laser teeth whitening will likely cost around $800. Dental bonding is the least expensive, and you can expect to pay $300 to $600 per tooth. Dental veneers that are made of composite materials will cost between $250 and $1,500 per tooth. If they are made of porcelain, you can expect to pay $900 to $2,500 per tooth. Dental implants will cost between $3,000 and $5,000 per tooth, which includes the cost of the crown. If you want inlays and onlays, you can expect to pay about $900 per tooth.
If you live in the Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Dallas , or Grapevine, TX areas, you can get any of these cosmetic dentistry treatments from Dr. Kumar T. Vadivel, DDS, FDS RCS, MS MBA, a Board-certified Periodontist. He can give you the beautiful smile you want. For more information about his dental services, or to set up an appointment, you can call his office today at 214-731-0123
