Cosmetic Dentistry - The Basics

It has become easier to get a bright white, even-toothed smile in Suwanee than in the past.

For starters, most people wishing to improve the appearance of their teeth should concentrate on basic tooth care routines like proper brushing and flossing, and regularly scheduled dental appointments.

A person wanting cosmetic dentistry services can choose from simple tooth whitening, fillings and crowns, inlays and onlays, dental veneers, composite bonding, to more comprehensive smile makeovers, and even full mouth reconstruction. Comprehensive cosmetic dental treatments like a smile makeover or a full mouth reconstruction may require the services of an orthodontist to straightening and aligning the teeth.

Your Suwanee-area cosmetic dentist often uses different material than a traditional dentist to beautify the teeth and mouth. But, cosmetic dentists will sometimes include standard filling placement in their available services. The development of using porcelain and composite material in cosmetic restoration, which is the same material used to replace old, metal fillings, has brought conventional dental fillings into the purview of the cosmetic dentist, as well.

Inlays and onlays, or “indirect” fillings, are not molded in-situ but prepared in a controlled environment and fitted on to the tooth in the dentist’s office. In cases where conventional fillings are not a viable restorative option, inlays and onlays are the next alternative.Their main role is to restore and strengthen teeth all ready weakened from previous dental work or decay. The restoration position and extent of coverage required will determine whether an inlay or only is used. While an inlay is affixed to the tooth’s centre, an onlay can help protect a tooth from more widespread damage and covers more than one area of the tooth.

Composite bonding is a procedure commonly used for both filling and repairing teeth. Cosmetic dentists can restore teeth using fillings which join one surface with another or direct bonding which involves application of a resin material to a tooth to cover its compromised or damaged areas.

Sometimes the nature of the restoration requires a different type of treatment than composite bonding. Where conditions warrant, veneers or crowns may be used instead.

Veneers, which are custom-designed for each patient, are created from a durable ceramic material and applied to the teeth to guard areas where the enamel is worn, or areas with chips and cracks, or to correct irregular setting or spaces between teeth. They are the answer to a wide range of cosmetic dentistry challenges.

Where veneers cannot be used, patients may choose to have crowns or “caps” placed. Crowns and caps provide function for even the most heavily damaged teeth by encasing the properly prepared remains of a tooth. Dentists in general prefer to save as much of the natural tooth material as possible, removing only that which is absolutely essential to allow placement of the crown or veneer. Some portions of the affected teeth have to be filed or ground down in order to fit in the crown or cap, which may not be the best solution, and dentists will investigate every potential treatment possibility so as to avoid any further destruction of tooth material.

Crowns are usually made from three predominant materials: Porcelain fused to metal, porcelain and gold.

The sturdiest, most long-lasting and most natural-looking crowns are the ones made from porcelain combined with metal.

When little space is available and, because they are narrower than those crowns with a metal core, porcelain-only crowns are the best option.

The use of gold crowns is usually limited to molars or for patients with a habit of tooth grinding, because while gold withstands the pressures of grinding, it will not contribute to the break down of the enamel of occluding (opposite) teeth.

Smile makeovers and full-mouth restorations are available treatment options for circumstances requiring the restoration of several cosmetically compromised teeth. Smile makeovers attempt to achieve a more beautiful appearance of the teeth utilizing different cosmetic dental procedures and materials like whitening, veneers or crowns.

A full-mouth reconstruction is usually the most complete and expensive restorative option, and may be considered in conjunction with a smile makeover. This appraisal is based on assessed complications with the patient’s teeth, bone structure, bite pattern or facial muscles.

Suwanee cosmetic dentists offer many potential treatment plans for patients to choose from, so patients must investigate all these options and related potential outcomes with their dentist is a must before deciding and proceeding with treatment.