If you aren’t confident in your smile, then you aren’t living your best life. That might seem dramatic, but it’s true. If you don’t like to show your smile, then your confidence and self-esteem suffer, and your mental health can be affected. Not only that, but studies have shown that smiling can make you feel happier, as opposed to the other way around. If you aren’ smiling, then you aren’t as happy as you can be. Luckily, there are options. Cosmetic dentistry has come a long way over the past few decades, and there is bound to be a proven treatment that can get you the bright, brilliant smile you’ve always wanted.
Teeth Whitening
Tooth whitening is perhaps the most common cosmetic dental procedure of them all. Teeth can get stained or damaged over time, often from certain food and drinks. Teeth also get stained from smoking. You can get a take home whitening kit, but for the best results, contact a dental professional. Not only is teeth whitening a quick and easy way to brighten your smile, but it is cost-effective too.
Bonding
If the stains on your teeth are too deeply ingrained, or you have chips in your teeth, then dental bonding might be the right choice for you. Bonding material is malleable and can be molded to the outside of your teeth to hide imperfections. Bonding is a popular choice, but the material is not permanent. It can deteriorate over time, meaning that you may need to have the procedure performed several times throughout your life.
Veneers
Veneers are a more long-lasting solution than dental bonding. The dentist will take a mold of the teeth to manufacture a porcelain shell that fits directly over the affected spot. This shell is hard, and colored to match the surrounding teeth so that it doesn’t stand out. Veneers are a perfect option for people who have staining that is so ingrained that it cannot be removed through whitening and bleaching. Many people will choose a veneer over dental bonding simply because it will last longer.
Implants
One of the most detrimental things to an otherwise wonderful smile is a missing tooth. That’s where full mouth dental implants come into play. An implant is a titanium rod that is surgically placed into the gum to act as a root. The dentist can then install a replacement artificial tooth onto the implanted rod. This is a permanent solution instead of using dentures or other temporary fixes. They are relatively easy to maintain and can be treated just like your regular teeth. As long as your gum stays healthy enough to support the implant, it will remain in place.
Crowns
Crowns function similarly to veneers, in that they cover up decay and damage. Anytime you see a performer with gold teeth, they are most likely crowns, but they are most often much more subtle. They are manufactured with acrylic or porcelain, and custom-made to fit the mouth into which they are being applied. They are then fused to the metal rods implanted into the teeth. They are made so that they match in shape and color with the surrounding teeth, so no one would know that they are not natural.
Invisalign Braces
You might think that braces are only for children, but adults may need them as well. It could be from teeth that were neglected in youth, or from recent trauma, but adults getting braces is more common than you might think. However, since adults don’t want to look like children, invisalign braces are a great solution. They can fix misalignments and protruding teeth just like regular braces, but they are almost impossible to notice unless someone examines the mouth closely. This way, adults can still feel their own age even while wearing them.
Dental Abrasion
Since discoloration is such a huge issue for many people, it stands to reason that there are several options to help get teeth back to their natural shine. Abrasion is a process that involves removing stains by essentially sanding down the surface of the tooth. It will only work on very shallow stains, and will not work on stains that have penetrated inside the tooth. However, once the stains are removed through abrasion, they are gone forever.
These are some of the more common cosmetic dental procedures, however you may need something different to fix your smile. While it’s important to know what options are out there, do not visit your cosmetic dentist from Calgary and assume you will get one of the procedures over the others. Your dentist will assess your situation, including the health of your entire mouth, to determine the best course of action. It may be one of these most common options, or it may be something different. There is always new innovation and data in dentistry to come up with techniques to improve smiles at affordable prices. No matter what, in the end your dentist can give you the brightest smile possible so that you can feel confident and happy again.
