A beautiful, healthy smile can make a tremendous difference in how you look and feel. But over time, teeth can become stained, chipped or misaligned. Fortunately, today’s advanced cosmetic dentistry offers many ways to restore your smile. With innovative procedures and materials, you can have the smile you’ve always wanted.
Cosmetic Bonding
Bonding is a quick and affordable way to repair chipped or cracked teeth, close small gaps between teeth, or reshape teeth. The process only requires a single office visit. While bonding typically lasts several years, material could chip or discolor over time and may need replacing.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are bonded to the front surface of teeth. They are an excellent option for improving the appearance of misshapen, worn, chipped, broken or gapped teeth. The thin veneers won’t negatively impact the structure of the underlying tooth. Veneers can resolve some bite issues and recreate the shape, size and color of natural teeth. It takes at least two visits to have veneers placed – one for evaluation and taking impressions and one to bond the veneers to teeth. Porcelain veneers are stain-resistant and can last 15-20 years with proper care.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are an advanced restorative dentistry tooth replacement option for missing teeth. Implants are titanium posts that are surgically positioned into the jawbone beneath the gums. Your dentist will attach replacement teeth onto these posts. Getting implants requires several months for the implants to fully integrate with your bone, but they become a stable foundation for replacement teeth. Implants prevent bone loss at the site of missing teeth. With proper care, they can last decades and function like your own natural teeth during eating and speaking.
Teeth Whitening
Stained, discolored teeth can be whitened through several techniques. In-office whitening performed by a dentist provides the fastest results. A strong whitening solution is applied to teeth and accelerated with heat, light or lasers. Multiple sessions may be needed for very stained teeth. At-home whitening kits prescribed by your dentist feature custom-fit plastic trays and whitening gel. You wear the trays for a few hours daily or while sleeping for one to two weeks. Over-the-counter whitening strips, gels and toothpastes produce milder whitening over longer periods.
Invisalign Clear Aligners
Invisalign aligners offer an invisible way to straighten teeth without metal braces. Custom-made clear plastic aligners are worn over your teeth and gradually adjust your teeth’s position. New aligners are used every one to two weeks to continue gently shifting teeth into place. Treatment time averages one year but depends on your situation. Invisalign is removable, so you can enjoy foods and easily brush and floss during treatment. However, aligners should be worn 20-22 hours per day for the best results. Invisalign effectively improves mild to moderate crowding and spacing issues.
Aesthetic dentistry has made major advances. Whether you want to improve damaged teeth, whiten stained teeth or correct bite issues, modern treatments offer natural-looking and long-lasting results. Consult your dentist to determine the optimal solutions for enhancing your smile. With the right options, you can reveal the beautiful smile you were meant to have.
