COSMETIC DENTISTRY PROCEDURES

When it comes to cosmetic dental procedures, you have many different choices available at a range of prices and complexity. Which one(s) are right for you depends on your particular dental issue, your expectations, and your budget – including what may or may not be covered by insurance.

Teeth whitening is the most popular, least expensive and easiest procedure to perform. There are various techniques for whitening stained, discolored teeth that include bleaching using peroxide strips, special toothpastes, and in extreme cases, porcelain veneers. Bleaching treatments that use peroxide strips take about an hour, and can be performed in the office or at home. Porcelain veneers are a bit more complicated, and will be discussed a little later on.

A “gummy” smile – one that is more gum than teeth – has numerous causes. Generally, this is a condition in which gum tissue covers most of the teeth, making them look abnormally short and giving one a horse-like grin. Again, there are several treatments available, the most common being gingivectomy and gingivoplasty. Both if these procedures involve the surgical alteration of the gum line. Flap surgery removes some of the underlying bone, and is necessary for cases in which teeth are congenitally short or extremely worn down. These procedures involve some measure of discomfort, but since lasers have generally replaced scalpels, surgical pain is less than it once was.

Nobody wants a gap-toothed smile or misshapen teeth, and this is yet probably one of the most common dental conditions, even among people with otherwise healthy teeth. Tooth shaping is a reconstructive procedure by which a skilled cosmetic dentist can actually sculpt individual teeth through the use of porcelain, resins and other natural-colored materials to look more even and attractive. The two most common tooth shaping procedures are resin fillings and bonded bridge techniques.

The former – also known as a composite – uses resin fillers to fill cavities and reshape chipped teeth. Porcelain veneers – ultra-thin sheets of the same material used in automotive brake shoes and spacecraft re-entry shields – can also be applied to teeth in order to give then a more natural look. While porcelain is far more durable than resin composites and far less likely to become discolored over time, they can be quite expensive, and take a fair amount of time. Resin procedures on the other hand run as little as $100 per tooth, and can be done in slightly over an hour.

For complete tooth replacement, patients may wish to consider the bonded bridge technique. This involves the removal of a tiny amount of material from the teeth on either side of a gap where a tooth is missing, then making a mold. A bonded bridge is then created from the mold in a laboratory, which is then attached to these teeth with a special dental adhesive. It’s a very economical and dependable procedure, and can be done at about half the cost of an implant.

Your primary care dentist can help you in deciding which procedure(s) you may need, and will also refer you to a cosmetic dentistry specialist if appropriate.