Let’s face it…we all want to have a pleasing smile. Our appearance is important to us. Teeth that are yellow, crooked, or broken just don’t compare to teeth that are white, straight, and intact. Aesthetics make a difference and can affect your self-esteem.
Don’t worry because cosmetic dentistry can help. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving the appearance and aesthetics of your smile and is more popular than ever. At Sninski & Schmitt, we are experienced in the many cosmetic procedures that can improve your smile. In this article, we explain what cosmetic dentistry is and the treatments that we provide that improve your appearance.
What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
The primary function of cosmetic dentistry is to enhance your appearance by correcting any flaws in the teeth and gums. There are many ways to do this. Some of the most common cosmetic procedures include teeth whitening, dental bonding, and veneers.
The Difference Between Cosmetic Dentistry and General Dentistry
General dentistry is performed by a primary dental care provider who offers services such as teeth cleanings, dental fillings, and crowns. These dental treatments restore both the health and function of teeth as well as appearance. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on beautifying your smile by offering treatments that improve the appearance of your teeth and gums.
A general dentist can perform cosmetic procedures as well as general dentistry. However, some general dentists have a limited range of cosmetic procedures. So, when you are seeking cosmetic dentistry, it is a good idea to make sure your dental professional provides the service you need.
Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures
If you have any of these flaws in your teeth, you may be a candidate for cosmetic dentistry:
- Chipped or cracked teeth
- Discoloration
- Stained teeth
- Misaligned teeth
- Misshapen teeth
- Small gaps or spaces between teeth
Teeth Whitening
Your teeth can lose their white brightness over time from food, drinks, medications, and using tobacco. Dark drinks such as tea, coffee, and red wine are common culprits in stained teeth. Professional teeth whitening can make a significant difference in tooth color. You can get your teeth whitened both in a dental office and at home. Over-the-counter products like toothpaste, rinses, and whitestrips offer some results while professional whitening can result in shades 5 to 8 times lighter. In-office teeth whitening is painless and quick, usually taking about an hour to complete. It is also possible to whiten your teeth at home using kits that your dentist can provide. Using an at-home system usually takes a couple of weeks to complete.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are a great way to conceal cracks, chips, stains, and other cosmetic imperfections and are one of the most common cosmetic dentistry treatments. Veneers are thin, strong, custom-made shells that fit over the front surfaces of your teeth. They can also be used to correct misshapen teeth and restore worn teeth. Dental veneers are made from high-quality dental materials such as tooth-colored composite or porcelain.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is the application of tooth-colored composite resin to teeth. This material covers up and conceals cracks, hairline cracks, discoloration, and other cosmetic imperfections. Dental bonding can also change the shape of a tooth to make it longer, wider, or more uniform. It does not require the removal of natural tooth enamel, which makes it completely reversible.
Tooth Contouring
Dental contouring is the reshaping of teeth. This process includes removing small portions of tooth enamel to improve the surface, shape, or length of the tooth. Contouring is a conservative, non-invasive treatment that is cost-efficient. It is generally painless and often requires no anesthetic because only surface enamel is removed.
Gum Contouring
Gum contouring changes the shape of your gums. If your gums are uneven, or if they cover too much or too little of your teeth, you may consider gum contouring. The dentist can cut away gum tissue that is giving you a “gummy” smile or restore gum tissues that may have receded and are exposing too much of your teeth.
Inlays and Onlays
Inlays and onlays are indirect fillings that are used to repair the chewing surface of a tooth, usually a molar. Inlays are used to cover pits and fissures between a tooth’s cusp and onlays, being more prominent, are used to cover one or more cusps on a molar.
Same-Day Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are caps that are shaped like the tooth to correct issues such as decay, weakness, worn, misshapen, or broken teeth. A crown can take several trips to the dentist and weeks to complete. At Sninski & Schmitt, we offer same-day dental crowns using CEREC technology. CEREC uses CAD technology to create a crown specifically matching your smile out of sculpted ceramic. This is a simple, quick, and painless procedure when you need the crown immediately.
Contact Our Professional Dental Team to Improve Your Smile
Sninski & Schmitt Family Dentistry can perform cosmetic dental procedures that enhance your appearance as well as correct imperfections in the functionality of your teeth. We have two convenient locations. Call us at our Holly Springs dentist office at (919) 600-6262 and our Cary, NC dentist office at 919-467-2203. Or, fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.