Over half of all Americans feel at least somewhat insecure about their smiles! If you fall into that category, you’re not alone. Many people refuse to flash their pearly whites.
If your teeth are healthy, you may want to consider cosmetic dentistry services.
What is cosmetic dentistry? It’s a type of dentistry that focuses more on aesthetics than health or functionality. If you have great oral health, you can make aesthetic improvements with an excellent cosmetic dentist.
But what types of services are available? Let’s talk about it. Read on to learn all about the various cosmetic dentistry procedures you can get at our practice.
Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry
So why would someone want to get cosmetic dental procedures in the first place? Isn’t dentistry all about the health of your teeth and gums, not the appearance? Can’t good oral hygiene keep your teeth looking great?
While having good oral hygiene will do wonders for the appearance of your teeth, it can’t help with everything. In some cases, there could also be things that are outside of your control.
Cosmetic dentistry offers quicker fixes to problems that are difficult, if not impossible, to fix with conventional dentistry.
Having a healthy smile is more important than having a beautiful one, but if given the option, wouldn’t you want both?
Having a nice smile is excellent for self-esteem, and it may even help you move forward in your life. As a matter of fact, 12% of surveyed people believe that their smile had a negative impact on their ability to get hired or promoted in their career of choice.
Cosmetic dentistry will make you look and feel fantastic. You deserve to treat yourself to a gorgeous smile.
So now let’s move on to the various cosmetic dental procedures you can get at our practice.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a procedure that cosmetic dentists can use to fix or improve the appearance of teeth. The dentist applies a special tooth-colored material, called composite resin, to the tooth to make it look better.
First, the dentist prepares the tooth by cleaning it. They then apply a solution to make the tooth rougher so that the bonding material sticks well. Without this, the tooth would be too smooth to work with.
Then, they put the composite resin on the tooth and shape it to match the natural tooth shape. They use a special light to harden or set the material to make sure it can stand up to talking, eating, and anything else one may do with their teeth.
After that, the dentist trims and polishes the bonded tooth to make it smooth.
Dental bonding can fix small chips or cracks in teeth, cover up stains or discoloration, and even make teeth look longer or straighter. It’s a simple and painless procedure that usually takes only one visit to the dentist.
Benefits of Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is fantastic for making adjustments to the teeth that would otherwise be hard to make with conventional dental procedures.
For example, if a tooth is too small, there’s not much that you can do about that with standard dentistry or even orthodontic work. Dental bonding, however, is a great solution that’s quick, easy, and effective.
It’s a single-appointment procedure, meaning you can get back to using your teeth as you normally would on the same day as your appointment. There’s no real recovery period (though you may need to adjust to the new shape of your tooth).
Tooth Reshaping
Tooth reshaping, also known as dental contouring, is a procedure that a cosmetic dentist can use to change the shape or appearance of a tooth. It’s similar to dental bonding, but instead of adding onto the tooth, the dentist removes some of the tooth.
During tooth reshaping, the dentist carefully removes a tiny amount of tooth enamel to reshape the tooth. They might smooth out rough edges, fix small chips or unevenness, or adjust the length of the tooth (which requires a bit more tooth removal).
This process is usually painless because the dentist only removes a small amount of enamel, which is the outer layer of the tooth. If you feel any discomfort, don’t hesitate to let your dentist know.
After reshaping the tooth, the dentist can use a special tool to polish it. Tooth reshaping is a quick procedure that can often be done in a single visit to the dentist.
Benefits of Tooth Reshaping
Tooth reshaping has many of the same benefits as dental bonding.
Again, it’s a quick and easy procedure that a dentist can complete in a single appointment. You may experience some short-term discomfort or sensitivity, but you should feel comfortable enough to eat and speak (you may want to avoid overly acidic foods or extreme temperatures for a few days).
This is another cosmetic dental procedure that allows you to fix “problems” that are otherwise unfixable. If you have a tooth that’s too large or misshapen, tooth reshaping is an easy solution.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is perhaps the most popular type of cosmetic dentistry service and for a good reason! Many people desire pearly white teeth, but even with top-notch oral health, it just isn’t possible for everyone.
There are so many factors that can influence the color of your teeth. Some of it is just genetics. You may also have stained teeth from coffee, smoking, or even various foods (like berries).
During a professional teeth whitening session, a special gel or solution is applied to the teeth. This gel has ingredients that can remove stains and discoloration from the surface of the teeth. Sometimes the dentist will also use a light to help activate the whitening gel and make it work better.
The whitening gel works by breaking down the stains on your teeth, making them lighter in color. It’s important to know that teeth whitening is safe when done by a dentist or under their supervision. It’s safer and more effective than using over-the-counter teeth whitening products.
Teeth whitening can help make your smile look more vibrant and confident. It’s not a replacement for good oral health, but it will help you show off your healthy smile.
Benefits of Professional Teeth Whitening
Professional teeth whitening, as we mentioned, is safer than DIY teeth whitening. Doing your own teeth whitening at home could lead to weakened enamel, which could also lead to future damage and sensitivity.
Professional teeth whitening also leads to better results. Whether the dentist has you take a whitening kit home or they do it in-office, you’ll notice a difference (even if it’s subtle) after the first treatment.
Professional teeth whitening is also more affordable and accessible than many other types of cosmetic dentistry. It’s an awesome first cosmetic dental procedure for anyone who isn’t totally sold on cosmetic dentistry yet.
The results look realistic and can be very impactful.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are like shells or shields that a cosmetic dentist can use to make your teeth look better and improve your smile. They are thin pieces of porcelain that are custom-made to fit over the front surfaces of your teeth.
First, the dentist prepares your teeth by removing a small amount of enamel. Then, they take an impression of your teeth and send it to a dental laboratory, where the porcelain veneers are created just for you. When the veneers are ready, the dentist carefully bonds them to your teeth using a special adhesive.
Porcelain veneers can help fix teeth with a wide variety of cosmetic issues such as cracks or stains. They can also make your teeth look longer or close gaps between them. With porcelain veneers, your smile can be transformed and look beautiful.
It’s important to remember that porcelain veneers are a permanent change to your teeth, and you need to take care of them just like your natural teeth. They can still stain. While the veneers may add a layer of protection, they’re not restorative or purposefully protective.
Veneers often take several appointments, and they require a consultation and a thorough exam to make sure that your teeth are healthy enough to support them.
Benefits of Porcelain Veneers
While veneers may take several appointments, they still provide a relatively quick (and long-term) solution to imperfections in your teeth.
The veneers cover everything. Whether it’s a chip, a stain that’s too dark for standard teeth whitening to fix, or even an unusually-sized tooth, veneers can take care of it.
Veneers can even give you the appearance of straighter teeth without spending months or years on orthodontic work. Orthodontic work is important if your misaligned teeth are causing oral health or jaw problems, but if the problems are exclusively aesthetic, veneers are a great alternative.
You can also treat them just like your natural teeth, meaning they’re easier to take care of than most people think.
Dental Implants
It’s important to note that dental implants aren’t strictly cosmetic. They have genuine oral health benefits, and they can even protect the integrity of your jaw (we’ll discuss that more in-depth later on). However, because we offer them and they make such an incredible cosmetic difference to a patient’s smile, we’ll include them in this list.
Dental implants are metal roots that dentists use to replace missing teeth. They are placed in your jawbone and act as a sturdy foundation for a replacement tooth.
The dental implant procedure is more time-intensive than the other cosmetic dental procedures on this list. It all starts with a consultation and an exam, but then the actual process is broken down into several appointments.
First, the dentist carefully places the dental implant into your jawbone during minor surgery. Over time, the implant fuses with the bone, making it strong and stable. The healing period takes several months.
When the initial healing period is over, a special connector called an abutment attaches to the implant. Finally, the dentist places a custom-made artificial tooth, called a crown, on top of the abutment to fill in the gap where your missing tooth used to be.
Dental implants can help you eat, speak, and smile just like you did before. They look and feel like natural teeth. They can also prevent your other teeth from shifting and keep your jawbone healthy.
You can get one implant or a whole mouth of implants depending on your unique needs.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants have an obvious cosmetic benefit. If you’re missing some teeth, the implants will make your smile look as good as new.
They’re more comfortable and longer-lasting than dentures, and they’re suitable for people who are missing any number of teeth. A dentist can make an implant look so natural that no one will notice it’s there.
Dental implants can prevent bone resorption that often results from missing teeth. They provide more stability to the jaw. They also help to protect the surrounding teeth from further damage.
Botox Injections
Starting this fall, Pinnacle Dentistry will also be offering Botox injections. Botox is becoming a popular cosmetic treatment, offering several benefits in the field of dentistry. Here are some of the advantages of using Botox for various cosmetic dental concerns:
1. Botox for High Lip Lines: Botox injections can effectively reduce the appearance of high lip lines, commonly known as a “gummy smile.” By targeting specific muscles around the mouth, Botox relaxes the muscles responsible for lifting the upper lip excessively, resulting in a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing smile.
2. Botox for adjusting to new dentures: When patients receive new dentures, they may experience difficulty adjusting to the new oral prosthetics. Botox injections can help alleviate muscle tension and spasms in the facial muscles, reducing discomfort and making it easier for individuals to adapt to their new dentures.
3. Botox for Grinding Teeth and Temporomandibular Joint Problems (TMJ): Botox injections can be an effective treatment for teeth grinding (bruxism) and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. By injecting Botox into the jaw muscles, it can relax and reduce muscle hyperactivity, thereby decreasing clenching and grinding of the teeth and relieving the associated pain and tension in the jaw joint.
4. Botox for Enhancing and Reshaping Your Smile: Botox can be used as a complementary treatment to enhance and reshape the smile. It can be used to relax the muscles around the mouth, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in a more youthful and rejuvenated smile. Additionally, Botox can be used to correct asymmetrical smiles by selectively weakening specific muscles, achieving a more balanced and symmetrical appearance.
Overall, Botox in cosmetic dentistry offers a range of benefits, including reducing high lip lines, aiding in adjusting to new dentures, alleviating teeth grinding and TMJ problems, and enhancing and reshaping smiles. We are excited to add this as a benefit to our patients in Colorado Springs.
Which Cosmetic Dentistry Services Will You Try?
We offer a wide variety of cosmetic dentistry services that can fix many different cosmetic issues. Which one is right for you?
Whether you have cracks in your teeth, misshapen teeth, or even dark stains, cosmetic dentistry procedures can restore your smile and make it look as good as new.
You deserve a smile that you love to show off. With cosmetic dentistry, you can get it!
At Pinnacle Dentistry, we can help you with all of your preventative, restorative, or cosmetic dentistry needs. Contact us to request an appointment today.
