Cosmetic Improvements to Your Smile

Cosmetic Improvements to Your Smile

There’s a whole branch of dentistry made for giving you the smile you’ve always wanted. Cosmetic dentistry provides numerous options for treatment with the goal of improving the appearance of your smile. Often there are oral health benefits as well, but the primary purpose is making cosmetic improvements to your smile.

Cosmetic dentists complete training in specialized procedures that some dental practices may not offer. If you’re looking for ways to enhance your look, seek help from a reputable and qualified cosmetic dentist to assist you in achieving your goals. It’s a matter of communicating what you dislike about your smile, undergoing an examination so that the dentist can make recommendations, and then deciding your treatment plan together. Some patients choose only a single procedure, and others pursue several in order to get their final beautiful smile.

What are some common cosmetic dental procedures?

  • Veneers – thin layers of porcelain are bonded to the fronts of teeth to hide many kinds of flaws, like chips, cracks, discolorations, gaps and more. Veneers provide a durable way to instantly improve smiles.
  • Implants – a titanium rod is surgically placed into the jaw bone to create a new root for a missing tooth. After healing, an artificial tooth is secured on top to finalize the restoration. Implants provide a secure, natural looking, and permanent alternative to dentures.
  • Teeth whitening – stains and discolorations are removed in only an hour’s time through professional whitening methods. Dramatic improvements can be made to smiles without the hassles and waiting of at-home whitening methods.
  • Crowns and bridges – teeth that have decayed or weakened from root canal treatment may ultimately fall out. Strengthening of a tooth can be achieved through a crown, which covers the entire tooth to protect it from cracks and possible cavities. A bridge replaces more than one missing tooth to fully restore a smile.
  • Invisalign – crooked teeth can be improved using Invisalign clear plastic aligners. This series of removable trays gently moves teeth into better alignment without the embarrassing process of traditional braces.

No matter what is making you unhappy with the appearance of your smile, it’s worth your time to schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist. Chances are that you’ll be on your way to a brand new smile!

Schedule your appointment at our McDonough dental office

Defining Crowns and Bridges

Defining Crowns and Bridges

If you’re looking to improve both your oral health and your smile, a dental crown or a bridge may be recommended. They both improve the functionality and appearance of teeth, providing many health and cosmetic benefits to patients.

What are crowns?

These are basically caps that are placed over existing teeth. They restore the size, shape and strength of your tooth and make it look natural and appealing in your smile. Crowns can be made of various materials including ceramic, resin, plastic, stainless steel or metal alloys. A combination of materials may even be used to achieve ideal strength and appearance.

When are crowns recommended?

There are a number of reasons that dentists install crowns. They may protect a weak tooth, save a cracked tooth, restore a worn or broken tooth, hide a badly discolored or crooked tooth, hold a bridge, cover an implant, or aid in completing a cosmetic dental procedure.

What does the crown procedure involve?

A crown installation typically requires three dental visits. Initially, the dentist examines the tooth to advise the best material. On the second visit, the tooth is prepared and an impression is made for creating the crown in a dental lab, and a temporary crown is placed. The final visit involves replacing the temporary crown with the final one.

What are bridges?

These restorations consist of two crowns that are joined together by a tooth. Bridges replace missing teeth by relying on adjacent teeth for support. They are made out of the same types of materials as crowns.

When are bridges recommended?

Bridges are most often a solution for replacing a few teeth, especially on just one side of the mouth. They are only successful when neighboring teeth are strong and offer excellent bone support.

What is the bridge procedure?

While two crowns and a missing tooth are fabricated in a dental lab, teeth adjacent to the gap are trimmed and prepared for crowns. When the restoration is ready, the pieces will be joined in the mouth to create a bridge to be held in place by the crowns on both sides of the artificial tooth.

We treat patients from McDonough and the surrounding area