There are so many procedures today that the following is just a sample of the major ones. Cosmetic dentistry has grown, as the practice has been able to change more of the unsightly or perceived unsightly problems, which generally have either been bred in them or are caused by aging and usage of teeth. It has also become a major way of restoration after accidental damage. Cosmetic dentistry can be a specialist dentistry practice or part of a normal healthcare practice.
1) Teeth Whitening gives a person a nice white smile and there are several treatments. The work is carried out to cover staining or time discolouration or just to enhance the natural colour. The cheaper ones with a gel last a few months and laser treatment and others can last up to a year. Talk to your dentist about the types he offers and the price schedule.
2) Dental Veneers do a similar type of thing to the whitening process but they do it for damaged and discoloured teeth with a porcelain or composite covering.
3) Dental Caps, Crowns are used to cover damaged teeth. Surgical work is carried out to shape the original tooth and then a perfect fit is made to replace the size, shape and colour of the original tooth.
4) Dental Implants are made by screwing a titanium fixture into the jawbone and a false tooth is anchored to it. This gives a virtually new tooth without the problems of moveable false teeth. It is ideal for replacing missing or damaged teeth provided there is a good jawbone base. Dental Bridges also fit between teeth to fill in missing teeth.
5) Dentures or False teeth can be individual or several teeth fitted to an acrylic resin base (often reinforced), which is crafted to fit the mouth and give a perfectly natural appearance.
6) Fillings or Dental Bonding have changed over the years and whilst the typical amalgam ones last about 7 years the newer composite resins last up to 12 years without significant deterioration.
7) Root Canal work is required when the canals within the tooth become infected and require drilling out and cleaning. It can be more painful than other treatments but it has progressed since the early days.
8) General Cosmetic Work can be done using accelerated orthodontics to straighten teeth, fill in gaps, space teeth and even reposition the front teeth.
9) Braces can do simple straightening but take time.
10) The gums form the shape of your mouth and your smile is formed by the amount of tissue present and there is a range of surgical procedures aimed at improving the appearance.
The main thing is to talk to your dental practitioner or find a good cosmetic practioner and discuss the range of procedures that they can do and what would be the benefits and the potential problems. Also check the time to be taken on the work and the discomfort and difficulties to be faced during the operation and over the treatment period. Very often these treatments take a number of consultations and are both time consuming and expensive. Please check the potential costs of this work and what might have to be done at a later date if the first work is not what your final aim is intended to be.
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