Cosmetic Dentistry
Everybody loves a bright white smile, and there are a variety of products and procedures available to help you improve the look of yours. Many people are satisfied with the sparkle they get from brushing twice daily with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, cleaning between their teeth with floss once a day and the regular cleanings at your dentist’s office. If you decide you would like to go beyond this to make your smile look brighter, you should investigate all of your options.
You can take several approaches to improve your smile:
- At-home bleaching (ie. Tooth Whitening)
- Cosmetic procedures (ie. Resin Bonding or Veneers)
- Orthodontics (ie. Braces or Invisalign)
What Should You Ask Your Dentist Or Hygienist?
You may want to start by speaking with your dentist. He or she can tell you whether whitening procedures would be effective for you. Whiteners may not correct all types of discoloration. For example, yellow-ish hued teeth will probably bleach well, brownish-colored teeth may bleach less well, and grayish-hued teeth may not bleach well at all. Likewise, bleaching may not enhance your smile if you have had bonding or tooth-colored fillings placed in your front teeth. The whitener will not affect the color of these materials, and they will stand out in your newly whitened smile. In these cases, you may want to investigate other options, like porcelain veneers or bonding.
Tooth Whitening:
There are several types of products available for use at home, which can either be dispensed by your dentist or purchased over-the-counter.
Bleaching solutions or bleaching strips. These products contain peroxide(s), which whiten the teeth from the inside. These products typically rely on carbamide peroxide as the bleaching agent in varying concentrations (10%, 16%, 22%). Peroxide-containing whiteners typically come in a gel and are placed in a mouthguard. Usage regimens vary. Some products are used for about twice a day for 2 weeks, and others are intended for overnight use for 1-2 weeks. If you obtain the bleaching solution from your dentist, he or she can make a custom-fitted mouthguard for you that will fit your teeth precisely. In general, better and quicker results are achieved from custom fitted trays than results that can be achieved from strips that can be applied to the teeth (ex. Crest white strips).
Cosmetic Bonding and Veneers:
If you are unhappy with the color, shape, or size of your teeth, you may be a candidate for these cosmetic procedures. Life changing results can be achieved in a matter of a couple visits by adding restorative material to your teeth to create your ideal smile. These procedures are typically non-invasive and rely on adding material to your teeth rather than taking tooth structure away. Ask your dentist or hygienist which options might be right for you.
Before:
After:
Actual Patient
Orthodontics:
Orthodontics, which is commonly thought of as “braces,” can be an excellent way to create a beautiful smile. Usually the teeth are moved or rotated into an ideal esthetic position to achieve the results that patients are looking for. This tooth movement can be achieved via a number of methods including traditional braces or clear aligners such as Invisalign. If your are interested in this treatment, please ask your dentist or hygienist and we can give you the information needed which may involve a referral to one of our local orthodontists.