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Cosmetic
Dentistry
The
World Health Organization defines health as being “a state of complete physical, mental and social
well-being and
not merely the absence of disease”. General
dentistry has for centuries focused on preventing,
diagnosing, and treating oral disease.
Cosmetic
dentistry is a more recent field that considers
the “mental and social well-being” of the
patient’s health. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on
improving the appearance of a person’s teeth,
mouth and smile. While good oral health is a
necessity, no one can deny the psychological
benefits of having a beautiful smile.
Tools
of the trade
Dentists
employ various procedures to help you attain the
image you are after. These are the same procedures
used in general dentistry to restore damaged
teeth, except the focus is on appearance now, and
not just function. They include:
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Teeth
whitening/bleaching. Likely the
most common dental enhancement – teeth
bleaching allows you to remove stains that
have accumulated from years and years of
smoking, drinking coffee, and just regular
use.
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Veneers.
Dental veneers are thin shells of
tooth-colored material that are cemented onto
the surface of teeth to cover dental
irregularities. Usually, the tooth’s surface
is slightly reduced to make room for the
veneer. Veneers can rejuvenate worn down
teeth, close gaps between teeth, and whiten
teeth when bleaching is ineffective.
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Implants.
Dental implants are artificial teeth that are
placed permanently into bone to replace lost
or missing natural teeth. Their appearance is
amazingly natural and they function like
normal teeth.
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Resin
bonding. Chipped or fractured teeth
can be repaired simply with the same type of
filling material used to repair decayed teeth.
The material is applied, shaped, and allowed
to set – creating a lasting and natural
look.
Cosmetic
dentistry is not limited to these procedures
alone. All procedures, from dental crowns to
orthodontics, are available to cosmetic dentists
as they craft your perfect smile.
Common
irregularities & possible treatments
In
the dental office, the following dental
irregularities are commonly seen and treated. If
your particular concern is not listed here, do not
worry – modern day dentistry can accommodate
almost anything, simply consult your dentist.
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| Teeth bleaching was
able to reduce the tetracycline
staining on these teeth without the
need for more invasive dental veneers. |
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Discolored
teeth
Many
conditions cause teeth to be discolored. Some
causes include tetracycline ingestion at an early
age, dental trauma, excess fluoride ingestion, and
stains caused by foods, drinks and smoking.
Persons with discolored teeth have several
treatment options available to them, including:
That
is the order of treatment we recommend. While
teeth cleaning might not have tremendous results,
never skip to dental veneers without having given
bleaching a try.
To
learn more about any of those procedures, just
click the links. Removing discoloration is almost
always successful, but different people go to
different extends to see the results they expect.
Consult your dentist.
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| The diasteme (gap)
between the two central incisor teeth
was closed using a simple bonding
procedure. |
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Spaces
between teeth
Another
common esthetic concern among patients is
excessive spaces between teeth. From a dental
standpoint, as long as you do not mind your
appearance, having spaces does not harm your
dental health – if anything, it makes cleaning
that area easier.
Spaces
are caused by teeth that are too small in relation
to the size of the jaws (entirely genetic), past
removal of a tooth causing drifting of other
teeth, lack of development of some teeth, tight
muscle attachments (frena) that keep teeth from
coming together, and various other factors.
Some
spaces can be closed easily, while other spaces
are more difficult. Nonetheless, all spaces
between teeth can be eliminated if you sincerely
desire it. The most common treatment options
include:
The
severity of the spacing and its location
determines which therapy is best for you. Read
more by clicking each respective option, or
consult your dentist.
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| The lower front teeth
of this patient are worn down from
excessive grinding. Treatment is
possible, but costly. |
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Worn
teeth
We
all cause wear of our natural teeth throughout
life. Researchers estimate that normal chewing
wears natural teeth a little more than the
thickness of human hair a year. Such normal wear
will not be visually evident until old age for
most. However, a certain portion of the population
wears their teeth down more than normal. These
individuals grind, clench or “brux” their
teeth excessively causing excessive wear.
Additionally, drinking acidic drinks, brushing too
hard, or even bulimia (vomit contains the
stomach’s acid contents) can all cause teeth to
wear.
Persons
with worn teeth often present difficult treatment
challenges. One or more of the following treatment
alternatives are possible:
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| The anterior teeth in
this patient were fractured from
injury but easily repaired by placing
dental veneers. |
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Fractured
teeth
Tooth
fractures are very common among children, where
broken teeth can upset the parents and impair the
child’s confidence. These fractures can be
repaired, or the parent may opt to wait for the
baby teeth to simply fall out on their own. Tooth
fractures are not that uncommon in adults either
though.
Read
the “emergency care” portion of the site if
you have had a recent tooth fracture – if the
root is involved, root canal therapy may be
required. Assuming the fracture is less of an
emergency case and more like a simple chipped
tooth, the following options are available:
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| This patient had two
peg laterals.
Dental crowns were placed to fix the
irregularity. |
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Irregularly
shaped teeth
If
you had injury to your primary (childhood) teeth,
it may have had a negative impact on the
developing adult teeth underneath. Most commonly
though, simple genetics are to blame for oddly
shaped teeth.
If
the spacing between them is relatively normal,
there are several treatment options that can
provide excellent results:
Root
surface of tooth displaying
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| The gumline recession
seen in this patient was corrected by
performing periodontal surgery. |
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With
healthy teeth, you should only see the crowns
(white portion) of teeth, not the root structure
that goes into the gums. With old age or smoking,
your gums may recede (go down) below the gum line
and display the root surface. Root surfaces tend
to be darker and browner in color, so they stand
out. Additionally, root surfaces are not built to
withstand bacterial plaque like enamel on the
crown, so decay occurs faster.
As
mentioned, such conditions are common after the
age of 50, but fortunately, can be treated by
consulting a periodontist regarding periodontal
surgery. Your dentist can provide a referral.
Crooked
teeth
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| While costly and time
consuming, orthodontics can have
amazing results with even the worst
type situation. |
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Many
people have teeth that did not erupt in a straight
alignment. The major area of dentistry that deals
with straightening teeth, orthodontics, is highly
developed and successful.
You
may just have one or two teeth that are out of
alignment, tilted, rotated, etc, though. While
orthodontics can help, a faster and cheaper
alternative may be to leave the tooth’s root
where it is, and simply contour the crown so it appears
straight and aligned. This depends how
misaligned the tooth is from the other teeth –
excessive cases will require orthodontics for even
one tooth.
To
summarize, your options include:
Missing
teeth or tooth
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| Missing teeth in the
top picture were replaced with dental
implants (bottom picture) that will
last a lifetime. |
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It
is amazing how noticeable one appears when a few
teeth are missing in a part of the mouth that is
readily observable. This condition has become
socially unacceptable in most developed countries.
Fortunately, several great treatment options
exist:
The
best option for you depends on a number of
factors, such as the number and location of teeth
missing, what you can afford, and the health of
your remaining teeth. To learn more, research each
treatment option by clicking on them, and consult
your dentist.
Final
comment (please
read)
The
web is littered with sites pushing cosmetic
dentistry procedures, and sadly, you will likely
find dentists that do the same. Cosmetic dentistry
is intended to make you feel better about yourself
– not to correct problems that you never even
considered an issue.
If
you have always wanted something changed about
your dental appearance, your dentist can help you.
On the other hand, if your dentist is suggesting
changes that are only cosmetic, and you never
considered an issue before – then it is time to
change your dentist.
Many
dental sites and dentists forget: very few people
have that “ideal look”, and it is not the
profession’s job to conform people to that
image. |
