The Pros and Cons of Cosmetic Dentistry

Do you know the difference between cosmetic and general dentistry? Most of us are familiar with general dental checkups in which we get out teeth evaluated and cleaned. But if you’re looking to whiten your smile or change the dental aesthetics of your teeth, cosmetic dentistry is for you! This practice focuses on changing the color, shape, and design of your teeth to give you the nicest smile possible. Use this guide to determine if cosmetic dentistry is for you!

General vs. Cosmetic

Different forms of dentistry have been around for thousands of years, and some of the oldest evidence of dentistry comes from the Indus Valley Civilization dating back to 7000 BC! Since the 1700s, dentistry has been centered on maintaining healthy teeth and fixing infection, with many dentists teaching their patients how to just care for their teeth in general. Although methods and practices have changed and evolved since then, the types of dentistry that have become so commonplace now, such as general and cosmetic, have allowed for us to not only have healthy teeth but also decide exactly what our teeth should look like. General dentistry focuses on preserving the health of our teeth and gums while cosmetic refers to customized dental treatments that influence how our teeth and gums look. Cosmetic focuses on aesthetics and what can be done to enhance the beauty of your smile by changing the color, shape, alignment, size, and position of your teeth. Most cases of cosmetic dentistry are elective rather than essential, but many have restorative benefits that improve the overall health of your mouth, as well. While general dentistry has a specific focus on overall mouth health, cosmetic dentistry has a broad range of procedures that have specific aesthetic functions for your teeth and gums.

Types of Cosmetic Procedures

Although there are a multitude of cosmetic dentistry procedures that can be performed, the five that are the most common are inlays and onlays, composite bonding, dental veneers, teeth whitening, and implants. Inlays and onlays are known as indirect fillings, and are used whenever a tooth has mild to severe decay and there is not enough tooth structure to support a filling. If there is no damage to a tooth cusp, then an inlay is placed directly onto the tooth surface. If there is damage, an onlay is used to cover the tooth’s entire surface. Both inlays and onlays provide support to the strengthened tooth and help to avoid further decay or deterioration.  Composite bonding uses material that resembles the color of tooth enamel to cover and repair decayed, damaged, or discolored teeth. Your dentist drills out the decay, applies the composite onto the tooth’s surface, and then sculpts it to the tooth before curing it with a high intensity light. This process covers the damage of the tooth while simultaneously giving the appearance of a healthy tooth. Out of all the cosmetic procedures, composite bonding is the least expensive to those patients wanting to fix chipped or cracked teeth and tooth decay.

For those patients wishing to skip the orthodontist and fix their crooked or gapped teeth, porcelain dental veneers are an option. Porcelain veneers work as as a shell for damaged or badly stained teeth, and each custom piece permanently restores the shape and color of your teeth. The dentist applies the veneer to the front of each tooth using an adhesive, and they look exceptionally realistic to an actual tooth. Another cosmetic procedure, and one of the most popular, is teeth whitening (bleaching) to lighten stained teeth or simply give your smile a boost. In-office whitening is recommended over home remedies as it allows for dentists to monitor your gums and supporting bone structure, which can be affected by teeth whitening. Plaque, tartar, and other debris should always be removed from teeth before whitening so that all surface areas can be reached by the treatment. Lastly, dental implants are used to replace missing teeth and bridge gaps between teeth. A titanium anchor is embedded into the bone below the gum as a support for the crown, which gives it strength and durability. Dental implants can give you a natural-looking and long-lasting solution to any problematic tooth.

Where To Start

Unlike general dentistry, which every patient needs to maintain the health of their teeth and gums, cosmetic dentistry is for those people who want to manage how their smile looks and improve their confidence. If you’re considering a cosmetic dentistry procedure, do your research and make sure that the dentist you will be seeing can perform the specific procedure that you want done. Not all dentists perform cosmetic procedures, so get more information before setting up an appointment. Most cosmetic dentistry procedures can be costly, but many, if not all, dental offices can help develop a treatment and payment plan to give you the best option to improve your smile without breaking your budget. If you are ready to change your smile now, call Stonebrook Family Dental at (303) 872-7907 for a consultation that will fit your cosmetic needs!