Summer is just around the corner, the season of weddings, festivals, vacations, and family gatherings! Get ready for all your exciting events by revamping your smile. Cosmetic dentistry can help you reach all your smile goals.
Teeth Whitening: One of the easiest ways to up your smile game is to brighten your smile with teeth whitening treatments. Teeth aren’t naturally stark white. The enamel that coats the teeth is a natural shade of white, but the dentin under the enamel has a slight yellow hue. It is common for this layer of dentin to show through the enamel, especially for individuals who have a thinner layer of enamel. Therefore, even if you are in great oral health, your teeth may still benefit from whitening treatments.
Discolored teeth can also be a result of consuming certain foods and beverages regularly or other daily habits, such as smoking cigarettes. Having a cup of coffee every once in a while, won’t significantly discolor your smile. However, if you are a daily coffee drinker, your enamel is likely stained by your favorite espresso. Whitening treatments can lift these stains, leaving a dazzling, bright smile.
Common Teeth-Staining Culprits
- Coffee
- Tea
- Dark Sodas
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Red Wine
- Smoking
- Chewing Tobacco
- Certain Medications
The safest and most effective ways to achieve a stunning white smile are whitening treatments in a dental office or professional take-home whitening kits. Whitening treatments performed by a dentist can brighten a smile in less than an hour, while take-home kits give patients the freedom to whiten their smile on their own time with custom whitening trays.
Bonding: Even a small chip on one tooth can make a huge difference in the appearance of your smile. Luckily, chipped and broken teeth can be easily covered up with tooth bonding. Tooth bonding can also fill small gaps and even lengthen a tooth that is shorter than the rest.
A composite resin is attached to your natural tooth structure. The bond will match the color of your teeth, making it nearly impossible to see where your natural tooth ends and the bond begins.
Fixing chips and cracks is important for more than just cosmetic reasons. Correcting the damage helps patients chew correctly and prevents further damage. This procedure is quick, requires zero recovery time, and typically does not require any anesthetic. It is important to note that if you wish to have your teeth whitened in the future, the composite resin will not respond to whitening treatments. It will not harm the bond, but you may have to have it replaced to match the rest of your smile.
Veneers: Veneers provide the ultimate smile transformation. They can cover chips, gaps, misshapen teeth, and can even make a crooked tooth appear straighter. Thin porcelain or composite resin coverings are placed over the front of the teeth, creating a flawless, natural-looking smile that can last for over a decade. If you are looking for a complete smile makeover, veneers may be the perfect option for you.
Orthodontics: A straight smile isn’t just for kids! Orthodontic treatment can benefit people of all ages. On average it only takes 16-18 months to correct misaligned teeth and jaws through orthodontic treatment. If you are concerned about flashing a metal smile, we have some good news for you! Clear aligners and ceramic braces can correct essentially the same alignment issues as braces and allow patients to straighten their smiles practically invisibly.
Whether you want a straighter smile, brighter teeth, or a complete smile makeover, cosmetic dentistry can help you achieve a flawless smile. Schedule a consultation today to learn how to make your dream smile a reality.
