With diligent brushing and flossing and regular visits to the dentist’s office, the average person should have clean, healthy teeth, but sometimes, that just isn’t enough.
For those of you who want brighter smiles or beyond perfect teeth, fret not, for you have a solution. Dentists in Marietta, skilled in a number of procedures aimed at dental health, can also perform several cosmetic procedures, making your teeth look their absolute best.
Here are five popular cosmetic dentistry procedures you might want to look into.
1. Teeth Whitening
It seems that everyone wants those whiter teeth, and there are lots of over-the-counter products that might help you get that perfectly white smile. However, if you’re looking for something that is a bit more effective, you might want to try professional teeth whitening.
Teeth whitening, or dental bleaching, procedures are quite popular.
- The traditional method uses plastic trays, which are usually custom-fitted to form around a person’s teeth as snugly as possible. The trays are filled with a gel containing an oxidizing agent that should successfully remove any superficial stains on the teeth. The patient wears the trays, with the gel, for about 20 minutes at a time.
After the patient has been fitted with a tray, he can perform the procedure all on his own, in the comfort of his home. Home bleaching can take up to two weeks.
- For instant results, tooth bleaching can be done in the doctor’s office. This makes use of the same tray system but with a higher concentration bleaching agent.
- For internal stains, a dentist may apply a light-accelerated treatment, using a high intensity blue light to bleach teeth.
2. Veneers
Veneers are applied to the front teeth. Veneers are usually made of porcelain and can
- Whiten teeth
- Close spaces between teeth
- Fix a broken or chipped tooth
- Straighten crooked teeth
As you can see, veneers have some useful orthodontic applications on top of their primary aesthetic function.
3. Crowns
Crowns, also known as caps, are coverings that fit over teeth. They are often used to improve the appearance of natural teeth that look malformed, malpositioned, or discolored. However, they can also add much-needed support to weak teeth.
4. Dental Bridges
Dental bridges help bridge the gap created by a missing tooth. Bridges consist of a false tooth and two crowns. The crowns fit over the teeth surrounding the gap, while the false tooth acts as a substitute for the missing tooth.
5. Gum Lifts
Gum lifts are not as common as other types of cosmetic dentistry. During this procedure, the dentist raises and sculpts the gum line to make teeth appear longer and more symmetrical, which in turn improves the look of a patient’s smile.