Cosmetic Procedures Restore Oral Health

By Author: Peter Roseberg
Total Articles: 79
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Cosmetic dentistry is a field covering a variety of procedures. Even though many of these are primarily intended to restore dental health, some also guarantee a pleasing appearance after the treatment. Your best options are still determined with a visit to the dentist, but here are some of the procedures you should consider the next time you look in the mirror and see room for improvement in your smile.

Tooth whitening is one of the more popular dental treatments available; the benefits are immediate and noticeable. You can compare the results to a month’s worth of whitening strip applications. The main difference between teeth whitening products and one-hour professional whitening is in the bleaching agent used. The substance used in whitening strips and trays (hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide) are diluted for safety and prolonged, repeated use. In comparison, in-office whitening uses bleaching agents in the highest possible concentrations, up to thirty-three percent for best results. Your teeth’s hue will improve by up to seven shades, depending on the number of applications you’ll go through.

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... bleaching is only recommended for superficial stains, though. Some are internal and difficult, even impossible to remove. Veneers are your next-best options if bleaching doesn’t work. Instead of dissolving the cause of the stains, these wafer-thin attachments cover the problem in shades that match adjacent teeth. The placements also restore form and appearance; if you have gaps between teeth or a tooth’s been chipped, damaged with trauma or disease, veneers replace enamel and practically give you a clean slate. This restorative procedure comes with a tradeoff, though; you’ll have to sacrifice part of your tooth to accommodate the veneer, and your dentist will shave as much to ensure a comfortable fit.

Dental bridges and crowns restore or replace badly damaged teeth. Although many dentists try to avoid these options as much as they can, these ensure your teeth’s form and proper alignment are maintained. It’s a shame to lose a tooth because of decay or damage, especially if half of it is still intact and healthy. Dental crowns cap and replace diseased or damaged enamel, and dental bridges fill in the gaps left by an extracted tooth. In many cases, these come as paired restorative solutions; a bridge may be mounted on a dental crown for support. Dental crowns are usually made of porcelain, metal, or a combination of both materials, while bridges are sometimes made of resins for flexibility and durability.

When all is lost and extraction is the only resort, you can still opt to replace a missing tooth with an implant. This serves as a substitute, a permanent replacement. A socket is placed on the area of the extraction, treaded on the inside to accommodate an abutment. The post serves as support for a replacement, porcelain tooth. Your dentist should brief you about the prospects of these options, as well as the costs of each treatment. You can check this site for cosmetic dentist Brisbane if you’re looking for clinics within the area. Note that most cosmetic dental treatments are excluded from dental insurance coverage, though, so make sure your purse is fat enough to handle the costs of the procedures.