Cosmetic dentistry is also referred to as aesthetic dentistry. Over recent years, it has rapidly progressed. You can get a nice smile and your teeth can look great with a simple procedure. In this article, four specific areas of this genre of dentistry will be discussed. They are veneers, tooth shaping, gum-lifts, and tooth whitening.
Procedures today are painless, relatively simple and affordable. This is chiefly due to technological advancements. Before choosing to have cosmetic dentistry, it is important to make a well-informed decision. Discuss the matter with an experienced dentist to ensure that your expectations can be met.
Let’s first discuss porcelain laminate veneers, more simply called ‘veneers’. These are very thin pieces of porcelain which the dentist secures on the tooth surface. They hide flaws and any other dental damage to enhance the general look of your mouth while improving your smile. This will boost your self-image and self-confidence.
Veneers also have a practical purpose. They can eliminate a crooked smile and close gaps without the necessity of bridges or braces. The first phase involves taking a mold of the patient’s mouth and then carefully removing a thin layer of enamel. Temporary veneers are then fitted for a few weeks until the dental laboratory has manufactured the final ones.
Another process that technology has made easy, painless and quick is tooth-whitening. Before this can be done, the dentist will fill any cavities and ensure that the gums are healthy. Stains on the enamel are oxidized with a powerful laser beam and hydrogen peroxide gel. In less than an hour, you will notice amazing results.
Tooth-shaping is a procedure that involves the removal of 1 or 2 millimeters of the tooth enamel. The dentist is able to make long teeth shorter or hone pointed teeth. This helps create a smile that follows the natural contour of the lower lip.
There are no nerves in tooth enamel so re-shaping is completely pain free and can be done in less than 30 minutes. After the procedure, there might be a little sensitivity but relief can be obtained with a desensitizer or a powerful fluoride solution. There is no long-term damage to the teeth even though enamel is removed.
The last procedure to be discussed in this article is a gingivectomy, commonly called a gum-lift. The dentist can re-align the gum-line to make the teeth look larger by removing part of the gum. This eliminates that ‘gummy’ smile caused by an excessive amount of gum above the front teeth which can make you extremely self-conscious.
Therefore, a gum-lift is a cosmetic dentistry procedure that can improve self-esteem and confidence. After numbing the area, the dentist will carefully remove the excess gum. To avoid an infection developing afterwards, you will be told to use an antiseptic mouthwash until the wound heals. Even though the surgery is pain-free, there may be some discomfort for a while. If the procedure is performed by a skilled dentist, there will be no gum damage.

