5 Popular Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures for That Hollywood Smile

Did you know that around twenty percent of people would not go on a second date with someone who has crooked teeth? Whether or not you’re looking to go on more dates, it’s important to understand that your teeth and smile are a big part of your first impression when you meet someone new.

If you aren’t totally satisfied with the look of your smile then you might want to consider cosmetic dentistry procedures. These procedures can help give you that Hollywood smile that’s going to win you more friends and get strangers to like you more quickly.

So keep on reading and we’ll take you through everything that you are going to want to know!

1. Teeth Whitening

One of the easiest ways to immediately improve your smile is to have whiter teeth. Many people have teeth that are stained due to smoking and drinking things like coffee and wine. It’s a good idea to remember that if it can stain your clothes then it can stain your teeth.

Teeth whitening is a procedure that uses whitening products to make your teeth appear whiter, brighter, and cleaner.

It usually takes around one hour to have a dentist perform a teeth whitening procedure. The process involves putting whitening gel onto your teeth. The gel contains hydrogen peroxide. A laser or heat lamp is pointed at the teeth.

A protective barrier is used to protect your tongue and gums from the gel.

The gel is left there for thirty minutes to one hour. Sometimes, the gel needs to be reapplied every so often. The gel is then rinsed out. Your dentist might use fluoride to ease your teeth’s sensitivity.

Until you get the shade that you want, you can go in for multiple follow-up sessions. Your dentist might also recommend certain whitening trays to use at home in order to complete the whitening process.

2. Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are covers that look like shells and are very thin. They are bonded to the surface of the tooth. Dental veneers are made of either porcelain or composite resin.

Veneers are a cosmetic procedure that improves the look of the teeth. A veneer can change the color, size, length, and shape of a tooth. These products also closely copy the color of the patient’s natural teeth.

Dental veneers can either be applied through a direct technique or an indirect technique.

Direct Technique

With a direct technique, your dentist can complete the whole process in just one visit. It will involve preparing the tooth by cleaning it and etching the surface. Bonding materials will then be used to make sure that the veneer sticks to the tooth.

Etching is important because it makes it easier for the veneer to adhere to the tooth. It should be noted that etching doesn’t affect the overall structure of the tooth.

After the veneer is placed on, the dentist will cure it using a special kind of light. The light activates chemicals in the bonding agent that make it harden on the tooth.

Indirect Technique

While dentists use the direct technique for composite resin veneers, they use the indirect technique for porcelain veneers. During the first visit, the dentist will take molds of the teeth.

They will then fill the teeth by removing a little bit of enamel. The removed part will be as thin as the veneers.

Your dentist will then place temporary covers over the teeth. They will then send your molds to a lab where the veneers are made. After a few weeks, you’ll go back to the dentist and they will add the veneers to your teeth.

3. Tooth Implants

You can get a tooth implant for functional as well as cosmetic reasons. A tooth implant can fix a gapped smile and even restore your ability to chew.

An implant forms the anchor that holds the visible part of a fake tooth. Similar to the root of a tooth, a dental implant is connected to the jawbone. Here, it slowly fuses with the surrounding bone tissue.

Dental implants can be made out of many different kinds of materials. Most dental implants are made out of zirconium oxide, zirconium-coated titanium, or titanium.

Usually, fake teeth come in three parts. This includes the implant, the abutment, and the outer tooth.

The implant is also referred to as the post. It acts like the root of a real tooth. This is what anchors the fake tooth.

The abutment is what connects the implant to the outer tooth. The outer tooth can be a set of dentures, a bridge, or a dental crown. This is the part of the fake tooth that is used for smiling, talking, and eating.

4. Dental Crowns

As time goes on and you get older, your teeth might start to get damaged. This can happen for all kinds of reasons, such as injuries, tooth decay, and general wear and tear.

Your teeth might start to lose their size or shape. A dental crown is a cap in the shape of a tooth. A crown is used to restore the appearance, strength, size, and shape of a tooth.

A dental crown is cemented into place on the teeth. It covers the visible part of the tooth.

What Are 3/4 Crowns and Onlays?

There are a variety of crowns that can be used on the teeth. 3/4 crowns and onlays are kinds of dental crowns that won’t cover as much of the tooth as normal dental crowns.

A standard dental crown will cover the whole tooth. 3/4 crowns and onlays might be best if you still have a solid tooth structure. This is a more conservative approach when compared with the full coverage of a traditional crown.

Materials for Dental Crowns

A permanent dental crown can be made out of a variety of materials. Metals are commonly used. These include chromium, nickel, palladium, and gold.

Metal crowns rarely break or chip. They last the longest in terms of wear down. The main downside is the metallic color.

Porcelain can also be used. They tend to match the natural color of the teeth.

Resin dental crowns are usually cheaper but can wear down quickly. They are also more likely to break.

A ceramic crown will give you the best option when it comes to natural tooth color. They are also good if you are allergic to metal. With that said, they aren’t as strong as metal crowns.

You can also get pressed ceramic crowns. These crowns have a hard inner core. They are very long-lasting but more expensive.

5. Teeth Reshaping

By reshaping your teeth, you can improve the appearance and health of your teeth. This is a low-cost alternative to something like braces.

This is a painless and fast procedure that removes some of the tooth enamel. It shapes and lengthens the teeth. In order to reach the desired shape, the dentist might also apply a bonding resin that hardens on the tooth.

The first step in this procedure is to go through an X-ray and dental exam. Your dentist can check the health of your gums and teeth this way.

If your dentist sees that you have thin or weak enamel, then they might recommend going with dental veneers instead.

If your enamel, gums, and teeth are strong and healthy, then your dentist will start the procedure by removing tooth enamel. This will minimize the imperfections in your tooth.

The dentist will next shorten or trim the length of longer teeth and shape teeth that are uneven. This will help to improve your bite and alignment.

If you have gaps or chipped teeth, then the dentist can combine bonding with tooth reshaping.

Bonding uses resin to mold and shape the teeth.

Disadvantages of Tooth Reshaping

Some of the best parts about tooth reshaping are that there is no numbing agent, no anesthesia, and no healing process. Most of the time, you can complete the whole thing in one visit.

While tooth reshaping makes small changes to the teeth, it can cost you several hundred dollars to fix just one tooth. And because it’s a form of cosmetic dentistry, it likely won’t be covered by your insurance.

It is also important to remember that whenever you get cosmetic dentistry done, you want to make sure that you go to a cosmetic dentistry specialist. A person who is not experienced in cosmetic dentistry might be cheaper, but they likely will not do as good of a job.

Which of These Popular Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures Is Best for You?

Hopefully, after reading the above article, you now understand why cosmetic dentistry procedures are so important. They can improve your appearance and even your health.

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