What is A Cosmetic Dentist?

Some people are blessed with a beautiful smile from birth, but most people need a little bit of help to get their smiles up to par. The aim of cosmetic dentistry is to take your uniquely beautiful smile and make it look as perfect as possible—whiter, straighter, and contoured to fit your face. Learn about the modern cosmetic treatments available for patients who want a more attractive set of teeth. 

Why Is Cosmetic Dentistry So Popular? 

A smile is a way of telling someone we’re happy, we’re pleased to be in their company, or that we’re having a good time. It’s a greeting and an important social cue. So if you feel like you have to hide your teeth from others, it can affect how you interact with the world. Cosmetic dentistry allows people with even the most discolored or damaged teeth to see a smile improvement, which is why it’s so popular in dentist offices across the country. 

A smile makeover goes beyond simply responding to dental problems as they arise. It's a comprehensive smile-rejuvenation plan that's uniquely suited to your own facial features and aesthetic preferences. The results can be quite dramatic — both in terms of how your will look and how you will feel. These are the major steps involved:

Take a look. The makeover process is all about giving you the smile of your dreams. So take a good look at your smile and note what you like and don't like about it.  Some questions you can ask yourself are:

• Are your teeth as white as you'd like them to be?
• Are any teeth chipped, cracked or worn?
• Does your smile have a gummy appearance?
• Do your teeth seem too large or small?
• Do you like the alignment and spacing of your teeth
• Are you self-conscious about crookedness or gaps?

Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments 

• Dental bonding and reshaping
• Teeth whitening
• Dental veneers
• Dental implants
• Dental filling
• Inlays/onlays
• Invisalign
• Gum Surgery
• Cosmetic Fillings

Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that's you! Some people want their smile to look “perfect” — and to them, that means completely straight, uniformly white teeth. Others like a slightly more natural look, and are not displeased by slight gaps or shade variations. There are lots of decisions to make, but don't worry — dentists are skilled at helping you sort it all out!

Share your thoughts. Communication is an extremely important part of the smile makeover process. At the first makeover consultation, it helps if you describe what you would like to change in as much detail as possible. Bring along pictures of smiles you like, or of how your own smile used to look. Your makeover dentist will have some thoughts to share with you as well because dentists are trained to look at smiles in terms of facial balance. In other words, a dentist will look not only at how the elements of a smile (teeth, lips and gums) relate to each other, but also how they blend in with the face as a whole.

Make a plan. An important part of planning a smile makeover is a comprehensive dental exam. Cosmetic Dentistry offers an amazing array of lifelike tooth restorations and treatments; but first, any conditions in your mouth that may jeopardize a good result must be taken care of. If your teeth are discolored, for example, the reason must be determined. You may have an underlying dental disease that needs to be treated before whitening your teeth; otherwise, the whitening may not last. Likewise, if you often drink red wine or other beverages that stain, you might do better with porcelain veneers than bleaching treatments.

Try it out. A smile makeover is an investment that is meant to last. That's why many of the procedures performed are irreversible. So if you are contemplating some changes, it's a great idea to try them out before you fully commit to them. There are many ways to preview the results: computer imaging, 3-D models, and even placing temporary restorations on your teeth so you can see what the final results will look and feel like in your own mouth. This also allows a fine-tuning of the makeover plan.

A “trial smile” is a great way to eliminate unknowns in the makeover process. But when it's all done, there's still one thing you may not be prepared for: how great it feels to flash your new smile to the world!

Want a new or enhance your smile with Plaster Family Dentistry In Shelby, NC? 
Then call (704) 487-7391 today
To learn more or to book an appointment.