One of the first things you notice about someone when you talk to them is their smile. A warm pleasant smile goes a long way in making a good first impression, whereas an inhibited smile immediately conveys nervousness or negativity.
Discrepancies in shape , size or colour of the front teeth can often make a person conscious about their smile and have negative effects on their daily communications and self esteem. This is where Cosmetic dentistry can help. Cosmetic dentistry generally focuses on improvement in dental aesthetics in terms of color, position, shape size, alignment and obviously overall smile appearance. The different modalities that can be used for Smile enhancement are :
Veneers/Crowns
Veneers are thin, nail like, tooth colored custom made shells that are fixed on the front surfaces of teeth to change their color, shape, and size. They are used primarily to improve the appearance of front teeth. Crowns too are tooth-colored custom made shells but they cover the tooth completely. The results are very good without significant trimming of the tooth. They can also work to mask any existing discolouration or yellowness of your teeth. They last for a considerable period of time without getting discoloured.
They are usually completed in multiple visits and involve proper planning with your dentist. She will take impressions of your teeth to create replicas of your mouth and then work with the lab to design your veneers which will then be cemented to your teeth with dental cements that ensure that they don’t come off.
Teeth Whitening
Sometimes teeth can get stained due to long term use of tobacco products, excessive drinking of tea, coffee, wine or pigments from food. Teeth whitening is a process of removing stains from the tooth surface and restoring the natural color of the teeth. It can be done either in the dentists’ office as a a one-time procedure or at home with custom made bleaching kits available at the dental clinic. It is amongst the most common and widely adopted cosmetic procedure.
Composite Bonding
Permanently attaching a tooth-colored material (composite) onto the tooth is called composite bonding. This can be Direct or Indirect. Direct composite bonding can be used by dentists on the chair to do fillings, repair fractured edges and close gaps. Indirect bonding is usually done in the lab. They are the fastest option available and can be completed in a single visit. They may or may not require your dentist to slightly prepare or trim the surface of your teeth to achieve a good finish . You could go for this if you are looking for a quick and cheaper fix. When done properly a composite filling is hard to distinguish from the original tooth and the results can be very beautiful.
Gum Reshaping/Depigmentation
If you feel like your gums show a lot while you smile or are discoloured, you can go for gum reshaping or depigmentation. It can improve a “gummy” smile in which teeth appear too short, or where the gum line appears uneven. A small amount of gum tissue and excess bone tissue if necessary is removed and reshaped to expose more of the teeth and provide a more esthetic smile.
Dental Implants
Replacing missing teeth can go a long way in improving your smile and implants are the best option to do this. Dental Implants are screw like posts that are placed into the bone of your jaws to function as roots of missing teeth. Once in place, your dentist can mount them with artificial teeth or caps. Implants are preferred over other treatment options when it comes to replacing missing teeth because of several reasons. They are the most conservative option and cause no damage to the surrounding teeth unlike bridges where adjacent teeth have to be cut to replace a missing tooth.
Orthodontic Treatment
Having forwardly protruding teeth, crooked teeth or teeth with gaps can make a person very conscious about their appearance and also interfere with normal talking, mouth closing, speech, eating etc. Having your teeth straightened out or put back to their right place can greatly improve how you look and correcting speech or eating habits you may be having. It also goes a long way in keeping your gums healthy. There are tooth-colored braces, metal braces, and lingual braces. The treatment usually takes 12-18 months to complete but is more stable and long lasting as it preserves the natural integrity of teeth