Your Introduction to Cosmetic Dentistry: Part 1
It was in the 20th century when Cosmetic Dentistry began its golden age. It became an important factor on achieving the ideas of keeping a beautiful, white, and healthy set of teeth as well as for replacing lost or damaged teeth through creating natural-looking replacements and/or specialized restorative materials.
Since then, dental experts continued to develop more cosmetic procedures that are intended to solve various dental problems. These became common to many dental clinics because aside from the aesthetic purpose of these treatments, these also provide comfort and relief to many patients.
Here are some of the most common cosmetic dentistry techniques that you have to know:
Teeth Whitening
Stained or discoloured teeth? Not a problem anymore. Restore your pearl-white teeth and bring back that bright smile through teeth whitening!
Most people don’t know that their diet and their vices, like smoking cigarettes, can actually affect the health of their teeth. Coffee, tea, and red wine have chromogens which can discolor the outer part of your tooth or the enamel itself.
One of the most common teeth whitening procedures is professional bleaching. This normally involves your dentist putting a rubber shield or gel on your gums to protect them during the process. A whitening product will then be applied to your teeth using a special mould which fits like a mouth guard.
Hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide are the common active ingredients of this whitening product. As this substance breaks down, the oxygen gets into the enamel make the tooth color lighter.
Meanwhile, there is also another chairside whitening procedure called Laser Whitening that only takes 30 minutes to finish. In this procedure, a bleaching material is applied to the teeth and activated by Biolase. It is also a less sensitive procedure as compared to other teeth whitening procedure and can guarantee an 8 to 12 shades lighter teeth as compared to its original shade.
Bonding
Repairing decayed teeth or tooth with abrasions as well as chipped or cracked teeth.
Direct composite bonding
This procedure uses a tooth-colored restorative material (may it be a resin or a durable plastic material) on the surface of the tooth that experiences discoloration, decay, or abrasion. This can either change the tooth shape or make your teeth look longer and close the spaces in between. In addition, it can also protect the portion of the exposed tooth’s root when the gums have sloped backwards.
The dentist then chooses the right shade of the restorative material that suits the color of your original teeth. The tooth surface will then be roughened and conditioned through a specialized liquid to help the bonding material work for the affected tooth.
The said restorative material will be applied, moulded, and smoothed to the needed shape and will eventually be hardened through a blue, light, or laser. Your dentist will polish it afterwards through trimming and shaping it to match the surface’s gloss of the other tooth. This process may last up to 30 to 60 minutes per tooth.
Dental bonding is also a chairside and one of the most affordable cosmetic dental procedures.
It is highly recommended that you visit your dentist regularly to prevent tooth decay, gum problems and to maintain good oral hygiene. Dental experts can help you determine what treatment need depending on your dental needs.
After all, these cosmetic dental procedures are all intended to maintain your pearly white teeth. That’s why it’s very important also to choose the right dentist for solving your dental problem, hence, Dr. Rowena Marzo of Marzo Dental Clinic is here to give you the best quality dental services. Book for an appointment now!
Tune in for the Part 2 of this interesting topic on our website!
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