If you are unhappy with your smile due to crooked teeth, yellowing or staining, uneven gums, chipped or broken teeth, and gaps, cosmetic dentistry services can address your concerns and give you the smile you have been dreaming of.
Dentists who specialize in this type of practice are artisans with a keen eye for the subtle details that create an attractive smile. Learn more about what cosmetic dentistry can do and whether you might benefit from seeing a cosmetic dentist yourself.
What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry refers to the use of dental procedures to improve the appearance of a patient’s teeth by enhancing symmetry, harmony, or colouring. It can correct problems that have developed over time, such as surface stains and significant tooth wear, as well as those that have always been present, like deep staining and teeth that formed incorrectly. Whether you have a single issue you want to address or are interested in a complete smile makeover, cosmetic dentistry services can give you the results you want.
Some of the most common cosmetic dentistry procedures involve:
- Adding to the teeth and gums (bonding, gum grafts, dental crowns, and porcelain veneers).
- Selectively removing tooth structure or gum tissue (enameloplasty and gingivectomy).
- Straightening teeth to improve the bite and the patient’s facial structure (orthodontics).
- Adjusting the colouration of the teeth and gums (bleaching, teeth whitening, and gum depigmentation).
Types of Cosmetic Dentistry
Depending on your needs, you may require one procedure or a combination of treatments to receive the results you want. Cosmetic dentistry typically involves the following:
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is the process of lightening the colour of teeth that have been darkened by age, smoking, or surface stains from food and drink. This may be done using bleaches or abrasives. While at-home teeth whitening options exist, they are generally less effective than those available in-office from your cosmetic dentist in Mississauga.
Dental Crowns and Bridges
Dental crowns and caps are synthetic covers placed over the teeth to improve their appearance, function, and structural integrity. Dental bridges join two crowns with an additional prosthetic tooth to replace one or more missing teeth. Both options can be used to restore damaged dentition to its original natural beauty.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are thin layers of synthetic material that are placed over a patient’s natural teeth. They are used when patients want to alter the appearance of one or more of their teeth, improving their colour, shape, or alignment.
Both porcelain and composite veneers exist, each with its own strengths and drawbacks. Composite veneers are less expensive and can be placed more quickly than porcelain veneers, but porcelain versions last longer and imitate the look of natural teeth more convincingly.
Invisalign
Invisalign is a discreet alternative to traditional braces that uses a series of clear aligner trays to straighten your smile. Each tray gradually shifts the position of your teeth over the several weeks it is worn. If all the trays are worn in sequence as directed, the cumulative impact of these small shifts eventually brings all your teeth into perfect alignment.
This treatment often takes many months to complete and requires strict adherence on the part of the patient, but it is more convenient than metal braces and can produce stellar results.
Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are primarily used to treat tooth decay. Opting for tooth-coloured composite fillings allows you to camouflage any necessary repairs and create a beautiful smile. If you have any visible silver-coloured amalgam fillings, your cosmetic dentist in Mississauga can replace them with composite ones that are more aesthetically pleasing.
It may even be possible to repair worn, chipped, or otherwise damaged teeth with filling material through a process called dental bonding. This technique fills in the space where the missing tooth structure would normally be, disguising the defect.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are devices that can be used to permanently replace a missing tooth. They consist of three parts: a titanium implant screw, an abutment, and a crown. Crowns are made from materials like porcelain, ceramic, and zirconia to perfectly mimic the shade and translucency of your natural teeth.
Top 4 Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry
It Improves Your Appearance
Having stained, chipped, or misshapen teeth can make it hard for you to smile openly. You may be worried about what other people are thinking about the state of your teeth. Cosmetic dentistry disguises these flaws and alleviates your worries. With the right treatments, you will enjoy a stunning smile that charms the people around you.
It Improves Your Dental Health
Cosmetic dentistry does not directly address dental problems, but certain treatments may offer some protection against future issues. Dental crowns reinforce the structural integrity of your tooth, while implants stimulate your jawbone and prevent future bone loss. These effects keep your mouth healthy and help you retain as much of your natural teeth, gums, and bone as possible.
It Helps You Save Money
Even though cosmetic dentistry services will cost you some money now, they could save you even more money in the future. Dental problems that are not corrected early often progress significantly over time, becoming more difficult and costly to treat. If you do not treat your cosmetic issues now, you can expect to pay much more to have them corrected in the future.
It Builds Your Confidence
If you are self-conscious about the state of your teeth, visiting a cosmetic dentist in Mississauga can change your life. The self-esteem you will gain from improving your smile cannot be overstated. You will also be free of pain, insomnia, and other difficulties related to your dental health. All of these changes will set you up for success in both your personal and professional life.
What Age is Best for Cosmetic Dentistry Services?
While adults are typically fine with most treatment options, certain cosmetic dentistry procedures are not recommended for some patients in other age groups.
Professional teeth whitening uses powerful chemicals which, while completely safe for most adult patients, may be too strong to be safely used on children. Patients must reach their teenage years before they can be considered good candidates for this type of treatment.
Dental crowns are safe for patients of any age who have experienced significant damage to at least one tooth. While children’s teeth are less likely to have sustained enough damage to justify this treatment, some young patients can benefit from the extra protection that dental crowns provide.
Dental implants can only be placed within a fully developed jaw, so they are not an option for children or young teenagers. Once a patient is grown, however, they can safely undergo this procedure at any point in their life. Many elderly patients choose to receive implants to replace teeth they lost earlier in life, which can actually help slow the degradation of the gums and jawbone that naturally occurs as we age.
Dental bonding and dental veneers are minimally invasive procedures and are suitable for all adult patients who want them.
Cosmetic Dentistry Can Improve Your Dental Health
While cosmetic dentistry is primarily concerned with aesthetics, it can also provide significant oral health benefits. Orthodontic work helps to straighten teeth, making it easier to floss and eliminating gaps and tight corners that might otherwise trap food or plaque. It can also help to reduce grinding, which will keep your enamel intact longer and protect your teeth from cavities.
Similarly, treating chipped or cracked teeth with bonding, crowns, and other types of cosmetic dental work seals off vulnerable parts of the tooth and helps guard against future decay. Along with improving the appearance of your smile, cosmetic dentistry can also be considered an investment in your overall oral health.
Choose the Top Cosmetic Dentistry Services in Mississauga
You deserve to laugh and smile with confidence. Thanks to modern cosmetic dentistry techniques, there is no longer any reason for you to remain unhappy with the appearance of your teeth.
Dr. Tousi of Trillium Smile Dentistry is the best dentist for porcelain veneers, dental crowns, teeth whitening, and other cosmetic dental procedures in the Mississauga area. Contact us today at 905-828-9894 or through our online contact form to book an appointment or discuss your cosmetic dentistry needs with our professional staff.
Also Read: 10 Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry You Should Know About