When people think about dentistry, the first thing that comes to mind for most are the treatments that they get when they have a toothache—fillings, crowns, root canals, things like that. While these are all invaluable, they’re also just a portion of what dentistry has to offer.
There’s also cosmetic dentistry, which has many treatments that can help you get the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted. Here’s what you should know about this field and what it could do for you.
What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry refers to those treatments that are designed specifically to make the smile look better, as opposed to those interested in dealing with serious oral health problems. While these procedures may offer some ancillary health benefits, their primary purpose is to make the teeth look whiter, cover up imperfections, or to straighten your smile.
What Kinds of Procedures are Included in Cosmetic Dentistry?
There are a variety of treatments that fall under the umbrella of cosmetic dentistry, which means that if you’re interested in improving your smile there are a variety of routes you can go.
Teeth whitening, for example, makes use of a professional-grade whitening gel that can make the smile up to eight shades whiter than it was before. There’s also direct bonding, which involves placing a tooth-colored composite resin onto the teeth that can cover up minor chips or cracks.
If you’re interested in completely changing how your smile looks to others, there are procedures capable of making dramatic changes to your teeth. Veneers, for example, can be used to alter the shape and color of your smile to a dramatic extent.
Who is a Good Candidate?
People are often a little bit intimidated by the prospect of cosmetic dentistry, but there isn’t any reason to be. The treatments are generally low-impact and non-invasive, which means that most patients who are interested in improving the appearance of their smile can do so through cosmetic dentistry.
The only potential issue comes from any existing oral health problems you may have, like gum disease or tooth decay. You may need to have these conditions treated before receiving any kind of cosmetic treatment you might be interested in—otherwise, you might face complications from your procedure.
About Our Practice
Welcome to Dalton Hunt Dentistry! We are incredibly proud of the work that we do for our patients, and seeing the look on their faces when they see their brand-new smile is always incredibly rewarding. We also make use of state-of-the-art technology in our cosmetic care, ensuring that you’ll get the beautiful smile that you’ve always wanted!
If you have any questions about cosmetic dentistry, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (919) 787-8243.