Did you know that around 70 percent of Americans don’t feel confident about their teeth? So if you’re looking into types of dental procedures, know that you’re not alone!
Whether you’ve got yellowed teeth, gaps, or misalignment, dental concerns can make you less reluctant to smile. This can hurt your confidence and lower your self-esteem.
Luckily, there are plenty of types of dental procedures that can give you a better aesthetic. From teeth whitening and veneers to Invisalign and bonding, you have a few different choices that might just fit your budget.
Read on to learn more about five options for esthetic dentistry and how they can help you improve your smile.
1. Professional Teeth Whitening
Have your teeth become dull from age or have staining from foods and drinks? If so, getting professional teeth whitening can give you a brighter smile. Your dentist will even work with you to determine the desired shade.
The in-office whitening process involves applying a gel containing peroxide to your teeth and then using heat or light to accelerate the process. In as little as a single dentist visit, you can make your teeth several shades whiter.
If you’d rather not spend more time in the dental chair, ask your dentist about at-home teeth whitening options. This convenient cosmetic dentistry option might involve wearing whitening strips or using tooth bleaching trays over several weeks. Your dentist can also recommend a whitening toothpaste for more subtle stain removal.
After you have your whitening treatment, your results can last anywhere from months to a few years. It will all come down to your lifestyle and diet. Your dentist may recommend a touch-up treatment when the effects start to wear off.
2. Invisalign Orthodontic Treatment
Do your teeth look crooked, protruding, rotated, or crowded? If so, you can consider Invisalign aligners as a more discrete alternative to braces. In addition to improving your aesthetics, this treatment can also help you if you have issues with your bite.
If you opt for Invisalign treatment, your dentist will perform an x-ray and do a scan or make a mold of your teeth. Using this information, you’ll get a treatment plan that shows you how your teeth will look.
Your dentist will give you a set of clear aligners that you wear up to 22 hours per day for one or two weeks at a time. These aligners slowly move your teeth
You’ll have regular checkups to monitor your progress, but you won’t have as many dentist visits as you would with regular braces.
3. Dental Veneers
Are you dealing with problems concerning the shape, color, or position of your teeth? If so, dental veneers can make imperfections like gaps, chipped teeth, and discoloration disappear. You’ll most often use them for your most visible front teeth.
Dental veneers act as a permanent cover for your teeth, and they can be made from porcelain or composite resin. Porcelain veneers are more expensive but also more durable, natural, and stain-resistant. Composite resin veneers cost considerably less but have a shorter life and less durability.
If you get veneers, your dentist usually removes a very small amount of the the surface of the teeth being treated. They will then bond the veneers to your teeth and do some sculpting and polishing to get the desired appearance.
4. Tooth Bonding and Reshaping
Do you have a few teeth that look longer or shorter than the others or have small issues with gaps or tooth shape? Then tooth bonding and reshaping may offer you a more affordable alternative to dental veneers.
With tooth bonding, your dentist will apply a tooth-colored composite resin to your teeth to change the shape, length, or size. For example, you might have a small gap between your two front teeth. Your dentist can use bonding to add to the sides of your teeth and eliminate or reduce that gap.
Tooth reshaping requires removing a small bit of your tooth enamel to get rid of unevenness or reduce length or width. This can help make the length of your teeth more even or even eliminate minor crowding for a few teeth.
Your dentist can sometimes use bonding or reshaping alone based on your dental needs. However, getting the best results often requires combining these two cosmetic dentistry services.
5. Dental Implants
if you’ve lost some teeth due to injury, wear, or disease, consider getting dental implants as an alternative to a regular bridge or partial denture. Not only will you have a better esthetic, but the implant will provide better functionality for speech and eating.
When you get dental implants, your dentist installs titanium screws in your jaw where your teeth originally were. You can then have an artificial tooth or even a fixed denture attached to the implanted posts. Your dentist will use dental impressions and computer imaging to give you a preview of the result and discuss your options.
Unlike with veneers or crowns, your dental implants can last for the rest of your life. However, there are a few considerations in terms of cost and risks.
A single implant can run a few thousands of dollars, while a full mouthful can cost tens of thousands of dollars. There are some risks regarding rejection and recovery complications, but they are small.
Consider These Types of Dental Procedures
So you’ve now explored five types of dental procedures that can give you a better esthetic, so it’s time to consider which may be right for you. Your budget, condition of your teeth, and desired result will help you decide treatment options.
If you’ve got a limited budget, you can ask your dentist about more affordable procedures like at-home teeth whitening, bonding, and reshaping to fix minor concerns. To replace missing teeth or hide larger imperfections, you can always ask about financing options that allow you to make affordable payments.
Be sure to reach out to us to schedule an appointment and discuss cosmetic dentistry options.