If you’re like most people, your teeth may not look as nice as you might like them to. Years of excess sugar and caffeine may have changed the shade of your teeth, or you could have chipped or cracked teeth. Thankfully, these sorts of issues can be rectified through cosmetic dentistry.
A healthy and beautiful set of teeth can give us self-confidence and enhance our self-esteem, which is why dentists like Dr. Dave and Dr. Mike offer cosmetic dental procedures.
The procedures listed below are just some of the dental options available to help enhance your smile!
Crowns
The crown is affixed in place over the top of a tooth and improves the tooth’s stability, appearance, and shape. They can be constructed from lots of different materials and may be recommended to patients for a number of reasons, including:
▪ Rebuilding a chipped tooth
▪ Restoring an implant
▪ Defending a fragile tooth from tooth decay
▪ Sustaining a splintered tooth
You may be asking: how is a dental crown applied to a tooth? To start, the dentist will perform an X-ray of the tooth that they feel is at risk for disease or tooth decay. After resolving any potential issues in the first consultation, they will prepare the tooth to lower the risk of any problems, like the spreading of tooth decay. After that, the dentist will reconstruct any portion of the missing tooth with composite material. This creates additional space for the crown to protect. An impression of the tooth will be built with a material known as alginate, after which it is sent to a laboratory. It takes a couple of weeks for the laboratory to gather the alginate replica and then compose a crown to properly fit the tooth. While waiting for the final crown, the dentist will put a temporary crown over the real tooth until the permanent one can be installed.
With proper care and hygiene, the crown can have a lifespan of fifteen years.
Implants
There is evidence that dental implants date back to 600 AD. It’s been discovered that ancient Mayans implanted fake teeth by driving tooth-shaped seashells into the jaw. Thankfully, technology has advanced greatly since then, and contemporary dental implants, constructed from titanium or zirconia, are implanted with modern techniques. These titanium or zirconia implants fuse to the bone through osseointegration. Bone-loss typically occurs in the case of a missing tooth, but the dental implant inhibits this from happening.
Implants are an optimal fix for a patient who is missing one or many teeth. The process requires some time to complete, as the implants—which function as new tooth roots—are surgically placed into the jawbone and require some time to heal before a crown is placed on top. When finished, the implant and crown perfectly mimic the appearance of a natural tooth.
Keep an eye out for the continuation of our series on the topic of cosmetic dentistry. In the meantime, you can click here if you need to schedule an appointment with Dr. Dave or Dr. Mike and be sure to follow us on social media.
