Have you ever looked in the mirror and smiled, only to cover your teeth due to the presence of stains, gaps, or chips? Are your teeth misaligned or misshapen? Does your smile embarrass you and drain your confidence? A cosmetic dentist in Boca Raton can help by providing a number of cosmetic dental procedures.
Cosmetic Dentistry
In today’s world, getting dental work done may be one of the easiest things for most people to do. Minor cosmetic dental mishaps are often covered under dental insurance, and it amounts to almost half of dental procedures that are done today. Keeping your teeth healthy and nice-looking is a common thing that people of all ages stress over.
In 2019, 43% of all dental work done was for dental bonding. The next most common dental procedures were for crown and bridgework, and both things together amounted to at least 75% of the dental work being done. That’s a lot of people going after dental work that’s often seen as unnecessary and cosmetic, even by the dentists performing the procedures. Read on to learn about common cosmetic dental procedures and what they entail.
Veneers
Veneers are new front surfaces for damaged or unsightly teeth. They’re commonly made with either porcelain or resin composites. They are considered a permanent procedure and are estimated to last from 10 to 20 years. A common misconception that people have about veneers is that they destroy your real teeth.
They won’t destroy your teeth. Veneers are done by removing a thin layer of enamel from your real teeth, and then they’re bonded over your teeth. The result is a beautiful outer layer that provides your real teeth with more protection. Veneers are more stain-resistant than your teeth, which helps them stay aesthetically pleasing. Speak to your dental professional to see if they are right for you.
Dental Inlays
It’s common to confuse dental inlays, dental onlays, crowns, and fillings. Dental inlays and onlays are two methods of restoring teeth. At one point, inlays were commonly used instead of fillings to help restore the tooth’s structure. They’d fit inside the tooth, but they were made of only gold.
Dental inlays are commonly used today for the same reasons. However, they’re now made with materials like porcelain and ceramic or a special dental composite. Unsightly fillings can be fixed with tooth-colored inlays, which become bonded to the tooth. The bonding process used for inlays can help to make the tooth stronger overall, and it helps to seal the inlay to the tooth.
Dental Onlays
Dental onlays fit inside the tooth, but they also extend to the chewing surface of a back tooth to replace one or more cusps. They were also made of gold at one point, but as it was with onlays, more patients requested that they be the color of their natural teeth. Making them with ceramic or porcelain allows them to be successfully bonded to teeth. Dental onlays and inlays are better for chewing than fillings, which can pop out under pressure.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are replacement tooth roots. They provide a strong foundation for fixed permanent or strong replacement teeth that are made to match your real teeth. There are many benefits to getting dental implants. They help oral health by improving speech, improving mouth comfort, improving appearance, making it easier to eat, and overall, they may help improve someone’s self-esteem. They’re durable, convenient, and also improve your overall oral health.
The success rate of dental implants varies. It depends on things like where the implants are placed in the jaw. Most of the time, people that can undergo a routine oral exam and surgery are good candidates for implants. Heavy smokers, people undergoing radiation therapy on the head and neck area, or people suffering from chronic health problems like diabetes or heart disease should be evaluated on a case-by-case or individual basis to see if dental implants are the right fit.
Dental Crowns or Bridges
Another cosmetic dentistry option is getting dental crowns or dental bridges. A dental crown will help someone’s damaged or decaying tooth or dental implant. Dental implants are metal fixtures surgically fastened to your jawbone below the gums. They become anchored to your bone through osseointegration of bone fusing to metal. The process provides stable support that you can rely on while eating or speaking. Healing after getting a dental implant can take 6 to 12 weeks. The dental professional will then place a metal post into your implant, and then they will mount your crown.
On the other hand, you also have the option of bridges to replace missing teeth. Bridges have two crowns, one on either end and a bridge of replacement teeth where there has been tooth loss. The crowns at the end of a bridge can be fused to existing teeth. They will need to be filed down by a professional to fit correctly.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is another common cosmetic dental procedure. It’s one of the most common ones. It can be done in the home or at a dental office. It usually works faster to have it done at the dentist than at home. They use a stronger type of peroxide solution than the ones that are available for home use. Dentists have an added benefit of the use of heat and light to help with teeth whitening. Many people feel that teeth whitening is better and more effectively done in an office setting. It’s safe, effective, and painless no matter where it’s performed.
Contact Our Office
If you are having problems with your teeth, it’s imperative to see a dental professional to determine what your options are. This will help you make a decision that fits in with your dental needs. You should consider which dental procedures you’re able to afford, and which ones are available in your area. You can contact our professional cosmetic dentist in Boca Raton today for a consultation.
