In the last issue, we talked about some of dental procedures in improving smiles such as bleaching to remove stains and white bonding for discolored teeth. There are more available dental treatments to have a beautiful smile.
Veneers are placed over the front teeth to change color or shape of your teeth. Veneers are used on teeth with uneven surfaces or are chipped, discolored, oddly shaped, unevenly spaced or crooked. Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain or plastic cemented over the front of your teeth. Little or no anesthesia is needed. Veneers are used to treat some of the same problems as bonding. This treatment is an alternative to crowns. The procedure requires your dentist to take an impression of your tooth. Before the custom-made veneer is glued directly onto the tooth, your dentist will lightly buff the tooth to compensate for the added thickness of the veneer. Once the cement is between the veneer and your tooth, a light beam is used to harden it. Porcelain veneers require more than one visit because they are fabricated in a laboratory. Veneers have a longer life expectancy and color stability than bonding.
Tooth reshaping and contouring is a procedure to correct crooked teeth, chipped teeth, cracked teeth or even overlapping teeth in a single session. Tooth reshaping and dental contouring is commonly used to alter the length, shape or position of your teeth. Contouring teeth may also help correct small problems with bite. It is common for bonding to be combined with tooth reshaping. This procedure is ideal for candidates with normal healthy teeth who want subtle changes to their smile. Your dentist will take X-rays to evaluate the size and location of the pulp of each tooth to ensure the reshaping is safe to your teeth.
Crowns, also known as caps, are used in cases where other procedures will not be effective. Crowns have the longest life expectancy of all cosmetic restorations, but may slightly scarify the normal tooth structures. Which procedure is right for you? Your dentist can answer many of the questions you may have about techniques used to improve your smile. The condition of your teeth and desired result you want often dictates the best procedure. I will continue the topic on cosmetic dental procedures to give detailed information on each treatment later.
For more information, please call Dr. Sun at 661-799-8800, visit www.DrSunDDS.com , or her dental office at 23450 Lyons Avenue, Suite B, Newhall.