Beautify Your Smile: 6 Common Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

Want to boost your confidence and beautify your smile? Click here to learn the most common cosmetic dentistry procedures to enhance your smile.

Over 50% of Americans smile with their lips closed or cover their mouths when they laugh.

Why? Because they feel insecure about their teeth.

Can you relate? Do you feel embarrassed by the appearance of your teeth? Have you been researching different types of cosmetic dentistry procedures but you're unsure which one is right for you?

In this post, we'll take the mystery out of beautifying your smile. Here's a list of cosmetic dentistry procedures to consider.

It's natural for our teeth to become dull over time, especially if we smoke or regularly drink coffee or red wine. One of the easiest and most affordable cosmetic dentistry procedures is teeth whitening or bleaching.

This is a "quick fix" for teeth that are stained, yellowed, or otherwise discolored. Although there are some DIY whitening kits you can buy at the store, you'll get the best results if you visit your dentist.

You can choose to have a whitening procedure done in the office. Or your dentist may be able to give you trays and whitening gel or toothpaste you can use at home. You'll notice results quickly and may even find that your teeth are whiter and brighter than their natural color.

Another common cosmetic procedure is known as dental or composite bonding. It's used to treat an array of conditions including:

• Discolored teeth

• Chipped or broken teeth

• Tooth decay

• Bad breath

• Tooth gaps

Your dentist will use a composite bonding material similar to the material used for white dental fillings. It's a moldable, putty-like substance that can cover up and smooth out imperfections in your teeth. After shaping and placing it in the desired location, your dentist will harden the resin with a laser or UV light.

Dental bonding is a painless, quick, and affordable procedure if you're looking for subtle enhancements to your smile.

Also called indirect fillings, your dentist may recommend inlays or onlays to improve the appearance of your teeth. They're often recommended if you have mild to moderate tooth decay or insufficient structure to support a traditional filling.

Inlays get placed directly into your tooth cusp, provided there's no damage to the surface of the tooth. If there's significant damage, an onlay will cover the entire surface of the tooth.

Traditionally, onlays and inlays were made of gold. Now they're made in a laboratory from a mix of ceramic or porcelain, which closely resembles the appearance of your natural tooth. Your dentist will affix them with specialized adhesive cement.

This is a terrific option to strengthen and support your teeth while preventing further deterioration or decay.

Because of the comparably shorter lifespan of bonding, inlays, and onlays, many people opt for dental veneers. In recent years they've become the "gold standard" of cosmetic dentistry, giving your favorite Hollywood celebrities their perfect smiles.

Veneers are thin, life-like porcelain shells that fit over the front of your natural tooth. They can be shaped and molded to address any imperfection, from a chipped or cracked tooth to a noticeable gap between teeth. Bonus: Because they're non-porous, veneers can't be stained from beverages or food items.

Your dentist will gently file down the front of your tooth (or teeth), then make an impression to send off to a lab. When your custom veneers come back, your dentist will permanently attach them to the front of your teeth, giving you a Hollywood-worthy smile.

If you're missing a tooth or you have a gap that's too wide to correct with veneers, dental implants could be your best solution. One of the best things about dental implants is that they're a permanent solution and just as easy to care for as your natural teeth.

How do dental implants work?

First, your dentist inserts a titanium screw that anchors into your jawbone and functions like a natural tooth's roots. Once it heals, a second procedure attaches a metal post to the screw. Finally, the replacement tooth or teeth get attached to the post or grouped together in a bridge.

Perhaps the reason you're distressed about your smile is that your teeth are crooked or misaligned. Maybe you missed your window of opportunity to get braces as a child, so you've been stuck with buck teeth, crowded teeth, or a large gap.

No matter your age, it's never too late to straighten and align your teeth. These days you don't even have to wear metal braces, which is an off-putting thought for many adults. Instead, you can wear invisible plastic aligners from Invisalign to gradually straighten your teeth and improve your smile.

Traditional metal braces and Invisalign both work the same way to correct irregular teeth spacing and misalignments. There are pros and cons to each type of procedure, so talk to your dentist about which option makes more sense for you.

Now that we've reviewed this list of common cosmetic dentistry procedures, what do you think? Are you ready to find the best solution for you and get the smile you've always wanted?

Bischoff Family Dentistry offers the best and most affordable cosmetic dentistry procedures in the Phoenix area. We have more than 30 years of experience giving people the beautiful smiles they deserve.

Take the first step and find out which types of cosmetic dentistry procedures are right for you. Use our online contact form or give us a call at (623) 842-1200 to set up a consultation.