Crown On Tooth

Cosmetic Dentistry - What We Can Do That's New

It used to be that only movie stars had those dazzling brighter-than-bright teeth. But in recent years many new cosmetic dental techniques have sprung up.

Nowadays, there's no reason you can't have a pretty smile that's the equivalent of Marilyn's (or Tom Cruise's). Here are just a few of the ways a cosmetic dentist can improve the looks and appeal of normal teeth:

Teeth Whitening - Just over the past two to three years new and safe professional teeth whitening systems have been developed. The teeth are covered with gauze and the tooth bleaching (carbamide peroxide) solution carefully applied. After three or four half-hour sessions, you can really see the difference. There are also home tooth whitening products with step-by-step procedures that enhance tooth color over several weeks.

Dental Bonding - Tooth bonding is a simple, single-visit cosmetic dentistry procedure that closes unsightly gapped teeth. We polish and prepare the teeth with a fine etching, then cover them with a composite overlay. There's usually no anesthetic needed, little or no drilling, and the teeth are protected as well as being cosmetically enhanced.

Dental Veneers - Today we have exciting new biomaterials to straighten crooked teeth, as well as brighten and close gaps. We call them porcelain laminate veneers. They're microscopically thin ceramic shells that cover problem teeth - and leave you with something to smile about!

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Replace a Missing Tooth: Restorative Dentistry

We've come a long way from the "yank 'em" philosophy of early dentistry, before techniques and materials gave us the wherewithal to save teeth. These days, there's rarely a case we can't salvage. It's a good time for dentists - saving teeth is why we get up in the morning.

The way we see it, a missing tooth is more than just a hindrance to normal chewing, more than a cosmetic bother. It's a threat to the entire architecture of your mouth.

The mouth is dynamic. Where there is a missing tooth, neighboring teeth drift, gum disease may crop up, even the unprotected bone ridge is susceptible to damage.

So we replace the missing tooth with a dental bridge, or rescue a broken down tooth with a dental crown.

Bridges are partnered with crowns to resolve gaps left by missing teeth. The idea is to replace teeth with false, or "pontic" teeth, anchored to crowns at either end, and fixed in place. Quality bridgework looks and feels very natural, one of dentistry's mainstays and our first restoration choice whenever possible.

Partial dentures, too, are dependent on your remaining teeth for support, but are attached by clasps or "precision attachments." Complicated partials can be engineering marvels, filling in for missing teeth on both sides of the dental arch. The success of partials depends in part on the strength of attachment teeth.

Complete dentures are not the end of the line, dentally speaking. A good, well-fitting denture can come close to a full complement of teeth, and contribute to a youthful aspect, as well.

Dental implants are the newest remedy for missing teeth, to replace a single tooth, or to support an overdenture. People who have implants all agree: why didn't I do this sooner?

Replace missing teeth with cosmetic dental work? Do it. Restorative dentistry has a way.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.