What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry is a type of dental service that aims to restore and improve the quality of your smile.
Aside from aesthetics or visual appeal, it will definitely boost your confidence! However, your teeth and gums must be in their finest condition before proceeding with the cosmetic restoration. This is to prevent any serious dental complications.
You might have other dental issues aside from the most common – cavity and lost the shine in your smile as a result. It might be due to bad breath, receding or inflamed gums, obvious plaques, teeth gaps, and more. In fact, more people want to undergo cosmetic dentistry because of the effects of dental problems than only wanting their teeth to look brighter.
Your dentist will most likely advise you to resolve any dental issues first before a cosmetic procedure is done. You must also maintain a regular and adequate oral hygiene routine. Consult with your dentist in Fountain Hills to assist you in devising a treatment plan.
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Plaque and tartar
Bacteria form into plaque and later cause tartar, and this spells trouble. Bad breath is not the only threat, but also gum disease and eventually tooth loss. These elements should be cleaned out first from your teeth. Practice the proper brushing, flossing, and mouthwash to minimize the elements’ buildup.
Deep cleaning will then be performed by your dentist. These must all be done particularly before teeth whitening or bleaching procedure.
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Cavities
Since cosmetic dentistry targets to perk up your smile, your teeth won’t be near appealing if they have cavities. These plaques causing cavities must be reduced through your oral care routine.
Your cavities will have to be filled first. If neglected, this may lead to tooth decay. If ever you have veneers, but your teeth have cavities, your teeth will eventually decay and will shorten the life span of your veneers.
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Gum Disease
When your gums do not look great, it affects your smile as well. There might be an underlying gum disease that needs to be treated.
After the treatment, your gums may still be visibly receded or with gaps.
Proper Oral Care Before Cosmetic Restoration
You need to set an oral care routine and get used to it. You should consistently adopt these habits to maintain your new appearance and to avoid any oral health problems in the future.
There are several home oral care tips you can follow. Here are some of the basics:
- Proper brushing, flossing, and mouth wash daily
- Eating healthy non-acidic foods
- Drinking adequate glasses of water
- Exercising your jaw and cheeks
- Quitting tobacco use and removing and mouth piercing
Restorative Dentistry vs. Cosmetic Dentistry
Restorative dentistry mainly focuses on restoring the structure of your teeth or gums. And while cosmetic dentistry also provides restorative benefits, it takes an extra mile to achieve a perfect smile.
Listed are some example of cosmetic dentistry treatments:
- Teeth whitening or bleaching
- Porcelain veneers
- Porcelain crowns
- Porcelain bridgework
- Composite bonding
- Implants
- Teeth straightening surgery
- Dental filling
- Aligners