Nowadays, more and more people visit our dental office looking for a recognized cosmetic dentist in Columbus, Ohio. If you start to dislike how your teeth look, various cosmetic procedures, such as veneers, dental bonding, or teeth whitening, can improve their appearance and help you restore the pride you once felt in your smile.
Nevertheless, cosmetic dentistry's advantages go well beyond aesthetic adjustments. If you can smile with confidence, your mood can be greatly affected, and your general health may even improve, which is why this field of dentistry has been gaining importance these past few years.
Why Is Liking Your Smile So Important?
Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you.
Besides making you more attractive, smiles are recognized as a universal symbol of happiness, warmth, and kindness. Showing off your grin with pride plays a big role in the way you interact with others and can make you look like an approachable and cheerful person to have around.
On the other hand, if you are self-conscious about your teeth, you might avoid displaying them during social situations, limiting your chances of interacting with others and making new friends.
With the help of aesthetic dental enhancements, you can have a smile that gives you confidence. Cosmetic dentistry procedures aim to improve your smile and make you feel good about your appearance, helping reduce anxiety around social situations and contributing to a more positive mental well-being.
What’s Cosmetic Dentistry and What Are Its Goals?
For years, the appearance of your smile wasn’t something you could change, even if you weren’t satisfied with it. Nonetheless, cosmetic dentistry—a form of professional oral care that focuses on enhancing the look of your mouth, teeth, gums, and entire smile—has gained recognition in modern dentistry.
Cosmetic dentistry is gaining popularity, with the industry expected to reach $32 billion by 2026. Today, cosmetic dentistry has evolved into a multifaceted field that aims to enhance your smile while considering your mouth's current and future health.
Concerns that extend beyond the practical aspects of oral health and center on improving the appearance of your teeth and gums are treated by cosmetic dentists. This includes misshapen teeth, stains, chips, discolorations, lack of symmetry in the smile, and more.
That doesn’t mean that cosmetic dentists lack knowledge of these functional issues. The goal is to achieve a beautiful, confident smile that you can be proud of and one that doesn’t hamper your overall health.
The field of cosmetic dentistry has a lot of artistry ingrained, too. Cosmetic dentists are dental artists who painstakingly create aesthetically pleasing and healthful smiles. For this reason, cosmetic dentists tend to have different styles, so looking at a professional’s past work is always important.
However, all cosmetic dentists possess the skills and knowledge to fix flaws, establish symmetry, and turn your teeth into masterpieces, regardless of artistic preferences.
What Does a Cosmetic Dentist Do?
From small fixes to major surgeries, there are several procedures a cosmetic dentist handles to help you enhance the appearance of your smile. Some of the cosmetic procedures they offer include:
1. Teeth Whitening
One of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures is teeth whitening. This simple and affordable procedure uses various methods to whiten a patient’s smile. Food, beverages, drugs, and other daily behaviors like smoking can discolor teeth over time. Whitenings can remove these accumulated stains and restore your shiny smile.
We recommend starting with an in-depth teeth cleaning to remove plaque, tartar, and other debris from teeth. Then, a whitening solution is applied to bleach the surface of teeth to make them appear whiter and brighter.
Besides professional whitening treatments, many over-the-counter products, such as whitening toothpaste, rinses, and white strips, can help you lighten your smile. However, while these products can produce some results, they won’t be as noticeable nor last as long as a professional whitening.
These products often contain abrasive solutions, which can damage your teeth’s enamel and cause sensitivity when used excessively.
2. Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are thin, white shells composed of the highest-caliber porcelain. They are custom-made for each patient to hide unwanted cosmetical concerns and look exactly like their natural teeth. Because they’re bonded to the front of your teeth, veneers can solve a variety of aesthetic problems, including:
- Gaps between teeth
- Discolored teeth
- Chipped teeth
- Damaged enamel
- Misshaped teeth
- Slightly crooked teeth
Patients often get between six and 12 veneers, mainly to cover their font teeth — the most noticeable part of their smiles. To ensure a solid bonding between your teeth and the thin sell and make room for them, we will remove a small portion of the tooth's enamel before applying the veneers.
For this reason, veneers are often an irreversible treatment. However, they’re also an easy and accessible way to enhance your entire smile cohesively, and with proper care, they can last up to 15 years.
3. Smile Makeover
In a smile makeover, various restorative and cosmetic dentistry techniques are combined to improve your smile's overall appearance while addressing functional problems. The objective is to enhance the appearance of each tooth while simultaneously producing a symmetrical smile that blends in with your skin tone, lips, and facial structure.
Smile makeovers aren’t for fixing minor flaws like discolored or chipped teeth. The goal is to address your entire smile, solving more serious problems like severely decayed or missing teeth while looking to create an aesthetically pleasing and cohesive outcome.
To ensure you like your new smile, we take diagnostic imaging, ask about your smile goals, and conduct a comprehensive dental examination to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy. We’ll create a model of your smile and make changes if you don’t like anything.
After the consultation, one of our restoration dentists will develop a comprehensive cosmetic dentistry treatment plan and review each step in detail.
4. Dental Implants
While missing teeth are more than an aesthetic concern, there’s no denying that having a hole in your smile can seriously affect your self-confidence. In these cases, getting a dental implant with a prosthodontist can be the best way to restore your grin in both functionality and appearance fully.
Be it due to severe decay, gum disease, or only an accident, dental implants help replace teeth after loss. They stand as a top option among other dental restorations because they provide increased stability thanks to the screw that’s surgically inserted into the jaw.
The replacement tooth becomes securely fixed within the oral cavity as the bone and tissue gradually unite with the implant in a process known as osseointegration. Then, a customized crown is placed over it, blending in naturally with the neighboring teeth.
How to Find the Right Cosmetic Dentistry Procedure for You
Choosing the right cosmetic dentistry procedure requires careful consideration of several factors, including your aesthetic goals, oral health, and budget. It’s important to underline your objectives and goals from the beginning so that you don’t feel tempted to modify your original smile in excess when you are pleased with aspects of it.
So, start by identifying what aspects of your smile you want to improve, such as small stains, misshaped teeth, or misalignments. A clear understanding of your objectives will help guide your decision on which procedure to pursue. Moreover, visit a general dentist before considering a cosmetic procedure.
We will assess the health of your teeth and gums before undergoing any cosmetic treatment and determine if the comestry is truly needed. For instance, veneers can cover crooked teeth, but if it’s affecting your bite alignment, your smile truly needs orthodontics.
Once you’re sure cosmetic dentistry is for you, consulting with an experienced specialist is crucial in making the right choice. We will evaluate your oral health and provide personalized recommendations based on your goals. We will also help set realistic expectations, ensuring you are well-informed before moving forward.
By taking the time to research, consult with professionals, and assess your individual needs, you can confidently choose the cosmetic dentistry treatment that will enhance your smile for years to come.
Experience the Benefits of a Cosmetic Dentist in Columbus, Ohio
The way we view ourselves is closely related to our sense of self-worth. Having uneven, damaged, or discolored teeth can make you self-conscious about your appearance. By addressing these issues, people can regain control over their self-esteem and start showing off their smiles with pride.
From teeth whitening to porcelain veneers, Spectrum Dental & Prosthetics offers the cosmetic procedures you need to transform your smile. If you’re interested in learning more, contact us!
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