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No doubt we'll all agree that having a nice smile makes a
difference to a person's physical appearance. Having chipped or
stained teeth does not create the same positive impact than having
white faultless looking teeth.
So what can be done to improve your teeth? Well, that will
depend on the current state of teeth and gums. In some cases simply
whitening the teeth will be enough.
On the other hand, some other times a little more work will
be needed. Below are a list of the most common cosmetic dentistry
techniques that ought to be available at most dentist practices.
Dental bonding
The term dental bonding can refer to a number of related
dental techniques. In general, after a tooth's surface has been
properly prepared, a white colored dental filling material is bonded
onto the tooth. Dental bonding might be utilized as a way to
improve the appearance of a cosmetic defect found on the surface of
a tooth, to replace tooth structure that has chipped away or
broken, or to repair damage caused by tooth decay. At an extreme,
this technique can be used to resurface the entire front side of a
tooth so to improve its cosmetic appearance. This treatment is
relatively cheap and can be completed in one session. However, the
material used has a tendency to stain and isn't as durable as other
types of cosmetic dental procedures. However, if broken or chipped,
it can be patched or repaired easily.
Porcelain veneers
A porcelain veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that is bonded onto
the front surface of a tooth and can be ideal to make a cosmetic
change for a tooth. Compared to dental bonding, porcelain veneers
usually look more life like and they have the added benefit of
resisting staining well. However, they are generally quite expensive
and if chipped or broken the whole veneer must be replaced as it
cannot be patched or repaired.
Dental crowns
The type of cosmetic changes that can be achieved with dental crowns
are similar to those achieved with porcelain veneers. However,
whilst porcelain veneers only cover over the front sides of teeth,
dental crowns cup over and encase the entire tooth which lies above
the gum line.
In comparison to porcelain veneers, dental crowns are stronger and
more durable but because making one involves trimming away a
significant amount of tooth structure, they usually aren't the best
choice for making a cosmetic change for a tooth, unless the tooth
also requires the non-cosmetic benefits the crown can provide. Like
porcelain veneers, dental crowns are fairly expensive.
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