Modern cosmetic dentistry is a great option if you have a problem with your smile. This type of dental treatment focuses on improving the appearance of your teeth, mouth, gums, and overall smile. The most common procedures are teeth whitening and veneers, fillings and implants.

What Can a Cosmetic Dentist Do?

A cosmetic dentist is responsible for a variety of procedures, from minor adjustments to major surgical procedures. Here are a few the cosmetic procedures they offer.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening family dentistry is among the most common procedures. It's also among the most affordable. In time, teeth become stained from beverages, food or even other behaviors like smoking. To brighten their smiles, many people opt for teeth bleaching.

Teeth whitening is a process that bleaches the tooth's surface so that they appear cleaner and more radiant after being freed from plaque, tartar, and other particles. Professional tooth whitening is a better option than over-the-counter products such as toothpaste, whitestrips, and rinses. It can lighten your teeth up up to 5-8 times.

Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are white shells made of medical-grade porcelain, resin or ceramic. They're custom made to fit each person's needs and mimic their natural teeth.

The dentist removes certain layers of enamel off the surfaces of the teeth prior to attaching the veneers. This allows the shells to bond effectively to the front teeth. Dental veneers can solve a variety of cosmetic issues, such as crooked or damaged teeth and gaps between teeth.

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is also known as an "dental cap" and can be used to cover damaged or decayed tooth. The crowns are used to prevent a weak tooth from fracturing or cosmetically to cover severely missing or discolored teeth.

They are also used for different procedures, including dental fillings and root canals.

Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays, also known as indirect fillings, are employed to fill in the gaps of a tooth that are too damaged to be able to support a standard filling. These fillings are designed in a dental laboratory and bonded in place with a family dentistry.

An "inlay" is the process of bonding the material to the middle of the tooth. An "onlay" is where the filling covers the surface of the tooth, or covers the tooth's entire surface.

This procedure can be a viable alternative to crowns, which preserves the tooth's natural surface, but also strengthening and restoring the tooth after decay or deterioration.

Dental Implants

In the event of severe tooth decay or loss of tooth, dental implants are used for replacement of teeth. The cosmetic dentist first connects a screw to the jaw for support. Then, the implant is inserted into the socket in the bone of the tooth missing.

In time, the bone and tissue connect to the implant, securing the replacement tooth within the mouth. When it is properly attached the dental implant should be able to blend in with the teeth around it.

Dental Bonding

For dental bonding the cosmetic dentist apply a moldable resin on the tooth and sets it with ultraviolet light. After that, they cut, shape and polish the resin to be able to blend in with the surface of the tooth.

Bonding can be used to repair chips, cracks and misshapen teeth. Bonding can also be used to fix minor cosmetic problems. It's more affordable than crowns or fillings.

Education and Training

Cosmetic dentistry is an established area, however it's not yet recognized by the American Dental Association as a specialty. So, most universities don't offer degree programs in that area.

Most cosmetic dentists get their education at other institutions. Dental students are trained for four years and usually require a bachelor's degree in order to be accepted into the program. Training for the program includes:

Orthodontics (the dental practice of aligning teeth with braces or other methods)

Treatment of pain

Dental history and law

Cosmetic dentistry

Oral medicine

The prospective cosmetic dentist will require to obtain a license after having completed a training program. They may also receive accreditation.