Cosmetic Dentistry for a Better Smile

"Before getting any work done, it is recommended that you have your teeth whitened and that your mouth is free from disease", says Dr. Blanca Martinez-Hoppe. She is a cosmetic dentist who counsels her patients. Lots of people realize that whitening is all they need. There are plenty of  treatments that can be done to give dramatic smile changes such as dental bonding, veneers, tooth whitening, and invisible braces.

To do dental bonding, the dentist would use a tooth-colored composite resin that is similar to enamel and covers the outside surface of the tooth changing the color or shape. This is used best with people who have chipped, jagged, or slightly decayed teeth. It is also used to fill small gaps between teeth. The teeth can still become stained overtime, but cannot be whitened. Bonding will have to be redone around every five years. Dental bonding is a simple procedure. Fixing small gaps in between teeth takes about 45 minutes per tooth. Usually the charge is around $175- $200 per tooth. If you feel it necessary to have all of your front teeth bonded, veneers may be a better choice.

When the work is too much for simple bonding, porcelain laminate veneers are used. Veneers can also be used in place of some orthodontic treatments. The color, size, shape, and arrangement of teeth can be done by veneers to give a near perfect smile. It is a two-step process. First, a mold of the patients teeth is used as a guide. Second, veneers are applied on the second visit. Once put in, veneers won't stain from coffee, tea, cola, or wine. They require a grinding down of par of the tooth structure before applied. Anesthesia and numbing accompany the process. Sensitivity will be for a few weeks after procedure. They run $800-$1500 per tooth and last ten or more years.

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