Luster - Premium Whitening

Making A Good Smile Even Better: Options To Consider

You brush, floss and go for regular dental cleanings. Your dentist tells you that your teeth and gums are healthy. But when you look in the mirror, there a few crooked, chipped or irregular-spaced that you wish would just go away.

If such imperfections are minor, some simple bonding might help to create a more esthetic smile. Bonding is when a tooth-colored resin material is applied to the tooth and then hardened with a light technology that “bonds” the material to the tooth. This process can be especially effective with chipped teeth or cracked teeth. The big advantage of bonding is that it is fast, painless and quite inexpensive. Over time, however, bonding will begin to stain and may even chip or break.

Dental veneers are another option for chipped, misshapen, misaligned teeth, including gaps between the teeth. Porcelain veneers are thin “covers” that are custom-made and are applied to the front of the teeth to correct smile imperfections. They are long-lasting and resist stain. A veneer procedure is more time-consuming as it takes a minimum of 2 to 3 dental office visits. It also may require the painful removal of tooth structure, requiring an anesthetic. For the most part, veneer procedures are irreversible and can be quite costly. However, the esthetic result can be worth it.

If your teeth are quite crooked or your bite significantly misaligned, you might want to consult with an orthodontist to find out if you are a candidate for braces. There are numerous options in braces today that don’t necessary mean that you will have a mouth full of metal. Braces may consist of bands, wires, “mini-braces” and other fixed or removable appliances. Based on your needs and budget, an orthodontist should help you work out the most effective tooth straightening game plan that makes sense for you and your lifestyle.

Before embarking on any of the above procedures, most dentists will recommend that you whiten your smile with either a professional or over-the-counter product in order to provide restorations that will match your desired bright smile.