Smile is a very important feature that people notice when they meet you for the first time. A beautiful smile can enhance your confidence and at times even your social success. But if you are not happy with your smile, you no more have to compromise for less than the best. With the help of cosmetic dentistry, your dentist can enhance your smile into one that you love.

There was a time when only celebrities used to opt for cosmetic dentistry. But times have changed as the spectrum of procedures has increased making cosmetic dentistry more popular day by day. There are a wide variety of choices and price ranges of cosmetic dental treatments that give you natural and lasting results.

So read on to find out if cosmetic dentistry is right for you.

What is Cosmetic Dentistry and what are its benefits?

Cosmetic dentistry, as the name suggests, is the part of dentistry that focuses on the enhancement of the appearance of your teeth, smile, and mouth.

Some of the benefits associated with cosmetic dental treatment are:

Natural results:

If done correctly by an experienced cosmetic dentist, then you get a smile which looks and feels natural. With great advancements in materials and technology such as the smile design and facial esthetic software, the result is more durable and natural looking than that in the past.

Faster turnaround time:

The results are quick and you can see the difference in your appearance as soon as in a single visit. Teeth whitening procedures or minor tooth corrections with dental bonding in a single sitting. Even veneers and complex smile makeover procedures take just a few sittings. You don’t have to wait for months to get your best smile.

Painless treatment:

The procedures are pain-free and comfortable. Patients don’t feel any pain due to the use of proper anesthesia.

Gain in self-confidence:

If you feel embarrassed or avoid smiling due to flaws in your teeth, then cosmetic dental procedures will make you feel confident. People who have undergone cosmetic dental procedure experience a large surge in their self-confidence. They speak and smile more in public.

Types of Cosmetic Dental treatments:

There are a variety of cosmetic dental procedures available. You can use a combination of these treatments, or even have them done after restoring some of your lost teeth with implants and crowns.

Teeth whitening:

If you have discolored, yellow and stained teeth, then teeth whitening is a quick, comfortable and affordable way to get a dazzlingly bright smile. You can do this procedure in the dental office with laser (Zoom) whitening, which can lighten teeth up to eight shades in less than an hour. Or you can do it at home with a system consisting of trays and whitening gels. Both these techniques are safe and won’t irritate your gums.

Dental bonding:

Dental Bonding is an excellent option to correct tooth imperfections quickly in a single visit. A composite tooth-colored material bonds to your teeth, match the shade to give instant results. This procedure changes the shape or color of your tooth to cover a stain, chip, cavity or crack on the tooth. It is affordable, comfortable and esthetic.

Veneers:

Veneers are thin shells made of porcelain that conceal imperfections like gaps in teeth, misaligned teeth, tooth damage like chips and fractures in teeth as well as discolored teeth. They are extremely durable and natural looking and blend perfectly with the surrounding natural teeth.  They bonds permanently to the front surface of the tooth and require very little tooth reduction.

Tooth reshaping/ tooth contouring:

Sometimes all you need is reshaping your teeth slightly to achieve the desired look. Tooth reshaping does exactly that by removing tooth enamel to alter its shape. It is done alone or in combination with tooth bonding. Corrects uneven or pointy teeth and even minor imperfections like chips with tooth re-contouring.

Clear Aligners:

Looking to correct tooth alignment problems like spaces and gaps in teeth, crowding, flaring and crooked teeth, but do not want metal braces, then clear aligners are for you. Being virtually invisible, it is an amazing discrete option for people who want to conceal their orthodontic treatment. They are a set of clear plastic aligners that are removable. Invisalign is the most popular brand amongst clear aligners. Being removable has many advantages like you can brush and floss just like you did without braces, you can eat what you want and remove them for photos and special occasions.

Gum re-contouring and reshaping:

When it comes to your smile, your teeth are the focal point but gums are equally important. They are the framework that enhances your pearly whites. If they are not in balance with your teeth, cosmetic gum treatments can restore the balance. Like in gum recession where with age your tooth extends to show more of it and less of the gums or the opposite is present in ‘gummy smiles’ where too much gum tissue is seen. These are fixed with cosmetic gum re-contouring. Besides this gum lightening procedure called gum depigmentation to bleach your gums if they appear too dark. Crown lengthening is another procedure where excess gum tissue is removed and underlying bone reshaped to make the tooth’s crown more visible.

Smile Makeover:

Smile makeover combines a variety of cosmetic dental treatments to give you an attractive smile. It is like a face lift for your teeth and smile. Modern clinics use digital smile designing software to recreate a smile that is stunning and at the same time looks natural as per your face, age, and gender.

Conclusion

Since cosmetic dentistry is an elective procedure and not required for the health of your teeth, it is not insured. Hence it can turn out to be very expensive in places like Australia, New Zealand, US, and Europe. There are world-class dental clinics in Mumbai, India with highly experienced expert cosmetic dentists that carry out cosmetic dental treatments needed for your brand new smile at less than half the price as compared to western countries. There are a wide array of treatments offered that give you an aesthetically pleasing smile.

Thus cosmetic dentistry is for everyone who wants to enhance the appearance of their smile and yet at a reasonable price.