Understanding the Types of Aesthetic Dentistry
(Part 1)
This week we are starting our discussion on the types of aesthetic or cosmetic dentistry.
The type of aesthetic dentistry will depend on the work done on your teeth, gums, mouth, and jaw, which can extend to orthodontics (braces) or even prosthodontics (dentures).
The aesthetic dentist may also add some dental material to a patient’s gums or teeth.
A patient can have grafts, crowns or caps, porcelain veneers or laminates, and bonding treatment to one’s teeth and gums.
It is also possible that dental material will be removed such as reducing the size of the gums and exposing more teeth. The dentist can also expand the gums to hide more portions of the teeth. Gum removal or having less gum is called gingivectomy. Enamel scaling and removal is called enameloplasty.
There are some aesthetic techniques devised to improve your smile without adding or removing your gums, tooth structure, or other dental materials.
The dentist may use gum depigmentation to get your gum color right, laser whitening or bleaching of the teeth’s enamel.
The thing is that these techniques help improve your smile and to strengthen the teeth and even the jaw, chin and cheeks.
An aesthetic dentist uses a lot of techniques when it comes to improving the smile mostly cosmetic or partly functional means.
The dentist can help with tooth whitening when the tooth has some discoloration.
Your dentist will first find out if bleaching can help whiten your teeth. Some dental discoloration is due to a decaying tooth or issues with the dentin or the layer below the enamel, so bleaching the enamel won’t work.
Another work the aesthetic dentist will be doing for a patient is tooth reshaping.
Reshaping a tooth may require removal of part of the enamel to improve tooth appearance.
We will continue with our discussion next week on the other types of services your aesthetic dentist can provide to a patient like you.