A smile is the first impression that you'll make. When people walk into the room and smile, people notice. If you want a celebrity smile that brightens up the room, cosmetic dentistry procedures can help.
Beauty is an industry that continues to grow as people continue to try turning back the clock. The most popular procedures include cosmetic dentistry, which aims to help patients obtain the perfect smile they desire at a price they can afford.
We offer a variety of cosmetic procedures in our Langley dental clinic that can turn a lackluster smile into one that is stunning. A few of the many services that we offer are:
Dental implants
Composite bonding
Dental veneers
Teeth whitening
Invisalign
Botox Cosmetic
How is Cosmetic Dentistry Different from General Dentistry?
If you're like most of our Langley patients, you've only entered a dental office for a cleaning or a checkup. General dentistry focuses on the oral health and involves fixing cavities, root canals and other infection preventing procedures.
Cosmetic dentistry is when you choose to come in and see our staff to improve your smile and appearance. We won't be focusing on immediate pain dental health issues like wisdom teeth extractions when performing cosmetic dentist procedures. However, if you have a dental pain issue, we may need to resolve the issue before the cosmetic procedure.
For most people, cosmetic procedures aren't a necessity, although they can improve the appearance of your teeth and for anxious patient we can still offer relaxing sedation dentistry for their treatment.
The procedure can also lead to:
Less teeth grinding
Easier time cleaning teeth
Improvement in confidence level
Inside of cosmetic dentistry exists a range of specializations that you should know about, too.
Cosmetic Dentistry Types in Langley
Anyone wondering if cosmetic dental procedures are worth it should learn about the various procedures within cosmetic dentistry. Patients come into Lighthouse Dental Centre for many cosmetic procedures that can change the way their smile looks.
We can help correct many issues at our Langley clinic, including tooth discoloration,cracks, breaks, chips and even misalignments. The best part? Cosmetic dentistry often includes painless procedures that have little-to-no recovery time.
If you're busy and can't afford to take time off work, cosmetic dentistry's speed and little downtime are beneficial. However, if you need to have implants placed or undergo a more intense cosmetic procedure, pain and recovery are often a part of the procedure.
Since every cosmetic dental procedure is different, it's essential to know the details of the most popular procedures.
Bonding
Composite bonding is another option for cosmetic dentistry. Bonding can help correct the following issues:
Discoloured teeth
Decayed teeth
Damaged teeth
Crowns and Bridges
If you have missing teeth, either genetically or from tooth extractions, the gaps between them can make you lose confidence and hide your smile away. Bridges help fill in these gaps with a non-invasive procedure that places fake teeth in these gaps.
The crowns of the teeth are made to match your natural tooth color. As a result, you'll smile with confidence, avoid tooth shifting and restore your tooth's standard shape.
Crowns can be placed on teeth that are chipped or broken. A crown may be put on a tooth that had a root canal procedure performed to maintain the tooth's structure. You can also preserve your bite.
Dental Veneers
Veneers are a common way to brighten or straighten your teeth with medical-grade ceramic. Veneers are made to match each patient's teeth, and they're applied to the front of the tooth.
The material is designed to look similar to your natural teeth, too. If you have teeth that have gaps, damaged enamel or are crooked, dental veneers work well. This procedure requires that the tooth's enamel is filed down, in most cases, so it's not a procedure that you should not take lightly. Veneers work very well, but they may not be the best option, depending on your current dental hygiene and structure.
Veneers won't last forever, so it's essential to take good care of them. We recommend that you continue with a daily oral hygiene routine that includes daily brushing and flossing. You'll also want to avoid biting hard materials, such as ice cubes, and correct any issues you have with teeth grinding. In addition, a mouthguard may be required if you grind your teeth at night to protect the veneers.
Implants
Missing teeth replacement include bridges, dentures or implants. Dental implants are a permanent solution that is intensive yet provides the most precise tooth replacement. The process includes:
Inserting a titanium screw into the jaw bone
Placing a crown on the post of the screw
The bone and implant will fuse over time to offer a permanent solution to a missing tooth. Implants require cutting open your gum flaps, insert posts into the jaw and a lengthy healing period.
You'll need to wait months for the healing process, but it is worth the wait for most patients. Implants look and feel like your natural teeth. You don't need to take them out at night or soak them in a cleaning solution, as is the case with dentures.
How Long do Dental Implants Last
Dental implants are long-lasting, but they don't last forever. Professional implants can last for decades when they're done by a professional. In addition, technology offers patients the opportunity to have a low risk of failures and rejection.
The reasons that most implants do not last are because of:
Failure
Rejection
Disease
Pre-exisiting medical conditions
When you come into our office, we'll discuss the likelihood of implant success. If you maintain a high level of dental hygiene, you'll boost your chances of along-lasting implant.
Brushing at least twice a day and flossing can go a longway in ensuring that your implant lasts decades. Of course, you should also go for regular dental checkups and cleanings.
If you maintain the highest level of dental hygiene possible, your dental implants may last a lifetime.
Inlays and Onlays
Indirect fillings, also called inlays and onlays, are made in the lab and used for patients with minor to moderate tooth decay. If there isn’t enough tooth structure to support a filling, inlays can be used to repair the tooth.
Tooth cusp damage may also be corrected with an inlay. An onlay can be placed on top of the entire tooth, if necessary, when a more significant portion of the tooth structure is damaged. Composite resin is used to make both an inlay and onlay, and an adhesive is used to attach the inlay, shape the tooth and prevent further decay of healthy tooth structure.
Orthodontics
Orthodontics, also known as teeth straightening, is a standard cosmetic procedure that gradually shifts your teeth back in place. Invisalign is one type of straightening options that is ideal for adults because you can't see the aligners vs traditional or ceramic braces.
Clear aligners are made for each patient, and new aligners are created every week or two to continue straightening the teeth. Progress continues to be monitored throughout the entire process, with progress updates every 6 to to 12 weeks. You'll need to wear your aligners for up to 22 hours a day and can take them out when eating, brushing and flossing.
Straightening can take 6 to 18 months to complete, but the results are drastic and can correct your smile.
Teeth Whitening
Whitening your teeth is possible, and most of our patients come into our office after failing to whiten their teeth at home. There are at-home whitening options, including toothpaste and trays, to help lighten your teeth by several shades.
Professional whitening includes more intense whitening with higher concentrations to whiten teeth. Our teeth whitening aims to restore your teeth's natural whiteness by removing several layers of stains. Food and drink can stain your teeth over time, including:
Wine
Soda
Coffee
Berries
Etc.
Medication, smoking and others can also stain your teeth. Before we begin with your professional whitening, we'll first recommend a complete dental cleaning. Our cleaning will ensure that all of the tartar and plaque are removed from the teeth so that we can lighten your teeth.
Top Benefits of Dental Cosmetic Procedures
If you hide your smile when taking pictures our cosmetic dentist can help give you an opportunity to smile again. But there is more to these procedures than just making your teeth and smile look great. You can enjoy numerous benefits that go beyond aesthetics, including:
Correct tooth damage. If a tooth is broken, chipped or cracked, cosmetic dentistry can restore the tooth's structure and original shape. In addition, even discolored or stained teeth can be whitened with cosmetic dentistry.
Boost your confidence. With a nice smile, you'll regain your confidence and can go about your day with high self-esteem.
Long-lasting. Your dental procedure will last 10 years or longer. Maintenance costs are minimal, and your smile will last a lifetime with the proper care.
Hygiene. Cleaning, flossing and brushing are easy when you undergo cosmetic procedures. Most of our patients that restore their smile come to the office more often for cleanings to maintain their smile for as long as possible.
Strengthen your teeth. A lot of the procedures above also strengthen your tooth's structure. In addition, cosmetic dentistry also corrects chips and cracks to protect the tooth from further damage.
Younger looking. Want to turn back the clock? You can, with a whiter, brighter and straighter smile.
Is Aesthetic Treatment with a Cosmetic Dentist Worth Having Done?
Dental cosmetics help you restore your beautiful, natural smile. You'll have the confidence to smile after a procedure and that is worth going to the dentist on its own. Most patients state that after they have a procedure done:
They're more confident
Chewing is easier
They get compliments on their perfect teeth
From the perspective of a dentist, we know that the cosmetic procedures that we perform also help the tooth regain its natural strength. If you have cracked or chipped teeth, there's a good chance that the damage will continue if your teeth aren't repaired properly.
Cosmetic dentists will correct the critical damage and restore the tooth's structure so that you don't have to worry about additional cracking or tooth breaks. The key to long-lasting results is to have a professional cosmetic procedure performed.
At-home products, such as whitening, can work well for light stains, but they're unable to compete with the results of an expert. If you're interested in having your smile restored or whitened, we're able to help.
Give us a call today to schedule an appointment and learn how we can make you look like a superstar every time you smile.
