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.

Similar to porcelain laminate veneer in look, lumineers are not nearly as difficult. No anesthesia is needed. Dr. Martinez-Hoppe uses lumineers instead of porcelain laminate veneers because it does not require grinding of teeth. It only requires a small bit of sanding and buffing. They are half the thickness of porcelain veneers and are approximately $1000-$1500 per tooth.

Tooth whitening can be done at a dentist's office in a hour. There are name brand methods like Zoom and Sapphire. A special light is aimed at the mouth to begin whitening after a solution is applied to the surface of the teeth. It is practically painless. There are some equally effective take home whitening trays that takes longer. They are less expensive, but more bothersome than the one shot whitening. A patient makes a dental impression of the teeth so that trays can be made to fit the teeth properly. Whitening is placed in the tray each night. Dr. Martinez-Hoppe's methods takes 3 minutes, but others can take up to 3 hours and even overnight. Can last up to 5 years if used with diet in mind. Coffee, wine , etc. can stain teeth sooner. A Sapphire treatment can cost $600, and a home whitening kit can cost $400.

An at- home teeth whitening is the least expensive. Crest Whitestrips are recommended by many Dentists. They can be worn twice a day on your teeth for around 2 weeks. The cost is around $20-30.

Invisible braces are used to straighten teeth by many adults. They are known by the name Invisilign. They must be worn for 9 months to a year. They cost $4000 to $6000. Most dentists can work with you on financing with the more expensive procedures.

Source: www.womensdigest.net