Cosmetic Dentistry Methods and Practices

Cosmetic dentistry is a branch of dentistry that involves methods used to improve the aesthetics of a patient's teeth. Although some methods and practices of cosmetic dentistry are considered to belong to other branches of dentistry, particularly prosthodontics, those methods that provide people with improved aesthetics are now considered to be under cosmetic dentistry. Popular prosthodontic methods classified under cosmetic dentistry involve:

Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are fixed prosthodontics that are used to replace missing tooth. Aside from dental implants, dental bridges has been one of the many traditional practices employed in restoring tooth aesthetics. The materials used for dental bridges include gold, porcelain fused to metal, or, in the correct situation, porcelain alone. The basic problem with dental bridges is that porcelain and gold are too expensive for most people. It is not until the introduction of composite resins that dental bridges have become more affordable.

Aside from lowering the price of dental bridges, composite resins have also allowed dental bridges to be directly applied. Conventionally, according to the cosmetic dentist hollywood, bridges were made exclusively using the indirect method of restoration however, bridges can now be fabricated directly in the mouth using materials as composite resin.

Dental crowns
Dental crowns are restorative materials used to cover a tooth that was devastated by dental caries or cavities. Crowns, like dental bridges, are also indirectly applied. However, dental crowns weren't considered for cosmetic purposes in the past. This is because the material that used to make up dental crowns was gold - a substance whose color is far from that of the natural tooth. The introduction of composite resins in prosthodonics, not only made dental crowns more aesthetically pleasing in terms of color, but also affordable and capable of being applied directly.

Although ceramic dental crowns are increasingly being substituted in place of gold crowns for aesthetic and structural reasons, there are several disadvantages with the use of the material. In fact, according to the cosmetic dentist hollywood, ceramic restorations cannot be finished, polished or burnished at the margin as gold can, and thus possess a significantly lower level of marginal adaptation than gold. This is the reason why several dentists also offer a combination of ceramics and gold, so as to make the material stronger compared to full-ceramic crowns.

Dental Veneers
A veneer is a thin layer of restorative material placed over a tooth surface, either to improve the esthetics of a tooth, or to restore a damaged tooth surface. Materials used for veneers may include composite and porcelain. In some cases, removal of tooth structure is needed to provide sufficient space for the veneer, whereas sometimes a restoration may be bonded to a tooth without preparation of the tooth.

Other Cosmetic Dentistry Practices
Aside from prosthodontic methods such as dental crowns, dental bridges, and dental veneers, cosmetic dentistry also involves other forms of practices which usually revolve around the improvement of the teeth. According to the cosmetic dentist hollywood, other methods of cosmetic dentistry include:

Whitening. Whitening or tooth bleaching is the most common cosmetic dental procedure. While many whitening options are now available, dentist-supervised treatments such as laser whitening and application of high-concentration tooth bleaching gels remain the recommended procedures for lightening discolored teeth .
Tooth reshaping. Dental reshaping and contouring is a procedure to correct crooked teeth, chipped teeth, cracked teeth or even overlapping teeth in just one session. The dental contouring procedure can even be a substitute for braces under certain circumstances.
Gum lift. This is a cosmetic dental procedure that raises and sculpts the gum line. The procedure involves reshaping the tissue and/or underlying bones to create the appearance of longer or more symmetrical teeth.