3 Dental Treatments That Can Transform Your Smile
Are you unhappy with the appearance of your smile? Do you avoid having your photo taken or feel self-conscious when laughing and smiling? Thanks to the many advances in modern cosmetic dentistry, there are now more options than ever before to successfully transform your teeth. Cosmetic dental treatments can help boost your confidence and allow you to finally love your smile. Here is an overview of the most popular and effective options for improving the look of your smile.
- Professional Teeth Whitening
Over time, your teeth can become stained or discoloured from food and drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, and soda. Smoking cigarettes and certain medications can also yellow your smile. Teeth whitening is a fast way to reverse this discoloration and brighten your smile by up to 8 shades or more!
During a professional whitening treatment, your dentist will first examine your teeth and gums to ensure they are healthy enough for bleaching. Next, a gel containing hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide is applied to your teeth. The active ingredient works to penetrate your tooth enamel and break up deep-set stains. A special light may be used to accelerate and activate the whitening process.
In-office whitening supervised by a dentist typically takes 1-2 hours and provides dramatic results. For more gradual lightening, custom-fitted take-home trays are also available, which are worn for a few hours daily over several weeks. With proper care, the whitening effects can last 1-3 years. Teeth whitening is an ideal way to brighten up a discolored or dull smile without surgery or veneers.
- Porcelain Veneers
Thin yet strong porcelain veneers are a great option for improving the look of crooked, chipped, gapped, or stained teeth. These customized shells are bonded over the fronts of your teeth to reinvent their shape, size, length, and colour. Veneers create a flawless white smile with the added benefits of symmetry and uniformity.
The dentist will lightly shave your teeth first to allow space for the veneer shells, which typically vary from .5mm to 1mm thick. Impressions are taken to fabricate the veneers from high-quality dental ceramics in a lab. At a follow-up visit, the dentist uses bonding cement to adhere the veneers over your prepared teeth. The transformation is immediate, giving you a perfect new smile.
While more expensive than whitening, veneers last 10-15 years or longer before replacement is needed. They resist stains better than natural teeth and require only routine care to maintain their beautiful appearance.
- Dental Implants
Missing teeth can greatly impact your smile’s attractiveness and your confidence. Beyond their cosmetic issues, gaps in your smile can cause dental problems like gum erosion, tooth shifting, and bone loss in the jaw. But there is an excellent long-term solution – dental implants.
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots surgically inserted into the jawbone to replace missing teeth. A tapered titanium screw fuses with your jawbone in a process called osseointegration. This provides sturdy support for attaching replacement teeth. The dentist fits and bonds tailored crowns to the implants to complete your new natural-looking teeth.
The whole process takes several months as the implants integrate with the bone. But the results are well worth the wait, providing beautiful, permanent solutions that restore full chewing function and an attractive smile. With good care, implants can last decades. Nothing builds confidence like having a complete, healthy smile.
Conclusion
Whether you opt for teeth whitening, veneers, or dental implants, modern dentistry offers more options than ever to transform your smile. There are so many advanced cosmetic treatments to choose from that can help you achieve the beautiful, healthy smile you’ve always dreamed of having. Don’t settle for anything less than loving your smile every time you look in the mirror.
Take the first step by booking an appointment with us at Carrum Downs Dental Group today. Come in to consult with our experienced dentists, who will listen to your smile goals. Together, we’ll develop a customized cosmetic treatment plan to give you that stunning, straight, bright smile you’ve always wanted. With our state-of-the-art technology and artistic eye, we can transform your teeth and boost your confidence. Visit us today to start your smile makeover journey!