What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic Dentistry Reston VA
Cosmetic dentistry is the professional oral care, focusing on improving your mouth, teeth, and overall smile’s appearance. Your teeth may be broken, worn, chipped, discolored or happen to have gaps. For this reason, one or more cosmetic dental procedures can effectively improve teeth’s appearance.
That’s right. It may require one or more procedures to get to your ideal teeth appearance. The process is elective rather than essential. In fact, your cosmetic dentist will work with you to develop a treatment plan that best suits you.
Most common procedures in cosmetic dentistry are simple, others are complex and require specialized care. Below are a few common cosmetic procedures available.
Inlays and Onlays
Also known as indirect fillings, inlays and onlays are made of porcelain, gold or composite material used to fill the decayed or damaged part of the tooth.
Inlays are bonded at the center of the tooth. The opposite is true for onlays, when they are bonded at one or more points on the tooth or on the biting surface. Onlays and inlays are an alternative to crowns to restore decayed and damaged teeth.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening can be performed at home or at your dentist’s office. But this is after plaque, tartar and other debris are cleaned from the tooth surface. Food, drinks, medication, and habits such as smoking can stain your teeth. Fortunately, teeth whitening can lighten teeth up to 8 shades.
Composite Bonding
It is also referred to as bonding. It is the repair of the damaged, decays and discolored teeth using the material that resembles the tooth enamel. The dentist drills out the decayed tooth and applies composite material on its surface. Next, he sculpts it to the right shape before curing it using a high-intensity light.
In summary, the procedure effectively covers the damage to the tooth by giving it the appearance of a healthy one. The bonding is one of the least expensive procedures a dentist can perform to your chipped, cracked, worn-down edged and decayed tooth.
Dental veneers
A veneer is a wafer-thin and custom-made shell of resin or tooth-colored porcelain. The thin shells are bonded after the removal of half millimeter enamels of the tooth surface. They change the color, size, shape and even length of the tooth.
Dental Crowns
A crown is a cap, fitted over a decayed or damaged tooth. In brief, the procedure restores the shape, size, not forgetting the appearance of the tooth. A crown also keeps a weak tooth from breaking and holds the cracked tooth together. In addition, crowns can be used to cover a severely discolored tooth. It can be made of resin, metal, ceramic or even porcelain fused with metal.
Dental Implants
These are titanium replacement tooth roots implanted into the bone. Essentially, they are used to permanently replace missing teeth. The jawbone heals as it grows around the implanted metal post. The implant subsequently anchors itself in the jaw and provides a foundation of a replacement tooth.
Learn More
Reston Modern Dentistry offers a variety of dental treatments. Learn more about cosmetic dentistry by scheduling a consultation. Call 703-860-9854 or book online. We look forward to meeting you!