Having healthy teeth and gums is important for chewing and breaking down food for better digestion, as well as optimal nutritional intake. If your teeth and gums aren’t healthy, you may experience oral and general health complications as a result. That’s where your dentist steps in, for they can help treat oral conditions and disease so that your oral health stays on track.
However, there is another important job that dentists do – cosmetic dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry refers to dental work that is used to correct and improve the appearance of your smile.
There are a number of smile issues that cosmetic dentistry can fix. Cosmetic dental problems don’t necessarily affect your oral health, but they can have a huge impact on your appearance, “smile” confidence and emotional well-being.
The following include the most common cosmetic dental problems that dentists treat:
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Tooth stains and discolouration
Teeth whitening is by far the most common cosmetic dental treatment that people seek to brighten their smile. However, this treatment is mostly suitable for extrinsic or superficial stains caused by long term consumption of certain foods and beverages that stain your teeth. On the other hand, intrinsic stains are usually caused by certain meds and aging, and are deeply embedded in teeth. These require cosmetic options such as veneers or crowns.
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Teeth spaces
Spaces between teeth may develop due to developmental or tooth drift problems. This can cause a smile to look uneven and draw attention to the gap. Orthodontic treatments, such as aligners or braces, are the best long term options. They require a lot of patience and potential discomfort on the part of the patient because treatment can take months or even years. For quicker results, cosmetic treatment options such as dental crowns and veneers are quite popular.
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Misaligned and malpositioned teeth
A smile can look uneven if your teeth aren’t in their proper positions. As above, orthodontic treatment is the best long term solution. However, more immediate results can be achieved through the use of dental bridges and veneers.
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Missing teeth
People tend to cover up or limit their smile if they have a missing front tooth because it’s just so obvious. That’s why tooth replacement options are important to improve the smile confidence of those missing a tooth. Your dentist can recommend the best option for your situation which may be a dental bridge, a dental implant or removable dentures (partial or full).
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Chipped, damaged or broken teeth
Teeth that are damaged through accident, tooth decay or wear & tear can be repaired and restored to their original function and appearance via a few dental options, including fillings, inlays, overlays and crowns.
