6 Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures Which Will Help Improve Your Smile

The United States is home to over 200,000 dentists. When we think of dentists, we usually think of cleaning, cavities, and other aspects of oral health. 

However, not all dental care is for health purposes. There are also cosmetic dentistry procedures. Most of them are meant to improve our smile.

Many of us have less-than-perfect smiles and for many different reasons. Unfortunately, society tends to judge people for their looks, which in turn affects our self-esteem. Giving our mouth a little cosmetic care may help us feel better about ourselves.

What are these procedures, though, and how do they work? We'll talk more about that in the paragraphs below.

Contrary to popular belief, teeth are not naturally white. Teeth are naturally slightly gray or yellow in color.

The enamel outside our teeth is white, but it's also easy to see through. Beneath our enamel is a layer of dentin, which is usually yellow. You don't need to worry about having slightly yellow teeth, because that means they're healthy.

However, if you don't want yellow teeth, you could always whiten them. There are a lot of different ways to do this, but having an orthodontist tackle the job is often the fastest method. Most will do it over a handful of appointments that are no longer than an hour apiece.

2. Composite Bonding

Were you injured as a kid? Do you, for any reason, have a chipped tooth? How about a cracked tooth, or a neglected tooth that has started to decay?

If you happen to have any of these, composite bonding may be the solution. Composite bonding is a dental service in which your dentist or orthodontist takes a clay-like material that looks similar to enamel, called bonding, and fills in any breaks in your teeth.

In addition to placing the bonding, the dentist must also mold the bonding into the right shape, and polish it so it takes on the same shiny texture of a real tooth. 

A special light is then used to make the material harden, giving you the perfect smile you're always wanted.

If you're in love with the idea of a perfect smile and have money to spend, veneers are among the best cosmetic dentistry procedures. Dental veneers are a set of coverings that go on the front of your teeth. 

The process often involves taking some enamel off the front of your teeth; an amount so small that you probably won't notice it's gone. The space left is then filled with a veneer.

Dental veneers are the end-all-be-all of cosmetic dental procedures. They can cover up cracks, chipped teeth, as well as any gaps or alignment issues.

That versatility comes with a price, though. Dental veneers can cost over $1,000 per tooth. That's over $32,000 for a full set. For that amount of money, you should make sure you've got the best orthodontist you can find.

4. Inlays and Onlays

What are inlays and onlays? They're technical terms for types of fillings. They're often put into rotted or otherwise damaged teeth to keep them functional and looking good.

Inlays and onlays are not the exact same, though. The difference is in how they are put in. Inlays are placed into the center of a damaged tooth, while and only is put over the top of the tooth.

An inlay is usually meant to fill a hole that's too big for a normal filling. An onlay often fills holes too large for an inlay.

Much like veneers, inlays and onlays can be fairly expensive. Many cost only $100 less per tooth than a set of veneers.

You may have seen a crown before. In certain cases, they can be hard to miss. Also called a cap, a crown is a covering that goes over the entire tooth above the gums.

These coverings can be made of many different materials, including porcelain, ceramic, and even metal. The most common material is ceramic because it blends in with the tooth so well.

Ceramic would likely be the only option if it weren't for their cost. It's the most expensive of all types of caps. The most affordable, ironically, is gold.

6. Implants

Dentists can't always repair teeth. Sometimes, there's too much damage, and, if it's not gone already, the teeth will be pulled and replaced with an implant.

An implant is a special screw that is put into the gum where the tooth's roots used to be. A crown is then affixed to the screw and put in place of the tooth.

If the crown is kept clean and maintained, the jawbone will eventually grow around the artificial root, further securing the implant in place.

Since this method uses a crown, you could have a natural-looking porcelain tooth that grows into the bone the same way a biological tooth would.

Common Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

Dentistry doesn't have to be purely functional. It can be fashionable as well. There are many cosmetic dentistry procedures that can give you a better-looking smile.

We've talked about some of these procedures in this article, but there are plenty of others out there. It's always recommended to do a little more research if you're not sure what kind of procedure to get.

It also might help to consult a dentist. If you want more information or advice on dentistry please take a look around our site. We offer a wide range of cosmetic dentistry procedures, as general and preventative dentistry.

We encourage you to contact us if you need an orthodontist or dentist.