Just What is Cosmetic Dentistry?

Over time, you’ve likely attended many dentist visits. That’s only natural – you should get dental checkups and cleanings twice a year! Still, perhaps you don’t know the basics of cosmetic dentistry. Maybe your smile hasn’t needed aesthetic work before now. Even so, learning about this particular dental field isn’t hard. Your local La Porte dentist can happily give you the scoop. To that end, here’s a summary of cosmetic dentistry and some of the treatments it contains.

What Exactly is Cosmetic Dentistry?

In essence, cosmetic dentistry is dentistry that improves your smile’s look. It uses various procedures to enhance the appearance of your teeth, bite, and gums.

Given these facts, cosmetic dentistry fixes a wide range of smile flaws. That means it’s well-suited for patients who want a nice-looking face and high confidence. Do remember, though, that cosmetic dental work is non-essential; it carries few preventive or restorative effects.

Which Treatments Does It Contain?

Today’s cosmetic dentistry contains several top-tier services. Common examples of these include the following:

Direct Bonding

If you’re dealing with minor smile flaws, you may want to try direct bonding. This procedure covers up problem areas with special tooth-colored resin. In doing so, it hides small tooth stains, chips, and cracks, all while blending seamlessly with adjacent teeth.

Overall, the main upsides of direct bonding are its speed and low cost. It produces good results quickly without charging much.

Metal-Free Restorations

Until recently, patients often had to get gaudy metallic crowns, inlays, etc. Many dentists now, though, offer metal-free versions made of porcelain. These kinds are durable and color-shaded to match the treated tooth.

The biggest perk of metal-free restorations is their versatility. When applied well, they hide tooth decay and dental chips and keep them from worsening. That said, such a broad range of use makes these restorations a tad pricey.

Porcelain Veneers

Per their name, veneers are thin, porcelain shells placed on the fronts of teeth. Dentists generally use them to hide stubborn smile flaws – deep tooth stains, severe fractures, dental misalignment, etc.

Veneers are ideal for patients who want gorgeous results quickly. After all, they rely on high-grade porcelain to match surrounding teeth. They blend seamlessly with the rest of your smile once applied.

As you can see, the basics of cosmetic dentistry aren’t tricky to grasp. Just note the treatments above – they’ll help you grasp things pretty well!

About the Practice

Region Dental is based in La Porte, IN. Led by Drs. Daniel Berquist and Joseph Ornelas, our practice offers high-quality dental care for all local residents. We thus focus on personalized dentistry – preventive, cosmetic, and restorative work tailored to your smile. At the same time, our team is also well-equipped to perform emergency dental services. For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (219)-362-8980.