Do have one tooth that is a little more square than another? Do you have a rough spot on one of your teeth or a small chip in your tooth? If so, you may be a good candidate for a painless cosmetic dental procedure called enamel shaping. With enamel shaping, dentists use the same tools that are used to polish the teeth during a dental cleaning to remove a small amount of the tooth’s surface. This quick procedure can create an improved look and better feel. Typically, enamel shaping is done without an anesthetic. This may not be the case in patients with severe tooth sensitivity.
Dental bonding is another painless cosmetic dental procedure that is basically the opposite of enamel shaping. With dental bonding, a small amount of composite resin material is added to the tooth to fill in holes, cracks or gaps in the teeth. Once the dental bonding material has hardened, it is polished to smooth the surface.
Enamel shaping and dental bonding are relatively inexpensive cosmetic dental procedures that can be used to improve your smile. These procedures are appropriate when one or two of your teeth is in need of improvement. If you wish to improve all of or a majority of the teeth that show when you smile, porcelain veneers may be a better option. This is also the case when there is severe tooth discoloration in multiple teeth. With porcelain veneers, extremely thin shells are laminated to the front surfaces of the teeth to improve their appearance and bring balance to your smile. Porcelain veneers are a highly effective way to dramatically improve the appearance of your smile but are quite a bit more expensive than bonding or enamel shaping.
If you are interested in improving the appearance of your smile but are not sure which type of cosmetic dental procedure to choose, talk to a qualified cosmetic dentist today. After a thorough consultation, your dentist can recommend the procedure or combination of procedure that best suits your goals while staying within your budget.
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