Cosmetic Dentistry

 

Cosmetic dentistry can help you out when you aren't happy with the way your teeth look. You can improve the appearance of healthy teeth that are broken, chipped, cracked, widely spaced or stained.

There are two main types of cosmetic treatment:

- Veneering, involves applying a composite resin (or plastic) directly to tooth surfaces and hardening it with light (Direct Veneering) or casting porcelain or acrylic veneers in a laboratory and affixing them to the natural teeth (Indirect Veneering). - Bleaching, uses a chemical agent to lighten the colour of teeth and remove discolorations.

Another method sometimes used to whiten teeth is micro-abrasion.

Will it be a success?  

Bleaching may lighten most stains from your teeth, but not all stains.  If your teeth are discoloured because you took a medicine called tetracycline when you were a child, your teeth may be harder to bleach.

Veneers are stronger than bonding.  They are also less likely to change colour or stain.  Porcelain veneers are stronger than acrylic veneers.

Veneers can chip or peel off if you do not take care of them.  Don't bite your fingernails or chew on hard objects.

How long will it last?

Teeth that have been bleached may need to be redone 1 to 3 times a year.  

Bonding does not last as long as crowns.  It may need to be touched up about every 3 to 5 years.  But crowns can last for about 10 years.

Veneers can last from about 3 to 12 years.

What will it cost?

In general, bleaching costs less than bonding or veneers.

Bonding costs a lot less than crowns.  Crowns used to be the only way to make chipped, widely spaced, or discoloured teeth look better.

Cosmetic dental treatments like bleaching, bonding or veneers might not be covered by your dental plan.  You may have to pay the costs yourself.

How long will it take?

Bleaching most often takes a few visits before teeth are lightened.  Each visit lasts about a half-hour.

Bonding is quick.  In most cases, several teeth can be bonded in 1 visit.

Veneers take at least 2 visits, and sometimes 3.  Some of these visits might last longer than others.

What can happen after treatment?

Bleaching may sometimes damage tooth pulp.  Pulp is the soft part of a tooth that has nerves and blood vessels it it.  Pulp runs through the centre (or root canal) of a tooth.  If tooth pulp is badly damaged, you may need a root canal.

If composite resin is not fully sealed (or bonded) onto your tooth, stains or cavities can form under the composite resin.

Once you have veneers, you cannot reverse the treatment because a part of your enamel has been removed.  And until the veneers are attached to your teeth, your teeth may be sore and look strange.

If a veneer chips or peels off, or if a cavity forms under a veneer, the veneer must be redone.  The other option is to put a crown on the tooth.

What about eating, drinking and smoking?

Tobacco, coffee, tea, blueberries, grape juice, cherries and red wine can stain bleached and bonded teeth, just like they stain natural teeth.

Veneers do not stain as easily, but they can be chipped if you are not careful when biting into hard or chewy foods.

Other things to think about:

Bonding can be used on children's teeth, because the composite resin can be removed and replaced as children's teeth grow.

Cosmetic dental treatments like bleaching, bonding and veneers can make your teeth look better, and make you feel better about yourself and your smile.