COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Cosmetic dentistry has become part of our lives due to the increased publicity from film stars and television personalities.

A set of broken, absent or dirty teeth can spoil a smile and destroy confidence. Over the years more people are keeping their teeth due to changing dentist practices such as cosmetic dentistry and increased amounts of fluoride in our toothpaste and water.

Tooth decay usually occurs before the age of 25 and after that it is just a case of maintenance but more and more people want to have perfect teeth and that is where cosmetic dentistry begins.
 
Cosmetic dentistry can save teeth, making false teeth much less common,  but teeth, like the rest of our body show signs of age. Older teeth are more brittle so they can chip and wear down and if plaque is left unchecked can cause gum disease and teeth can fall out.

Tooth whitening is needed more and more due to tea, coffee and tobacco stains that stay on our teeth. Surface stains can be polished off by a dental hygienist or by bleaching either as a home package or by the dentist with hydrogen peroxide, How long this process lasts is not known but the big drawback is increased sensitivity to hot and cold. It is possible to get free teeth whitening from some companies and the internet should help you to find them.
 
  Veneers

A veneer is a porcelain cover that is bonded to the tooth to achieve a better looking tooth and can hide chips, cracks and stains. Your dentist takes an impression of the tooth using a putty like material and makes a mould. This is sent away to have the veneer made and the dentist will have noted the colour of the other teeth so the veneer will match as we all have a different range of white coloured teeth.

When the veneer is ready the dentist can bond it to the original tooth with plastic resin. It is now possible to help people with gum disease as the plastic resin can bond the veneer directly to the live dentine under the surface of the tooth.

Veneers can be done under the NHS or privately.

If you are looking for cosmetic dentistry, the following links may also be of interest to you:

 

Cosmetic Bonding

Cosmetic bonding is a white filling material that can be bonded to a chipped tooth, or fill gaps. Bonding does not last for more than three of four years so veneers are a better option.

Crowns and Caps

Crowns and caps are false covers that are fitted over the tooth after the tooth has been drilled down to a cone shaped stump, this is particularly good for really bad, damaged teeth. The crown is made from the mould that the dentist took of the original tooth, porcelain crowns being most common because they are stronger. The dentist puts the crown over the stump with dental cement in a light local anaesthetic. Crowns will last for many years.

Implants

Until a short time ago, missing teeth had to be bridged or false teeth were made which were loose and unstable and were taken out at night but now we have implants which are false teeth attached to the jaw bone and resemble our natural teeth.

Implants take three stages, first the metal stud made of titanium, is drilled into the jaw bone and the skin is stitched. The bone fuses over the stud and this takes three to six months. When the jaw has healed a titanium post is screwed into the stud, leaving the post sticking out for a week or two until it is ready for the permanent tooth to be fixed to it.

Implants are suitable for a single tooth, two or for the whole mouth, if you are rich enough. You do not need one implant for every tooth because one implant can support two teeth. This a lengthy and painful process but the finished results can be spectacular. Imagine a life of bridges and crowns transformed into a mouthful of stable, perfect teeth and eating any type of food, now a possibility.

The downside is the cost: £2000-£3000 per implant.
 
Try searching on the Internet for "cosmetic dentistry" and you will be amazed just how many pages are on offer. Try it for yourself by hitting the search button below!