Want to Improve Your Smile?

Your smile lights up the world: there are many ways to make it shine brightly.

See what braces, crowns, veneers, teeth whitening, bridges, implants, gum reshaping -- or even a complete dental makeover -- can do for your smile.  

Dental Bonding

Bonding applies a tooth-colored resin that is  hardened with a special light, ultimately "bonding" the material to the tooth. Among the easiest and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures, bonding can repair chipped or cracked teeth, close gaps, change the shape of teeth, or be used as a cosmetic alternative to silver amalgam fillings. 

Veneers

Veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells that cover the front surface of teeth. Bonded to the front of the teeth, changing their color, shape, size or length, veneers can be made from porcelain or resin composite. Veneers offer an easy, cheaper approach to changing a tooth's color or shape compared to crowns.

Crowns

A crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that's placed over a tooth to improve its shape, size, strength, or appearance. Most crowns last five to 15 years and can be made of metal, or porcelain. Before a crown is seated, the existing tooth is filed down; then the crown is cemented over it. Onlays and three-quarter crowns cover the underlying tooth to a lesser extent.

Orthodontics (Braces)

Braces can correct crooked or misaligned teeth, and can greatly improve the health and appearance of anyone's smile -- adult or child. Braces work by applying steady pressure over time to slowly move teeth into alignment. As the teeth move, the bony tooth socket changes shape as pressure is applied.  They are very effective but can take 2-3 years.

Types of Braces

While metal braces are still used, braces can be as inconspicuous as you like. Brackets -- the part that attach to each tooth -- can be clear, tooth-colored, or multi-colored. They can even be attached to the back of the tooth so they are out of view. There are even "invisible" braces which use a series of clear, plastic molds to gradually move the teeth into alignment.

Gum Reshaping

Gum reshaping can improve a "gummy" smile in which teeth appear too short, or where the gum line appears uneven. A small amount of gum tissue -- and excess bone tissue if necessary -- is removed and contoured to expose more of the teeth. This procedure can be done to one tooth to even the gum line, or to several teeth to expose a natural, broad smile.

Implants

Millions of people suffer tooth loss, mostly due to tooth decay, gum disease, or injury. Dental implants -- replacement tooth roots which are made of titanium -- provide a strong foundation for the attachment of artificial teeth (crowns). Instead of individual crowns, some patients may have attachments on their implant that support a removable denture.

Dentures

A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissue. There are two types of dentures -- complete and partial. Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some of the natural teeth remain.

Bridges (fixed partial dentures)

A bridge replaces one or more teeth by placing crowns on the teeth either side of the gap, and attaching artificial teeth to them. The "bridge" is then cemented into place. 

Smile Makeovers

A combination of dental techniques can be used to achieve a great smile. Here, porcelain veneers and crowns correct crooked teeth, an uneven gum line, and other chipped, worn, and discolored dentistry. While cosmetic dentists can make a dramatic difference in a person's smile and overall oral health, the work must be carefully planned -- though for many the elaborate and costly production is worth it in the end.

Source: webMD