We live in a time when physical appearance is of the utmost importance to make a good first impression on anyone. Today, people are ready to go under the surgeon’s knife to correct even a small defect on the face or any other part of the body. Thus, cosmetic dentistry is essential in today’s world.
Cosmetic dentistry tries to alter a person’s characteristics by changing the alignment of the teeth, thus altering the structure of a person’s jaw line. This discipline is also concerned with providing preventive and palliative treatment for certain dental diseases and disorders.
Some of the most common corrective techniques are mentioned below:
o FILLING OF CAVIES – Cavities in teeth are holes from decay. If caught at an early stage, this can be easily corrected by crushing the infected part and then filling it with special material. This sometimes runs deep, so a root canal will need to be done.
o ROOT CANAL – Root canal is a complex procedure, in which bad dental pulp is removed, nerve roots in the area are desensitized, and finally a cap is placed over the area. This can go over several sessions.
o CLIPS AND BRACES – The use of clips or braces is a corrective measure to prevent teeth from protruding forward. This is done under the supervision of a dental surgeon and they usually ask the client to keep them for a period of 2 years or more, if the problem is more pronounced. After the time period is up, the braces are removed and the teeth are properly aligned.
o WHITENING – As the name suggests, teeth are whitened with a special whitening solution. At the end of the procedure, the yellowish appearance of the teeth is replaced by a bright white one.
o SHAPING THE ENAMEL: This is done by removing irregular parts of the enamel and then shaping the curve of the teeth to give them a naturally beautiful contour.
o GUM TRIM: The surgeon trims overgrown gums with special instruments to make them look smooth and even. This, although done under anesthesia, hurts for a while later and can also cause infection in some cases.
Modern medicine changes by the minute, so dentists need to keep up to date on the latest developments in the field at all times. There are dental clinics all over the world that employ specialized techniques to help the client overcome their dental problems. Listed below are some of these very special techniques that are all the rage today.
DENTAL IMPLANTS
Implants can be described as “permanent prostheses.” They are fixed to the mandible with titanium alloy screws over which a protective porcelain crown is placed.
BROKEN TEETH REPAIR
If the crack is minor, the surgeon would recommend bonding, in which an enamel-like substance is used on the teeth and shaped into a suitable shape, allowed to harden, and finally polished.
INLAYS AND ONLAYS
These methods are like fillers. The difference is that while inlays are worn inside the cusp of a tooth, inlays can act as a bridge over one or more tooth cusps.
DENTAL VENEERS
These are extremely thin ceramic shields that are attached to the front of the teeth. They are invisible to the naked eye and the polished, shiny look lasts a long time.
Dental treatment and surgery are quick and convenient these days. But as they say, prevention is better than cure. Therefore, it would be wise to maintain good oral hygiene, brush and floss regularly, and most importantly, visit the dentist at least once every 6 months to ensure good dental health and a sparkling smile.