I’d Like to Enhance My Smile with Cosmetic Dentistry, but Is It Safe?

Cosmetic dentistry includes treatments designed to improve the appearance of teeth, and it has helped millions of people from movie stars to elementary school teachers achieve a more beautiful smile. Crucial to its massive popularity is the fact that cosmetic dental treatments are completely safe for almost all patients. Your dentist can provide you with a proper assessment as to which cosmetic options could be a good fit for you based on your lifestyle, genetics, and dental history. Read on to learn about how cosmetic dental procedures are safe and effective.

Teeth Whitening

Who doesn’t want a shiny smile? A teeth whitening kit from a dental professional is a non-invasive procedure involving no modification of existing tooth structure. While many stores sell at-home whitening kits over the counter, these can damage the teeth due to errors made by the user or products of poor quality.

Kits from your local dentist come with a professional-grade whitening gel and dental trays specially customized to fit your teeth. All you have to do is apply the gel to the trays and wear them for about an hour every day for two weeks. The results will be superior to those of any product you can get from a store, leaving your teeth up to ten shades whiter.

Cosmetic Dental Bonding

Do you have minor chips, gaps, cracks, or stains in your teeth? Cosmetic dental bonding is another non-invasive procedure that can affordably repair these small flaws. It can be completed in a few minutes during a routine dental appointment that requires no anesthesia, injections, or alteration of existing tooth structure. Using a tooth-colored composite resin, your dentist will fill in or cover up bothersome defects in teeth before shaping and buffing the putty-like substance so it matches their natural contours. Dental bonding can even protect your tooth from further damage by reinforcing a weak point in its armor.

Porcelain Veneers

Veneers are thin shells designed to mimic the color, luster, and form of real teeth and are used to reshape a smile or cover up damage in as few as two appointments involving only local anesthesia.

After a thorough examination to confirm that you are a good candidate, your dentist will shave a tiny amount of enamel from the teeth being treated. They will then take bite impressions to be sent to a lab and fix temporary veneers to your teeth. The lab will manufacture your customized permanent set based on these impressions. You will return to the dentist’s office a few weeks later to have your permanent veneers cemented to your teeth.

While not every procedure is appropriate for everyone, consulting with your dentist can help determine which cosmetic dental treatments are right for you. Afterward, you can choose to move forward safely and confidently to a more beautiful smile.

About the Author

Dr. Dominic G. Carlson earned his dental doctorate at Creighton University. He is proud to work alongside a knowledgeable team that shares his commitment to providing sincere, one-on-one attention to everyone who walks into his office in Bakersfield, CA. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry such as the treatments described here. For more information about how safe cosmetic dentistry is, contact his office online or dial (661) 327-7301.