If you're thinking of making subtle or major improvements to your smile, you'll likely want to familiarize yourself with your options related to cosmetic dentistry. At Stone Family Dentistry in Charleston, SC, Dr. Denise Stone is dedicated to helping you find your ideal smile.
What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Certain aspects of your smile may not fit the description of your desired smile—which can include anything from chipped or stained teeth. Cosmetic dentistry is a branch of dentistry that can correct the appearance of your teeth.
Listed below are common procedures and methods of cosmetic dentistry:
- Teeth whitening is the most frequently sought-after cosmetic dental treatment, as well as the fastest modification. You may solely be looking to brighten your smile—nothing more—which can be performed by your Charleston, SC, dentist, Dr. Stone, at Stone Family Dentistry. This form of cosmetic dentistry can be done at home, however, we recommend using bleach from us, as it's safest for you to apply.
- Dental veneers are composed of thinly made porcelain or plastic that covers your front teeth, restoring the confidence behind your smile. It's important to know that to have dental veneers, your teeth will have to be shaved down. Even though veneers help treat discolored teeth, misaligned teeth, or gaps between teeth, they often become worn down over time. This means you will have to receive the corrective procedure for the rest of your life.
- Dental crowns are custom-made acrylic or porcelain 'caps' to treat a broken, chipped, or decayed tooth. Dental crowns are also used in cases of filling the gap of a previous filling. Crowns can last up to a lifetime, but they are also the most tedious cosmetic procedure.
- Teeth shaping is typically performed to correct any misalignment of the teeth (e.g. crooked, chipped, and sometimes overcrowded teeth) by modifying the position, shape, or length of the problem tooth/teeth. Reshaping the tooth can sometimes help repair minor bite issues, but is overall utilized for small corrections.
- Tooth bonding provides durability to chipped or decaying teeth that are custom-made (from composite resin material) to fill gaps, act as a filling for smaller cavities, and even alter the color of your teeth. However, out of all the forms of cosmetic dentistry, the bonding material is the most prone to cracking or staining.
- Dental implants are easily one of the most recently popular restorative dental procedures. This is likely a result of the process: made of titanium, the implant fuses to the jawbone, acting like the previous tooth root. Thus providing substantial support and comfort, with the capability to withstand a lifetime. The implant is usually followed by a naturally appearing false tooth.
Visit With Us
For more questions related to the corrective dental methods, our team at Stone Family Dentistry encourages you to visit with us to further discuss your options. Book your appointment with your dentist, Dr. Stone, in Charleston, SC, by calling our office at (843) 556-6566, today!