Cosmetic dentistry is a broad term for a wide range of dental treatments that help you achieve a smile that looks healthy and strong. There are any number of things that can detract from your smile’s appearance, such as dental trauma or oral health problems, but cosmetic dentistry is versatile in its ability to correct, repair, and improve.
Cosmetic dentistry provides treatment for:
Tooth Decay
Decayed dental enamel both looks bad for your smile and poses a threat to your oral health. But decay can be repaired with a number of cosmetic restorations. Depending on how large the area of decay is, solutions include dental fillings, inlays, onlays, and crowns. Each of these treatments is designed to remove the decayed portion of dental enamel and replace it with a composite resin or other tooth-colored material, such as porcelain or ceramic. Cosmetic treatment for decay allows your teeth to look and feel healthy.
Staining and Discoloration
Teeth can appear yellow or gray over time, especially if you’re a coffee drinker, smoker, or simply as a part of the aging process. For surface stains caused by food, beverage, and lifestyle choices, there is teeth whitening treatment. Teeth bleaching helps to break-down discoloration, so you see a whiter smile in as little as one hour with an in-office whitening method. For teeth that cannot be brightened with bleaching, porcelain veneers can be used to cover the surfaces of teeth with a shell of white-colored dental porcelain.
Missing Teeth
Modern treatments for missing teeth give patients more comfortable care than ever before. To fill a gap in your smile caused by one or more missing teeth, there are full and partial dentures, as well as fixed bridges and dental implants. For the benefit of both cosmetic appeal and oral function, dental implants are often the best choice. Implants use a small, surgically placed screw that is topped with a tooth-colored restoration to make your treated smile look as life-like as possible.
Size, Symmetry, and Alignment Issues
It’s not uncommon to have one or two teeth that are smaller than surrounding teeth or to have a problem tooth that has tilted and twisted out of place over the years. For alignment problems, there are orthodontic treatments like traditional braces, but these often don’t appeal to patients for whom cosmetics are important. Cosmetic dental therapies, like porcelain veneers, are capable of altering the shape of teeth, as well as their alignment, for more symmetrical, even-looking teeth with just one procedure.
We Can Help you Find the Right Cosmetic Treatment
Our cosmetic dental therapies are designed to restore the natural, healthy appearance of your smile. If you have questions about which treatment will deliver the results you’re looking for, call our Glen Ellyn, IL cosmetic dental office for assistance from our team. 