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Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic Dentistry / Smile Designing
/ Teeth Whitening
In very broad terms,
any treatment that will improve the way your teeth or gums appear enhancing your
smile is cosmetic dental treatment. You do not have to settle with stained,
broken, irregularly placed or misshaped teeth or gums which are dark and
pigmented or show a lot when you smile. With many advances in dentistry there
may be some procedures that can help improve your smile.
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Irregularly placed and
misshaped
front teeth |
After
cosmetic smile designing |
In very broad terms, any
treatment that will improve the way your teeth or gums appear enhancing your
smile is cosmetic dental treatment. You do not have to settle with stained,
broken, irregularly placed or misshaped teeth or gums which are dark and
pigmented or show a lot when you smile. With many advances in dentistry there
may be some procedures that can help improve your smile.
- How
do I know if I require cosmetic dental treatment?
A smile plays a very
important role in how we perceive ourselves, as well as in the impression that
we make on the people around us. If you think your smile is flawed then it will
lower your self esteem and affect the way you meet people. Evaluate the
following statements:
- You do not like the
shape or color or placement of your teeth
- You show too few or
too many teeth while smiling
- You tend to cover
your face while laughing
- Your lips stretch
and hide some tooth/teeth while smiling
- You feel others
have better smile than yours
- Your smile appears
better only from certain angles in photographs
- You do not like the
way your gums appear while smiling
If you are able to
identify with any of these statements then probably you are dissatisfied with
your smile. Consult your dentist as some cosmetic treatment may be able to help
you overcome these problems.
- I
think I need cosmetic treatment to improve my smile. How do I analyze my
smile?
Once you are convinced
that your smile can improve, try and self analyze your smile with the help of
the following questionnaire. This will also help in effectively communicating
your concerns to your dentist.
Check if:
- the tips of your
upper front teeth do not show or show too much when your lips are parted
- your upper front
two teeth are too long or same size or shorter than the neighboring teeth
- your upper front
two teeth are too wide or have space between them
- some of your teeth
are chipped, cracked or worn out
- your lower front
teeth are not even and straight
- your teeth are
irregularly placed or they stick out or protrude
- all your teeth are
not of similar color or some of them are discolored, or have white or brown
stains
- your fillings and
caps do not appear natural
- the gums are not
pink or are swollen and red
- the gums show too
much while smiling or they appear uneven in shape
- your mouth has
cavities or gum disease that can produce foul odour
If you are able to
identify with any of these statements then some cosmetic dental treatment may be
able to help you overcome these problems.
Whitening or bleaching
is a procedure that brightens teeth that are discolored or stained or are
darkened due to injury. It is an extremely safe and economical procedure and can
be performed at any age. Whitening can be done “at home” or “in office” or more
commonly, a combination of both.
“At home” procedure
involves filling a customized soft transparent tray with a whitening solution or
gel and wearing it for a few hours each day or overnight. The treatment duration
will depend upon the nature and intensity of discoloration, but the results
should be noticeable after just a few days of application.
During an “In office”
procedure, a chemical gel is applied to the teeth by the doctor after adequately
protecting the surrounding gums with a barrier. The gel is self activating or
may be activated by light or heat or a combination of both. Up to 3 -4 visits
may be necessary for the teeth to appear whiter, with each visit taking under an
hour.
Before
After
Teeth
Whitening with 1 Hour Teeth Whitening System
The disadvantages of
teeth whitening are
- Teeth may not whiten as per patient’s
expectations
- May induce mild temporary sensitivity
to hot and cold foods and occasional moderate discomfort in a few individuals
- “In office” whitening may not be enough
and may have to be followed by “at home” whitening procedure
- Treatment may extend to a few months of
“at home” applications for desired results.
- What is bonding and
where are dental composite resins used?
Bonding is a procedure in which tooth colored composite resin materials are
applied to the tooth surfaces. Dental resins are “photo-sensitive” and harden
when exposed to a special light. Bonding results in composite resin adhering to
the tooth surface making it a strong and enduring bond. To match your teeth,
various color resins and pigments are carefully intermixed, sculpted and
polished so that the bonded tooth will look completely natural.
These resins are placed
as a coating over discolorations or can repair chips cracks or fractured teeth
surfaces. They help in masking mild irregularities in placement of front teeth.
They are also useful in filling gaps between teeth. Newer resin materials are
strong enough to withstand chewing forces to be placed as fillings in back
teeth.
Cavity
on molar …filled with a composite resin
Composite resins will
have to be periodically replaced because they can chip or crack and turn darker
over a period of time.
Laminates or Ceramic
veneers are thin ceramic or resin shells fabricated in a dental laboratory from
impression or measurement provided by a dental office. Veneers are useful in
covering gaps or stained teeth. They are frequently used for masking poorly
shaped or slightly crooked teeth. Laminates takes at least 2 appointments and
typically costs more than bonding procedures. A major advantage is proportional
accuracy that they provide resulting in a pleasant and symmetry in smile.
Ceramics are far stronger and denser than composites resulting in restorations
that do not discolor, or chip as easily as the composite resins.
Teeth
prepared to receive ceramic veneers
4 ceramic veneers in place
- What is a
crown or a cap? I have a fractured ceramic crown in my
mouth. What are my options?
A dental crown is a
prosthesis fabricated in a dental laboratory from impression or measurement
provided by a dental office. It covers a carefully prepared tooth which is
fractured, extensively decayed or has undergone root canal treatment and
effectively protects the tooth from further damage. Crown can be ceramic fused
to a precious or non-precious metal or a ceramic crown without any metal. The
newer ceramic crowns are extremely esthetic and can look natural due to absence
of any metal. The choice will be based on the stresses that the crown is subject
to and esthetic needs.
Extensively decayed upper front teeth After treatment and ceramic crown
placement
All ceramics, being
crystalline in nature, can fracture. Therefore, if a crown fractures when in
use, it is often practical to smoothen out the fractured margins of the crown or
repair it with bonding and overlaying of composite resin. However in case of a
large part of crown having chipped off, it is advisable to replace it with a new
crown.
- What are my treatment
options for stained teeth?
Stained teeth can be due
to superficial surface deposits and stains. These can be easily removed with
cleaning procedure. Teeth can also be darkened due to decay. Such cavities can
be filled by process of bonding with composite resins resulting in natural
looking restorations.
Teeth stained due to
cavities… … filled with composite resin
Stains may be actually a
part of the tooth structure. These include white, yellow or brownish patches on
tooth enamel. These may be due to faulty formation of enamel arising out of high
intake of fluoride in water, administration of certain antibiotics or certain
diseases, resulting in interruption of normal enamel formation before or after
birth. Stains may also develop due to injury or around large fillings. Root
canaled or a non-vital tooth may also appear dark and stained.
Stains may also develop due to
injury or around large fillings or around old caps.
Stained front tooth due to old
cap With a new ceramic without metal cap
Such teeth will require
one of the following treatments depending upon the nature and severity of
stains:
- Polishing with
abrasive substances to rub away the superficial stains
- Whitening or
bleaching to perceptibly reduce or remove the stains
- Bonding to fill the
cavities after removing stained tooth surfaces or cover the stained areas
with composite resins
- Laminate veneers to
esthetically cover the stained areas
- Crowning or capping
the stained, usually root-canaled teeth after carefully reshaping them
- I have
spaces between my front teeth. Can it be corrected?
Bonding is an ideal
procedure to fill in small spaces between front teeth. Bonding is a procedure in
which tooth colored composite resin materials are applied to the tooth surfaces.
Bonding results in composite resin adhering to the tooth surface making it a
strong and enduring bond. To match your teeth, various color resins and pigments
are carefully intermixed, sculpted and polished so that the bonded tooth will
look completely natural.
Your doctor may advice a
ceramic laminate or veneer to cover this space. Laminates or Ceramic veneers are
thin ceramic or resin shells fabricated in a dental laboratory from impression
or measurement provided by a dental office. Laminates takes at least 2
appointments and typically costs more than bonding procedures. A major advantage
is proportional accuracy that they provide resulting in a pleasant and symmetry
in smile. Ceramics are far stronger and denser than composites resulting in
restorations that do not discolor, or chip as easily as the composite resins.
Your teeth will appear
extremely broad and unsightly if a large space is closed with bonding or
laminates. In such cases smile designing is a better choice. In this the
available space across your front teeth is accurately calculated. On the basis
of these calculations, principles of natural proportions and the extent of
visibility of your teeth while smiling, you will be advised bonding, crowns or
laminate veneers on your front two to ten teeth.
- I have a
broken front tooth. What are my treatment options?
Cosmetic contouring is
an ideal treatment option for minor chips or cracks on front teeth. The
procedure involved is to smooth-out the rough surfaces and reshape the tooth /
teeth. In some situations contouring may not be ideal as it may damage the smile
line due to shortening of the chipped tooth and grinding the neighboring teeth
to match it. In such situations bonding is a better alternative.
Bonding is a procedure
in which tooth colored composite resin materials are applied to the tooth
surfaces. Bonding results in composite resin adhering to the tooth surface
making it a strong and enduring bond. To match your teeth, various color resins
and pigments are carefully intermixed, sculpted and polished so that the bonded
tooth will look completely natural.
Your doctor may advice a
ceramic laminate or veneer to cover a broken tooth. Laminates or Ceramic veneers
are thin ceramic or resin shells fabricated in a dental laboratory from
impression or measurement provided by a dental office. Laminates takes at least
2 appointments and typically costs more than bonding procedures. A major
advantage is proportional accuracy that they provide resulting in a pleasant and
symmetry in smile. Ceramics are far stronger and denser than composites
resulting in restorations that do not discolor, or chip as easily as the
composite resins.
If a large part of tooth
has chipped off, or if it is a back tooth subject to high forces due to chewing,
then the best option would be a crown. Crown can be ceramic fused to a precious
or non-precious metal or a ceramic crown without any metal. The newer ceramic
crowns are extremely esthetic and can look natural due to absence of any metal.
The choice will be based on the stresses that the crown is subject to and
esthetic needs.
All ceramics, being
crystalline in nature, can fracture. It is often practical to smoothen out the
fractured margins of the crown or repair it with bonding and overlaying of
composite resin. However in case of a large part of crown having chipped off, it
is advisable to replace it with a new crown.
- I have
irregularly placed teeth. Can cosmetic dentistry
offer some solution to this?
Ideal solution to this
problem is to move the irregularly placed teeth and bring them in correct
alignment by treatment of braces. This specialty of dentistry is called
orthodontia. With modern material science and understanding of how teeth move
when forces are applied, it is possible to undergo orthodontic correction of
irregularly placed teeth even in adulthood. The treatment options described
below should be considered only if orthodontic treatment is ruled out for any
reasons.
Cosmetic contouring is a
treatment option for minor crowding of front teeth. The procedure involved is to
smooth-out the rough surfaces and reshape the tooth / teeth. In moderate to
severe crowding of teeth contouring may not be ideal. In such situations bonding
is a better alternative.
Bonding is a procedure
in which tooth colored composite resin materials are applied to the tooth
surfaces after trimming and shaping the irregularly placed teeth. Bonding
results in composite resin adhering to the tooth surface making it a strong and
enduring bond. To match your teeth, various color resins and pigments are
carefully intermixed, sculpted and polished so that the bonded tooth will look
completely natural.
Your doctor may advice a
ceramic laminate or veneer in case of severe irregularity of teeth. Laminates or
Ceramic veneers are thin ceramic or resin shells fabricated in a dental
laboratory from impression or measurement provided by a dental office.
Irregularly placed upper
front teeth After placement of ceramic veneers
Laminates takes at
least 2 appointments and typically costs more than bonding procedures. A major
advantage is proportional accuracy that they provide resulting in a pleasant and
symmetry in smile. Ceramics are far stronger and denser than composites
resulting in restorations that do not chip or discolor as easily as the
composite resins. Some of your teeth may also receive crowns. They can be
ceramic fused to a precious or non-precious metal or a ceramic crown without any
metal. The newer ceramic crowns are extremely esthetic and can look natural due
to absence of any metal.
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