Understanding Dentures

Post from: Cosmetic Dentistry Houston

Though we all have the vague idea that dentures are essentially false teeth, the truth of the matter is that the dentures today are impressively engineered feats of cosmetic dentistry. Whether you have lost teeth yourself or you know someone who has, you’ll discover that modern dentures can be an option that is entirely important to the way that you take care of your oral health. Consider what dentures are and what they can do for you!

At the most basic level, dentures are essentially replacements for missing teeth. They are usually made out of acrylic resin and they might involve the use of porcelain or metal to give them more support. You will find that far from looking false or dirty, they can actually be almost indistinguishable from real teeth. They are designed to look completely natural and they are going to help you govern the muscles that control your expression while giving your face the support that it needs to look right. Similarly, because teeth are an important part of the way that you pronounce words, you will discover that dentures can help prevent you from slurring.

One of the things that distinguish dentures in cosmetic surgery is that they are removable. They are crafted specifically to fit in your mouth and you’ll find that if you take good care of them that they can stay in good shape for years and years. They can be created when teeth are extracted and in some cases, in order to be a good candidate for the fit of your dentures, you will need surgery to improve the bony ridges in your mouth. The bony ridges will stabilize your dentures and make them feel more natural in your mouth.

When you are ready to have dentures fitted to you, you will need to make a wax bit impression of your mouth. This is the model that will allow your dentist to take the measurements that are necessary that will ensure a good, comfortable fit. After the dentures are made, you will have an appointment where things like color, shape, and custom fit are going to be attended to.

There are different models of dentures that are an important part of cosmetic dentistry. Immediate dentures are a stopgap solution that are placed at once and need to be fine-tuned later on. Complete dentures replace the top and bottom teeth, while upper dentures replace the top teeth and over dentures will use some of the remaining natural teeth for support. Partial dentures are used to correct gaps when only a few teeth are missing.

When you are considering improving your smile through cosmetic dentistry, you will find that there are a number of different of different things that you need to consider. Take some time and make sure that you see what dentures have to offer you!

Tooth Bonding for Your Best Smile

Post from: Cosmetic Dentistry Houston

Tooth bonding addresses a multitude of dental concerns. Do you find yourself at times hesitating to smile because of compromised confidence due to a chipped tooth or discolored teeth? If you are not 100 percent satisfied with your smile, cosmetic dentistry in the form of tooth bonding may be for you. It can provide a very natural and esthetically-pleasing result you may be a candidate for.

You will want to have a conversation with your dentist about your concerns and to learn what cosmetic options are available. Tooth bonding has the ability to alter many smile-inhibitors. If you suffered trauma to your mouth and have broken or chipped teeth, tooth bonding may be the answer for you. Do you have cavities and don’t want an attention-grabbing filling, are your gums receding and causing discomfort, are your teeth discolored or do you have mini gaps between some teeth? Cosmetic dentistry will answer all of these questions. Ask to see your dentist’s book of before-and-after photos of patients; see beautiful results for yourself.

Tooth bonding is a great advancement in cosmetic dentistry. Some years ago when silver fillings were commonplace a tooth required invasive preparation to keep a filling in place. Much of a tooth needed to be removed to keep the silver filling from eventually falling out. New tooth-bonding procedures are conservative requiring a very small amount of the tooth structure to be removed. This cosmetic-dentistry procedure will cause the dental material to adhere to the tooth surface.

The dentist trained in cosmetic procedures will ‘glue’ the restoration to your tooth. Cosmetic dentistry goes high-tech with tooth bonding. After the appropriateness of tooth bonding to your particular condition is determined, your dentist will begin to prepare the tooth by removing only the part of the tooth involved.

When the removal is complete, your tooth will be treated with a mild etching solution. Etching serves to slightly roughen the tooth’s enamel surface so the restorative material will bond. You may liken this roughening to lightly sanding a surface before applying paint or using a base coat before nail polish. Tooth bonding is about adhering.

Your dentist will then apply a bonding agent followed by a tooth-colored composite resin material. These cosmetic-dentistry materials are available in many shades and will match if you have pearly whites or not so much.

Once the composite resin has been applied your dentist will shape the material to achieve your desired result. The final two steps are to shine a curing light on the tooth to harden the material and then to polish the restored tooth to a beautiful, natural finish.

While a tooth bonding dental appointment takes a bit longer than a traditional silver-filling appointment, generally these restorations can be completed in one dental visit. You may find that cosmetic dentistry is a bit more expensive than more traditional procedures but the restorations will usually last longer too.

Cosmetic dentistry is nothing short of amazing. The results to be achieved with tooth bonding will be such a boost to our sense of confidence allowing you to smile from ear to ear. Look – there you are in the before-and-after photo book! Gorgeous.

The Benefits of Cosmetic Gum Surgery

Post from: Cosmetic Dentistry Houston

Porcelain Veneers

Post from: Cosmetic Dentistry Houston

Are you interested in obtaining more information about porcelain veneers, but perhaps you weren’t quite sure where to start? This is not a problem! I will be more than happy to assist you with that!

Cosmetic dentistry has become a booming industry. The reason for this is that largely due to the image obsessed society that we live in today, so many of us are constantly seeking out ways that we can improve our appearance. Getting porcelain veneers is one of the most highly requested cosmetic dentistry procedures. They are quite popular with celebrities, and nowadays they are becoming more common with people from pretty much all walks of life.

For those of you who might not be very familiar with porcelain veneers, let’s discuss what exactly they are. Porcelain veneers are super thin shells of porcelain which are bonded to the front side of a tooth. This is done so as to improve the look of the tooth. Ideal candidates for porcelain veneers are individuals who have chipped, discolored and/or misaligned teeth. Being self conscious about your teeth and possibly not even wanting to smile because of it, is not a fun way to go through life. Should you have this problem, getting porcelain veneers is a simple and effective way to restore your smile and get your self confidence back.

We normally think of porcelain items as being very fragile. Therefore, you may have some concerns regarding the durability of your porcelain veneers. Please rest assured that once bonded to your teeth, porcelain veneers are actually quite strong and durable. Another benefit to porcelain veneers is that they are highly stain resistant. This is great because it means that you can still enjoy your favorite beverages such as coffee and/or red wine. They also tend to look really natural, as porcelain works great at emulating the appearance of real tooth enamel.

Have you always wanted whiter teeth? If so, getting porcelain veneers is a great way to accomplish this as you can choose ones that will help give you a whiter, brighter smile. They are also quite long lasting and will last you on average anywhere between 5 and 10 years. After that time period is up, you can always choose to get them replaced. Veneers are normally not covered by insurance. However, you may want to call your insurance company to double check about that. The cost for veneers varies. However, they generally run somewhere in the range of $500 to $1,300 per tooth.

New Techniques in Cosmetic Dentistry

Post from: Cosmetic Dentistry Houston

Cosmetic dentistry has rapidly moved forward in recent years thanks to us patients. We paid attention and learned how to take care of our dental health. We eat a healthy diet, brush at least twice each day, floss, and have regular cleanings and check ups. What is our reward? Huge strides forward in cosmetic dentistry to take our healthy, cared-for mouths to new heights of aesthetics.

If you have a dental issue having anything to do with your very-important-in-every-way smile your cosmetic dentist is prepared to address it. Because there are many conditions your cosmetic dentist is trained and prepared to help you with, let’s take a look at some of these rewards; some of these techniques may be new to you.

A brighter smile ranks up toward the top of the cosmetic-dentistry wish list for many of us. Discolored teeth have many origins including genetics, medications, even a love of coffee or tea, and there are just as many whitening methods to consider. Whitening chemicals may be used in the cosmetic dentist’s office or in your home. Another procedure may be to remove the discolored top layer of tooth exposing a brighter smile. The amount of whitening to be achieved with varying methods will be explained by your cosmetic dentist along with how long you might expect the result to last.

Tooth bonding is another newer technique using tooth-colored composite resin materials to correct a number of dental flaws. This method of adhering thin layers of composite resins to tooth surfaces is another conservative cosmetic dentistry offering. Bonding these materials to tooth surfaces can be used to correct or repair any teeth that might be affected by decay, discoloration, undesirable shape or positioning, even narrow gaps between teeth can be repaired with this technique. Bonding procedures can frequently be completed during one office visit; more complex restorations may require a second appointment.

Additional techniques available through cosmetic dentistry advancements are veneers made of composite materials or porcelain. These restorations along with bonding can be used to treat discolored teeth and also to subtly change the shape or contour of teeth frequently circumventing a need for orthodontia. A veneer might be placed directly on the tooth surface and be completed during one office visit. Should a larger or more involved treatment be called for an impression of the tooth will be made and an indirect veneer fabricated by a dental laboratory to be bonded during a subsequent visit.

Your cosmetic dentist is also well versed in advancements with regard to crowns. These are restorations used to cover an entire tooth surface when age, grinding or bite may contribute to a wearing down, and strengthening of the tooth is called for. Your cosmetic dentist will discuss with you the options to consider in the repair of your particular tooth; crowns can be made in the laboratory from resins, porcelain, porcelain bonded to metal, and gold. Crowns do require two office appointments which are usually two weeks apart.

We have just scratched the surface of the new technologies available through cosmetic dentistry. These new technologies affect many facets of dentistry: alternatives to braces, how implants are used, better filling materials and the list goes on and grows on. Ask your dentist about the advancements in cosmetic dentistry and how your smile might benefit; you will be amazed.