Many people don’t feel the best about their smile, and that often affects their confidence and self-esteem. Thanks to cosmetic dentistry, most smile-related aesthetic concerns can be addressed effectively. There are some incredible clinics in Stouffville, and many of them would even offer complimentary teeth whitening for new patients. Whether you have stained or misaligned teeth, you should see your Stouffville dentist sooner than later. In this post, we have explained three common cosmetic dentistry procedures in detail.
Teeth Whitening
Stained and discolored teeth could be a result of inadequate oral care, eating stained foods and beverages, or fluorosis. With teeth whitening, you can effectively address these issues. There are two kinds of treatments – in-office teeth whitening and at-home teeth whitening. Both options use bleaching agents like carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide, which help lighten the stains and enhance the whitening effect.
If you go for in-office teeth whitening, your dentist will first apply a gel to the teeth. They may even use light and other solutions to speed up the bleaching process. In general, this can be done in one appointment, which can take about 60 minutes. You can also consider at-home teeth whitening kits, which require two appointments. You will get a set of custom trays that you must wear with a bleaching solution overnight or for 30 minutes twice daily. While whitening procedures at the clinic offer instant results, at-home teeth whitening requires more time. You should see results within a week.
Keep in mind that no matter what kind of teeth whitening procedure you choose, the results aren’t permanent, and depending on how you care for your teeth, you may have to return for a touchup. Also, these treatments don’t work on restorations, such as crowns and bridges.
Dental Veneers
Veneers are thin shells that are usually made of porcelain or composite material. These shells are customized for each patient for color and cemented to the frontal surface of the teeth. Veneers are great for treating gapped and chipped teeth, and if a patient is not a great candidate for teeth whitening or wants a whiter shade than their usual teeth color, they may benefit from veneers.
Getting porcelain veneers requires two appointments. Your dentist will use a local numbing agent and buff the teeth to remove a small part of the enamel. This is an irreversible step. Next, they will fix the veneers in place using a light and cementing material. Porcelain veneers are highly durable and can last as long as 20 years. While veneers can also fix slightly crooked teeth, the treatment doesn’t fix misalignment issues. 
Dental implants
If you are missing a few natural teeth and don’t like the look and feel of dentures, talk to your dentist about dental implants. Implants are made of titanium and last a lifetime. The implant posts are placed inside the jawbone, and the treatment involves oral surgery. Once secured during the healing process, the posts work as the foundation for restorations in the form of dentures, crowns, and bridges. When placed on implants, restorations don’t move around and offer better comfort and chewing function.
A patient must have healthy gums and jawbone to get dental implants, and if they have lost bone mass after tooth loss, the dentist may need to do certain pretreatments. While implants are great as a permanent solution, it is important to note that the time required to get replacement teeth can be long. The jawbone may take months to heal.
Want to know more about the treatments, pros, and cons? Find a dental clinic in Stouffville today that specializes in cosmetic dentistry, and meet the dentist to ask questions.
