What Does Cosmetic Dental Surgery Include?
As we go through life we don’t always treat our teeth well; we eat and drink foods that stain or damage our teeth. Teeth can become misshapen, broken by accident, or develop gaps. Some people naturally just have a bad set of dentitions.
Thankfully, cosmetic dental surgery can correct all these issues, giving you a better smile. Cosmetic surgery is aimed at improving the appearance of your smile through one or a series of procedures. Cosmetic dentists work with a patient to develop a plan that helps them to achieve their personal goal.
People interested in practising cosmetic dental surgery will need to undertake a course in dental technology and will require a Bachelor’s degree in dental surgery in order to qualify.
Keep reading to learn what cosmetic dental surgery is about.
Teeth Whitening
A teeth whitening procedure is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve your smile. There are several ways teeth can be whitened.
Patients can have their teeth bleached in the dentist’s office or buy a mold and gels from their dentist to bleach their teeth at home. Some teeth whitening products are also available at retail stores.
Some products can be bought over the counter; these include whitening toothpaste, rinses, and white strips.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are custom-made shells of tooth-coloured porcelain or resin that cover the front surface of the teeth.
The procedure involves removing about half a millimetre of enamel from the tooth’s surface. The custom-made shells are then bonded to the front of the teeth, changing their colour, shape, and size.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a treatment developed to repair decayed, chipped, cracked, or misshapen teeth. The procedure is also a suitable replacement for, or alternative to, amalgam or silver fillings.
In dental bonding, a tooth-coloured resin is applied to the tooth and strengthened with an ultraviolet laser or lamp to help bond the material to the tooth.
Dental Crown
A dental crown is also called a cap; it is designed to replace the entire decayed or damaged tooth above the gum line. The goal is to restore the shape, size, strength, and appearance of the original tooth.
A dental crown prevents a weak tooth from breaking and it is used cosmetically to cover misshapen or discoloured teeth. Dental crowns can be made using metal, porcelain, resin, or ceramics.
Inlays and Onlays
Inlays and Onlays are also known as indirect fillings. They can be made from gold, silver, porcelain, or composite materials to fill up decayed or damaged teeth. The Inlays and Onlays are created in a lab and bonded into place by the dentist.
Inlays are fillings that are bonded within the centre of a tooth. They are referred to as Onlays when the filling includes one or more points of the tooth or covers the biting surface.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are titanium replacement teeth that are inserted into the bone socket of the missing tooth.
As the jawbone begins to heal, it grows around the implanted metal post, thereby anchoring it securely in the jaw and providing a foundation for the replacement tooth.
Other Cosmetic Dental Procedures
There are other cosmetic dental procedures available such as bridges, dentures, and dental braces. Bridges are made of crowns for the teeth on either side of a gap with a false tooth in between.
A denture is a simple, removable replacement for missing teeth, while dental braces are designed to straighten crooked or disordered teeth by applying pressure over the time to move teeth slowly into the correct position.
In a Nutshell
These common dental procedures are now done every day, making cosmetic dental surgery a lucrative market for dentists. Students who want to study a course in dental technology can be sure that there are many opportunities available in this field.
For further information, please feel free to get in touch with our friendly and helpful counsellors.
