Many adults live with an embarrassing smile without ever thinking to speak to their dentist about cosmetic treatments. Often, people assume cosmetic treatments would be too costly. However, many affordable treatments can help you have the smile you have always wanted. Many features that can spoil a smile are easily remedied. Here are five ways you can achieve your dream smile.
1. Gum/dental contouring
Gum contouring is also known as the “gummy smile” correction. The procedure removes excess gum tissue that covers your teeth and makes your smile appear to be “all gums.” However, Toronto patients can also resolve many other issues, including:
- Chips in teeth and fractures: Smile contouring can make corrections to issues such as minor chips and fractures.
- Create an even smile: Uneven teeth can be reshaped to improve appearance.
- Reduce the height of teeth (horsey teeth): A reduction of height in the right places can greatly improve the appearance of teeth.
- Reshape pointy teeth: Cosmetic contouring is used to adjust the length of the cuspids.
- Reduce a slight overlap: Even minor overlaps can cause issues due to plaque and tartar build-up.
2. Porcelain veneers
Porcelain dental veneers are custom-made “shells” designed to cover the front surface of your teeth. They are matched to your ideal tooth colour and can improve a number of issues. Not only can they be used to mask extreme staining, but they are also resistant to future staining from coffee, tea, and smoking.
With proper maintenance, your veneers can last for years. They don’t weaken your natural tooth surface and require minimal tooth preparation. A long-lasting aesthetic cement attaches the veneers to increase longevity. The veneers are made of natural-looking porcelain colour matched to your natural teeth.
You will have to avoid using your teeth to do things such as open packages or biting your nails. Also, they are not suited for those who grind their teeth or who have severe bite problems.
Lumineers® are a thinner porcelain veneer that is also placed over existing teeth. They do not require the removal of tooth structure, so the treatment doesn’t require drilling or freezing.
Both options offer a very natural looking enamel that can be used for many restorative options, including:
- Worn-down teeth
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Teeth that are misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped
- Gaps
3. Teeth whitening
Teeth whitening treatments can change the colour of your teeth often by as much as eight shades. Zoom® One Hour Teeth Whitening is a safe, effective, and very fast whitening option available in our office. You will see dramatic results in just one hour.
The hydrogen peroxide gel is made more powerful using the Zoom! Light. It helps to break down the hydrogen peroxide so that oxygen enters the enamel and dentin; bleaching coloured substances away. The Zoom! Light improves penetration of the tooth surface, getting 33% more action than peroxide alone.
We also offer professional take-home teeth whitening kits with customized whitening trays. You take home the professional strength whitening gel and apply it using trays made from impressions of your teeth. This provides a snug fit for even whitening.
The whitening gel works much like the Zoom in-office treatment to lighten stains on your enamel. It is not as quick and can take several weeks for the carbamide peroxide to get the shade you desire.
4. Invisalign braces treatment
Invisalign® clear aligners offer an invisible orthodontic treatment for a number of smile woes, including:
- Crooked teeth
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Crossbite
- Gaps in teeth
- Open bite
- Crowded teeth
The Invisalign® system can be used to shape your smile with 75% more predictability than traditional braces. They offer optimal comfort and aesthetics, as they are invisible. You can take them out to eat and care for your teeth, and they don’t require adjustments at your dental office. Instead, you simply change your aligners every two weeks at home to help ease your teeth into the ideal position.
5. Dental implant replacement treatment
Living with missing teeth can not only affect your smile but your overall dental health. A single missing tooth can cause your other teeth to shift dramatically, causing issues such as overlaps, more gaps, and a crooked smile. This also leads to bone loss, which can completely alter the appearance of your face. As your gums shift and shrink away from the remaining teeth, they can even over-erupt or come out of their sockets.
Missing teeth also make you look older due to bone loss. Dental implants can stop the aging process, restore the facial structure, stop the movement of surrounding teeth, and restore proper bite and chewing functions.
If you have good oral health and general overall health, you could be a candidate for dental implants. Dental implants use metal posts or frames surgically positioned in the jawbone beneath your gums. They provide a permanent mount similar to your natural roots for your replacement teeth. The titanium posts actually fuse with your bone, providing a natural, very secure post for your new teeth. This also allows them to promote dental and bone health.
The benefits of dental implants include:
- Renewed ability to chew and speak properly
- Restoration of facial aesthetics
- Preservation of remaining jawbone structure
- Recovery of the natural appearance and function of teeth
- Increased confidence
- In most cases, you do not need to remove and clean an appliance
Smile Makeover Consultation
Regardless of your smile challenges, a smile makeover consultation provides a thorough assessment of your dental health. From there, we can make recommendations for the most suitable solutions for your smile makeover. We consider all of your options and will explain how each works, the benefits, downsides, and cost. You can then make an informed decision about what solution works best for you.
Financing is available, making it affordable for anyone to have their dream smile.
To learn more about your smile makeover, call Dawson Dental at 1-855-406-2742 or contact us here.