Have you avoided cosmetic dentistry for fear that you’ll just trade one kind of bad smile, for another. Most people don’t want to correct imperfections with their teeth or gums, only to end up with overly large, artificially white-looking teeth. But modern cosmetic dentistry means you don’t have to choose between an imperfect smile or an unnaturally-looking perfect one. Instead, it is possible to enhance the natural beauty of your smile, making you feel and look like yourself, just even better.

There Are Many Ways to Improve Your Smile

Whitening, bonding and teeth contouring are popular forms of improvement, but those are hardly the only cosmetic treatments. Others include:

Veneers – Modern veneers are made to beautify your smile, without making it look like a one-size-fits all solution. Because porcelain is highly customizable, the veneers can be crafted to match your teeth’s natural shading, contouring and even sheen. Plus, porcelain is strong, chip and stain resistant like your natural teeth’s enamel, which makes veneers one of the longest lasting ways to enhance your smile.

Gum Contouring – Like teeth contouring, gum contouring is used to help improve the symmetry of your gum line. Sometimes teeth that appear abnormally small are actually proportional, but excessive gum tissue has caused them to look small or uneven. In this case, gum contouring can be the best way to improve the smile’s appearance. This procedure usually relies on lasers to both remove excess tissue, and to suture as treatment is performed, making healing much faster than with traditional oral surgery.

Best of All, You Don’t Have to Choose Just One

Some patients may find that in order to achieve their ideal smile, they need to combine cosmetic treatments. For instance, you might want to have gum contouring done on your top front teeth, and whitening done on all your teeth to brighten up your smile. You may also need a veneer for one or two teeth that are jagged along the edges or permanently stained.

By discussing your desires for your smile with your cosmetic dentist prior to treatment, the dentist can help customize a treatment plan that can help you achieve your ideal smile.