Were you stoked to line up for the newest phone release? Are you always the first to know about the latest, greatest gadget to hit the market? If so, you must pride yourself on having the very best. When it comes to your smile, though, are you feeling outdated? Over time staining and wear along the edges of teeth can cause even a once vibrant smile to look a little drab. Cosmetic dentistry can help improve upgrade the appearance of your smile, a lot quicker that you might think.

Understanding Your Cosmetic Options

There are a number of cosmetic treatments that can help improve the appearance of a smile that’s been damaged by time. Many of them can also address imperfections that may have long gone untreated.

Dental bonding, for instance, is able to address minor gaps between teeth, permanent discoloration, worn edges and disproportionally sized or shaped teeth. This procedure can often be completed in less than an hour, by sculpting composite resin onto the teeth to create a more esthetically pleasing smile.

Contouring is similar, in that it is used to improve the shape of teeth, but it involves gently filing away portions of teeth that are too large or overlapping.

Porcelain veneers can create similar improvements, but with even longer lasting results due to porcelain’s durability. In fact, porcelain is very similar to teeth’s natural enamel, in that it is both stain-resistant and chip-resistant.

Professional whitening is one of the fastest and simplest forms of cosmetic treatment, as well as one that can help take years off a smile by erasing many stains.

Gum contouring is more invasive than some other cosmetic procedures, but it can help reduce the appearance of a gummy smile by removing excess gum tissue and creating a more symmetrical gum line.

Combining Treatments

Many patients find that the only way to achieve their ideal smile is by combining cosmetic treatments as part of a customized smile makeover. Bonding and whitening can be used together, for instance, to lighten and brighten a smile, while also hiding a few gaps, chips, or cracks.