Misaligned teeth and tooth gaps can hurt your confidence in your smile. While braces are typically the first thing that is recommended or chosen by patients, there are other options to help give you a more confident smile. Loving the look of your smile and feeling confident when seeing others in public can be accomplished without the awkward stage of metal braces. Cosmetic dentistry procedures can help patients achieve a healthier and better smile within just a few appointments.
Common Causes Of Gaps And Misalignment
Before you look into ideas for how to align teeth or close gaps in your mouth, it can be helpful to understand how or why teeth become crooked. Several factors can contribute to crooked teeth, including genetics, thumb sucking as a child, untreated tooth loss, and poor oral habits. Teeth that become out of place can be more than just a cosmetic issue, as they can cause jaw strain, unnecessary tooth wear, and gum problems. Even if the service you seek is labeled as cosmetic, getting some of these services can be crucial to your overall oral health.
Dental Bonding
One of the most versatile ways to improve your smile is dental bonding. Cosmetic bonding is an effective way to address many different issues, such as cracks, gaps, and stains. This is one of the most affordable and painless processes that can help you obtain a polished smile. Your dentist will use a composite resin that molds to the tooth and covers gaps or imperfections. They will then seal the resin with an LED light to provide a more natural look. Instead of easily noticeable fillings, bonded teeth will look natural and not too perfect, helping them look and feel like your own.
Veneers
Another way to help improve the look, shape, and feel of your teeth is with veneers. These help to give your teeth a more perfect square shape and a smooth surface. Veneers are perfectly tailored to your natural teeth, ensuring the best fit possible while helping avoid decay of the natural tooth. This procedure can be used to help with a wide range of dental issues, including minor misalignments.
Porcelain Crowns
For major issues, broken teeth, or partially decayed teeth, porcelain crowns are a great, durable solution. Crowns help to restore the original shape and function of your teeth, which not only helps you love the look of your smile, but also makes talking and eating much easier. A dentist will take impressions of your teeth to create the dental crown. The lab-crafted crown will then be cemented to your original tooth, ensuring durability through different stages of life.
Clear Aligners
Another alternative to braces is clear aligners or Invisalign. They can accomplish the same movement and straightening as traditional braces, without the look of brackets, wires, and elastics. Clear aligners may take longer to show results, especially if you have complex issues like an overbite, teeth in the roof of your mouth, or missing teeth. While these other services can be completed in your dental office, clear aligner fittings and appointments may need to be through a different provider.
Combining Multiple Services
Multiple cosmetic services, also known as a smile makeover, can be beneficial if you have many oral problems you are dealing with. Achieving better results may be possible when a dentist or orthodontist can use different methods for different teeth. Working on your entire smile with only one service will not provide a polished look. Smile makeovers will be more expensive than a single service because of the extra labor and materials.
Cosmetic Services From Sunset Dental
Sunset Dental wants to help all of our patients achieve their dream smile. We offer simple services like cleanings and fillings as well as cosmetic dentistry procedures. You can have peace of mind about the longevity of your oral health when you work with the hygienists and dentist at Sunset Dental. Each member of our team is here to suggest the best habits and procedures for your unique situation.
Our office is here to serve your entire family, from children to the elderly. When you trust us with your health, we don’t take that lightly. If you are in Sunset, Utah, or the surrounding area, we would love to be your family dentist for years to come. Reach out to us to schedule your first appointment or ask questions about our services.