Category: Blog

When you visit a dentist near you, it is normal to feel slightly nervous over the kind of feedback you will receive after your dental exam. Still, it is not enough to only rely on your dental expectations as the determining factors for the dental procedures you expect for your treatment. You would be surprised at how much dental work can be achieved using just one oral appliance, for instance, a dental veneer.

What Are Dental Veneers?

They are tooth-shaped, tooth-colored shell-like appliances used in dentistry to restore teeth. Veneers are tooth-colored, typically made of porcelain materials, fashioned after the impressions of your natural teeth.

Many patients closely associate dental veneers with crowns because they are similar in some ways. They both work to restore the structure of teeth. However, crowns and veneers differ in the amount of coverage they offer your teeth. While dental crowns cover an entire tooth, dental veneers only go on the front surfaces of your teeth. This difference makes a major difference even in Howe porcelain veneers are installed.

Steps Involved in Getting Porcelain Veneers

Getting porcelain veneers at Family Dental Care is not a straightforward procedure, typical of dental bonding processes. The steps involved in getting veneers are:

• Numbing – although the procedure is not supposed to be painful, local anesthesia will be used to numb your mouth to eliminate any possible discomfort during your procedure. It is also a way to ensure you do not encounter heightened teeth sensitivity that may make you restless on the dentist’s chair.
• Preparing the enamel – involves calculated efforts to remove part of your tooth’s enamel. The trimming of your enamel is necessary to make room for the dental veneer. Only a small part of your enamel is removed, equivalent to the size of the dental veneer to be placed. At this stage, the dentist will also be shaping your tooth to match the dental plan he/she has in mind that will correct your dental problem.
• Taking impressions of your teeth – once the target teeth are ready, your dentist will take their impressions. These impressions are translated into a mold, used as a reference to create the dental veneers for your procedure. This step is crucial for traditional veneers that need to be taken to a dental laboratory to be created.
• Dental bonding – this part of the procedure may happen on a different dental visit, about two weeks after the initial steps. The process entails attaching the veneers to your teeth using special dental cement. After application, the dentist uses laser light to cure the dental cement, adhering the veneer teeth permanently to your natural teeth. Any excess spillage of dental cement is removed to ensure your veneer teeth have a similar luster as your natural teeth.

When Are Veneers Used?

It is not every day that a veneers’ dentist in 60409 recommends getting them for treatment. It is dependent on the condition of teeth relative to the dental expectations you have. Some of the areas where dental veneers prove useful are:

• Discolored teeth – more than just the general yellowing of teeth, some patients have stubborn stains on their teeth. The stains are often concentrated on just a few teeth in their mouth, particularly the front teeth. As an alternative for whitening your teeth, your dentist can recommend getting tooth veneers.
• Spaces between teeth – at Family Dental Care, we handle several patients who have small spaces between teeth. It is an orthodontic problem that would require wearing dental braces for several months to realign the teeth. However, we can offer dental veneers to help close small spaces between your teeth and beautify your smile.
• Cracks, chips, and breaks on teeth – after a dental accident, you can deform the structure of your tooth by racking it or have a chunk of your tooth broken. Such a tooth can be repaired and restored using a dental veneer.
• Unusually short teeth – have you ever wished that your front teeth would be a little longer than they are? With dental veneers, you are covered. Dental experts can use veneer teeth to elongate your teeth and make them look longer than they naturally are. This trick can even reduce the appearance of a gummy smile.
• Unusually shaped teeth – teeth contouring is a crucial concept in cosmetic dentistry that allows dentists to reshape weirdly shaped teeth, evening their appearances.

Root canal therapy is a dental procedure in endodontic dentistry done to save a tooth by treating the insides. Our dental team at Family Dental Care recommends root canal procedures to patients whose damaged teeth are not too structurally compromised to be salvaged.

What Does a Root Canal Treatment Entail? 

The process of root canal treatment entails accessing the internal layers of teeth, typically through the crown. A dentist starts by drilling the tooth to create an access hole, exposing the internal layers. With the primary focus being the root canal and pulp, the dentist will clean out the tooth. The cleaning process helps rid the tooth of all bacteria while removing the damaged soft tissues, including nerve endings. Once cleaned, the dentist will shape and fill the tooth accordingly, sealing out any room for re-entry of bacteria.

8 Useful Tips to Prepare for A Root Canal Treatment 

Instead of allowing anxiety to build up inside as you await your dental procedure, it should be the perfect time for you to learn a thing or two about what to expect and start preparing accordingly. Some tips to help you are:

1. Ask questions – whether you think you are nervous or not, you need to ask all the questions you have. A dental consultation is meant for that purpose. By asking questions, you can learn a lot about what to expect from your procedure. Better yet, get a clear perspective about what is and is not a misconception or myth regarding root canal procedures.
2. Do not consume alcohol – alcohol deteriorates your oral health, whether you are scheduled for dental treatment or not. When undergoing any intricate dental procedure, your dentist will recommend avoiding alcohol usage for about a week or longer in preparation for your treatment. You may continue to withhold yourself from taking alcohol a week or two after your treatment to allow ample time for your mouth to heal.
3. Avoid smoking – tobacco usage will work against your treatment, before and after. As you prepare for a root canal procedure, you must stop smoking for at least two weeks before the day of your procedure. Afterward, your dentist will recommend avoiding smoking and all tobacco usages for the first one or two weeks. For excellent oral health, however, it would be best to quit smoking altogether.
4. Eat a few hours before the procedure – once the dental works begin, you will not be able to eat for a couple of hours during and after your procedure. Besides, the numbing of your mouth necessary for observing a painless root canal procedure will limit you from eating anything you want, lest you accidentally bite or hurt your tongue or gums. Further, where sedation is employed, you should not have a full stomach, which is why you should eat a couple of hours before your procedure.
5. Get a good night’s rest both before and after your RCT – resting allows your body to concentrate on necessary processes in your body. Before your treatment, resting will ensure you remain calm and relaxed throughout the dental protocols for your treatment. Afterward, resting will help your body focus on speedy healing and recovery.
6. Take painkillers before the procedure – although it may not look like a logical move, it is not something dental experts advise against doing. Taking pain medication soon before your procedure is one great way to mitigate any discomfort that may occur during your treatment. It may also be helpful after your procedure, more so when the numbing effect wears off.
7. Talk to the dentist about antibiotics – your root canal specialist in Chicago should walk you through the kind of medication you should be taking before or after your procedure. Antibiotics are necessary for fighting infections in the body. As your mouth heals from your RCT, antibiotics will ensure that you don’t have an infection at the site. It will be much more necessary for endodontic procedures like apicoectomy that leave a wound on your gum tissue.
8. Prepare your ice packs – do this the night before your procedure. The ice packs will be helpful for cold compressing, which plays a big role in reducing swelling and soreness in your treated tooth.

Does the arrangement of your teeth bother you when you smile? Dental misalignment is a problem that can hurt your self-confidence for a long time. Not only that, but an improperly aligned smile affects your bite, which may compromise the optimal productivity of your oral cavity. Should you choose to consider treatments for realigning your teeth, you should know that you do not necessarily have to get metal braces. Instead, you can schedule an appointment with an Invisalign®️ dentist near you to learn whether it would work as a solution for straightening your teeth.

What Is Invisalign?

It is a type of teeth aligner used in orthodontic dentistry to straighten malpositioned teeth. Invisalign braces feature a tray of clear aligners made from a plastic-like material that goes over teeth. The initial fit of your first set of Invisalign braces is determined based on the impressions of your teeth. After the first dental appointment, your orthodontist will create a treatment plan that will determine the process and timeline of your teeth straightening procedure.

The fit of Invisalign braces is perfected enough to exert controlled pressure on your teeth continuously over a few weeks. After about six weeks, you will need to check back with your orthodontist to replace your aligners. Each set of aligners will shift your teeth gradually, directed by an orthodontist, based on the shape of the aligners. It will continue severally over your treatment period, so that it may take between 30 and 32 trays of Invisalign braces to complete your orthodontic treatment.

Time Frame to Straighten Teeth with Invisalign

Patients who visit our Invisalign dentists at Family Dental Care are well aware that treatments for straightening teeth take time to be completed. Using Invisalign to straighten your teeth is not any different. The braces will not work overnight in moving your teeth. Instead, it may take several months before your teeth are properly aligned to match the initial dental plan created at the beginning of your treatment.

Technically, orthodontic treatments with braces can last anywhere between 6 months to 24 months. It often depends on the complexity of the misalignment. Since Invisalign braces are commonly used for correcting mild misalignment, the treatment may not take more than 12 months before you can see the results of a straightened smile.

Benefits of Invisalign for Teeth Straightening

If you want to join the rest of the patients in orthodontic dentistry who opt for Invisalign braces over other teeth aligners, consider the following benefits:

1. They are virtually invisible – one of the primary reasons adults prefer to use Invisalign for teeth straightening is for the aesthetic benefits they present during treatment. The material used to make Invisalign aligners is transparent, warranting them being referred to as invisible teeth aligners as they are virtually invisible when you smile.
2. They are comfortable – compared to traditional metal braces, you are more likely to enjoy your orthodontic treatment experience with Invisalign aligners because of the material used. The plastic-like material is soft to your gums, which is much comfortable than metal wires and brackets over your teeth.
3. They are removable – if you want, you can remove your Invisalign braces when you need to. They are not permanently affixed to your teeth in that they can only be removed by an Invisalign dentist, as is the case with metal braces. Instead, you only need to account for up to between 20 and 22 hours of wear time every day.
4. They allow for proper oral hygiene – the freedom to remove your aligners as you please lets you brush and floss your teeth properly without worrying about damaging your aligners. Better yet, you get to keep your Invisalign braces clean throughout your treatment.

Summary

If you are considering orthodontic treatments, be aware that it will not entail a quick fix to your smile. Orthodontics focuses on the functionality of your mouth before the aesthetic aspect. However, although your treatment may take many months before it ends, you can still enjoy an aesthetically pleasing smile by opting for Invisalign braces over their counterparts for straightening and repositioning teeth.

Dental Implants are small screw-like titanium metal posts used in dentistry to replace missing teeth. Dental implants provide an aesthetically appealing permanent solution for replacing lost teeth. Instead of having dental bridges for just ten years and then replacing them, you can get affordable dental implants serving you for the rest of your life.

Why Dental Implants?

Other than longevity, tooth implants have become very popular over the years due to the following factors:

1. Stability – patients never need to worry about their artificial teeth falling off and causing a scene that would embarrass them. Dental implants are inserted into the jawbone and held in place by the gums. The result is a stable replacement tooth that has steady support, similar to your natural teeth.
2. Replacing both tooth roots and crowns – other tooth replacement solutions in dentistry replace only the crown of teeth. However, dental implants focus on functionality by replacing both the roots and crowns of teeth.
3. Sturdiness – although no artificial tooth rivals the sturdiness of natural teeth, dental implants come pretty close, given the material in use and the installation procedure.
4. Bio-compatibility – the reason for using titanium metal is that it is biocompatible, meaning that it integrates naturally with the bone tissue of your jawbone. Once your implant wound heals, the tooth implant becomes one with your jawbone. Patients never have to worry about implant rejection based on allergic reactions to the titanium metal.

Different Risk Factors Affecting Success of Dental Implants

Among the reasons tooth implants are very popular is that they have a high success rate, usually over 95%. Very few cases of implant failure are reported when patients resolve to get affordable dental implants near them. However, the high success rates do not cancel out the possibility of implant failure, which occurs due to some of the following risk factors:

1. Infection in the implant site – a tooth implant is installed through an intricate surgical procedure. Taking care of your wound after surgery is paramount to your quick healing and recovery. Since a typical implant wound takes about three months to heal completely, you must be conscious of the risk of infection to your wound. A dentist near you will always prescribe some antibiotics to help overcome any bacteria threatening the proper healing of your implant wound.
2. Osseointegration failure – refers to the failure of the implant to integrate seamlessly with the bone tissue of your jawbone. The success of dental implant procedures relies largely on the health of your bone tissue. It is why our dentists at Family Dental Care – Evergreen Park recommend bone grafting surgeries for several patients before they get dental implants. Unhealthy or thinned-out bone tissue works against your dental health by preventing osseointegration so that the implant is not secured and stable on your jawbone.
3. Periodontal diseases – if you are not intentional about keeping your mouth clean after getting tooth implants, gradually, you attract an infection in your periodontium. Periodontal diseases usually start by infecting the gum tissue. You may develop some mouth sores, and have swollen, tender, and reddened gums. However, as the infection progresses and spreads, it affects the bone tissue. It becomes risky when the bone tissue is infected if you have dental implants because it compromises the stability of your implants.
4. Teeth grinding – is a condition of grinding teeth against each other that often occurs at night during sleep. Although it is not a conscious choice, patients can significantly sabotage the success of their dental implant procedure through teeth grinding. Whether your wound has completely healed or not, grinding your teeth will place unnecessary pressure on both your natural teeth and tooth implant installed. The pressure may cause your implant to be unstable or deter the successful integration of a tooth implant with your jawbone.
5. Patient-related conditions – although there may be nothing wrong with the implantation procedure performed in a dentist’s office near you, some of your conditions may affect the success of your treatment. For some patients, the problem concerns their health, where conditions like diabetes can limit the success of their treatment. For others, however, the conditions in question are the lifestyle choices. For instance, a patient who smokes and drinks alcohol will not have the best chances of undergoing a successful dental implant procedure unless they avoid the drugs for longer than three months before and after their treatment.

What is Dental Bonding?

It is a dental procedure done to repair and restore the appearance of teeth. The procedure is mainly performed in cosmetic dentistry, improving the appearance of patients’ teeth in various aspects.

How is the Dental Bonding Procedure Done?

Dental bonding is among the short and easy procedures that dentists in 46321 perform. The steps involved in cosmetic dental bonding are:

1. Preparation – this part of the treatment is determined by the reason why you need your treatment. Usually, no sedation or numbing is necessary. You would only need to select the color of composite you prefer for your treatment.
2. Roughening teeth – an acidic solution is rubbed on your teeth by your cosmetic dentist. The solution roughens your enamel, preparing it for the bonding process.
3. Application – your dentist then applies the composite resin, usually in a putty-like state. The application step allows the dentist to mold the resin accordingly, befitting the shape suitable for repairing your tooth.
4. Hardening – our dental team at Family Dental Care uses laser light to speed up the hardening process. As the composite material hardens, it bonds to your teeth permanently.
5. Finishing – the dentist has to polish the tooth and remove any excess composite. The finishing stage will also ensure that the repaired tooth matches the glare and luster of natural teeth.

Do I Need Dental Bonding?

In cosmetic dentistry, anyone can benefit from the dental procedures offered. For teenagers and children, they need consent from parents. However, dental bonding will prove helpful for your smile if you have any of the following dental issues:

1. Stained teeth – dental bonding can drastically improve dental discoloration. The composite resin can be applied to the stained teeth to match the whiteness of the rest of your teeth.
2. Chipped, cracked, or broken teeth – you will not even notice the imperfections with the structure of your teeth after dental bonding.
3. Spaces between teeth – when used strategically, dental bonding can help close small spaces between teeth.
4. Unusually short teeth – can be due to developmental deformities, enamel erosion, or other factors.
5. Dental decay – dental bonding can be used as a tooth filling to treat oral cavities. They are a perfect alternative to silver fillings.

Why Is Dental Bonding So Popular?

If many people are praising something, then it must have several benefits. It is the case with dental bonding procedures that continue to amass popularity in cosmetic dentistry for some of the following benefits:

1. Non-invasive procedure – instead of removing part of your enamel, as is the case with dental crowns and veneers, dental bonding only requires roughening the surface of your teeth to promote adherence.
2. Quick fix – it takes very few minutes for a dentist to complete a dental bonding procedure for your tooth. Compared to alternative dental works necessary for correcting your dental flaws, dental bonding is a quick remedy.
3. Natural-looking – composite resins used for teeth bonding procedures are tooth-colored. It means that you can match the composite material to natural teeth. Therefore, all you need is to pick the shade of color you prefer for your restorative procedure.
4. Versatility – with just composite resin, a cosmic dentist near you can achieve various transformations in the appearance of your smile, fixing different flaws.

What Are the Downsides of Bonding?

No matter how many benefits treatment has, there are some downsides you need to be aware of before trying the procedure. For dental bonding, the downsides are:

1. They stain easily – if you do not keep up with proper oral hygiene, your bonded teeth may stain even more than your natural teeth.
2. They do not last forever – with proper care, you can sustain a perfect smile for up to 5 or 8 years before you need to repair your composites.

Does Tooth Bonding Require Any Special Care?

The composite material used for dental bonding is delicate, which is why you must handle it carefully to offer maximum benefits. Given some of the Downsides mentioned above, you can care for your bonded teeth by keeping them clean to avoid stains and watching what you eat to prevent breaking your newly repaired teeth.

Is Tooth Bonding Safe?

Over and above, dental bonding procedures are quick, easy, and safe dental processes for improving the appearance of teeth. Besides, if surgery is not involved, should you be too worried about your safety?

If you are a parent, you know a thing or two about taking extra precautions to prevent injuries. It is why people wear helmets and knee pads when riding bicycles or skateboarding. Like knee pads for the knees, mouthguards are protectors for the mouth, cushioning external force and trauma that may damage teeth and your jawbone.

What Are Mouthguards?

They are oral devices used as coverings or protectors for teeth. The role of mouthguards in dentistry is to protect teeth from the impact of injury that may damage them. Mouthguards also protect the jawbone. With a mouth protector, you can avoid various dental issues like:

1. Broken and cracked teeth
2. Knocked-out teeth
3. Broken jawbone
4. Enamel thinning

Although mouth protectors are commonly used by patients seeking to avoid dental injury, they are also made for countering some oral problems. For example, bruxism is a dental condition where patients grind their teeth, especially when sleeping. The condition can be so severe as to lead to other dental problems like enamel thinning and hypersensitivity. One of our dentists at Family Dental Care may recommend getting a mouth protector as treatment. For other patients, they need the appliance to combat temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). Depending on your dental problem, your dentist may suggest different types of mouthguards.

Different Types of Mouthguards

Mouthguards used in dental health do not all serve the same purpose. However, the primary goal of mouth protectors is to protect your teeth and jaw. Some types of mouthguards are used during the day, while others are particularly made for nighttime usage. The type of dental night guard or mouthguard you get solely depends on the prescription of your dentist. The different types available are:

1. Stock mouthguards – can be considered the most readily available mouth protectors found in drugstores and sporting goods stores near you. The mouthguards are pre-made, mostly covering the upper teeth only. They are availed in three size categories, that is, large, medium, and small. Although they are conveniently readily available, stock mouthguards do not offer a great fit. Some patients report difficulty in breathing and speaking when using these mouthguards because they are ill-fitting.
2. Boil and bite mouthguards – are among the most common types of mouth protectors in dentistry. They are also readily available on over-the-counter drugstores from local vendors, making them relatively inexpensive. These mouthguards are made in one standard size, featuring a thermoplastic material that allows you to adjust the size to fit your mouth. To use this mouthguard, you need to soak the appliance in hot water before placing it in your mouth. Using your tongue or finger, you can shape the mouthguard to snug your teeth as required.
3. Custom-fitted mouthguards – if you check with any dental experts in a dental clinic near you, these are the best oral devices to protect your teeth and jaw. Custom-fitted mouthguards are designed after the impressions of your teeth, taken in a dental clinic. Ideally, the mouthguards are for the specific purpose of protecting your mouth. For instance, the reason an athlete would require a mouth protector will be different from why a teenager with bruxism would need it. As such, both custom-fitted dental night guards and regular mouthguards are tailored to your particular dental needs.

Who Needs Mouthguards?

The best way to know whether you need a mouthguard is by visiting a dentist near you. After your consultation, you should have a clear picture of what it takes to treat your dental issues. Some of the groups of people likely to benefit from mouthguards are:

1. Sportspersons – especially those involved in high contact sports like boxing and wrestling
2. Patients with bruxism – teeth grinding is common among children and teenagers.
3. Kids during intense extra curriculum activities like gymnastics
4. If you are at a high risk of mouth injuries – for instance, people who drive racing cars, horse riders, to mention a few.

Summary

There is nothing particularly wrong with your choice of mouthguard. The most important thing is to ensure that your mouth is protected, especially if you must engage in risky activities that may harm your mouth. However, if you want the utmost protection for both your jaw and teeth, you will visit a dentist near you for custom-fitted mouth protectors.

Root canals are a widely unpopular medical procedure. Because of the pain, time, and cost, many people are reluctant to have them done.

Just because this is an uncomfortable procedure does not mean that it is more painful than other treatments. Dentists have developed a way to make the pain less intense by using numbing agents.

The myths about root canal procedures are based on what some patients may experience with their particular dentist or general anesthesia. It is important to remember that most root canal patients do not need general anesthesia for this reason – it is only when there are complications that sedation may be used.

What Are Root Canals?

Root canals are a dental procedure used to excavate and clean the pulp of the tooth. The word canal refers to the long narrow channel in the tooth that houses the pulp.

Root canal therapy is done when the pulp is infected and causing pain. The primary purpose of endodontic treatment is to stop the spread of the infection and save the tooth.

Root canal treatment starts with an examination and diagnosis of the condition of your teeth and gums. This typically involves checking for signs of decay, such as white spots on teeth or unusual abscesses. The root canal dentist will also look for signs like redness or swelling on your gums or skin around your mouth.

What Are the Myths of Root Canals?

Root canals are often associated with pain and anxiety. But the truth is, they are one of the most common dental procedures that dentists in Calumet City perform.

• Myth #1: Root canal treatments are painful

It is difficult to say whether root canals cause more pain than other dental procedures. Some people might not feel any pain, while others might experience discomfort during the procedure. Most people will recover completely from root canal treatment in a few days.

• Myth #2: Root canals require several visits to the dentist

Root canal procedures generally take place in one visit to the dentist. Root canals are done under a local anesthetic and generally lasts 30-45 minutes. The procedure saves teeth from being extracted, which would have been necessary if left untreated for a longer period.

• Myth #3: Root canals are very dangerous

Root canals have a bad reputation, but they are safe if done by a trained dental professional. Root canals are just as safe as any other type of procedure that requires anesthesia.

The dentist will take all necessary precautions to ensure your protection and comfort during the procedure. Root canals have one of the highest success rates of most treatments in dentistry.

However, a few problems could arise during or after a root canal, such as infection. However, even this is very rare, and the risk is minimized by modern anesthetic techniques that make the procedure comfortable.

• Myth# 4: Pulling your teeth is better than a root canal

Root canals are less painful than a tooth extraction, and there is no possibility of dry sockets (painful sockets where your tooth used to be).

Root canal therapy is the treatment of choice for infected teeth, including endodontic infections that originate from the pulp (an abscess). Root canals save teeth and reduce pain; they restore chewing function and prevent tooth loss; they decrease the risk of systemic complications, and most importantly, they can save a person from excruciating pain.

Root canal treatment is much less painful than the removal of your tooth. Remember, once the teeth are pulled, you will need restorative procedures to replace the missing teeth.

Should You Get Root Canal Procedure?

Root canals are often recommended when a patient has inflamed or infected pulp due to deep decay, cracks in the teeth, injuries, or other causes. Root canals are necessary if your toothache does not go away after using home remedies or you have swelling.

Schedule an Appointment

Visit Family Dental Care for more information about root canal surgery and if it is a suitable solution.

There are six different tooth shapes: square, rectangular, oval, pointed oval, triangular, and round. Dental professionals consider a square-shaped jaw one of the most attractive because it shows that someone has a strong jawline and thin lips. On the other side of that spectrum is a round-shaped jaw with protruding teeth that can make a person look like they have an overbite or underbite.

The two in between those extremes would be pointed ovals and rectangles because both represent strength but differ in their degree of thinness or thickness from one another.

It’s important to remember that many factors go into determining how attractive someone’s smile is, including their dental health, oral hygiene habits, and genetics. However, in general, people with a straight line of teeth tend to have an appearance that some find more appealing. For this reason, it’s worth taking the time to learn about your own teeth’ shape and whether it falls on one side of the spectrum or another when it comes to attractiveness.

Why Teeth Shape Matter?

Several factors contribute to the overall attractiveness of your smile. In addition to genetics, oral hygiene habits and dental health are important considerations. However, one’s teeth shape can play a role as well. As with many components of physical appearance, there is no standard view of what makes an attractive tooth shape or what people like best.

Some dental experts suggest that women’s teeth are more attractive when they are narrower than men’s. This would support the popular notion that wider smiles tend to be considered more masculine in appearance. When it comes to tooth shape, it is important to find the length that works best for you.

What is Tooth Shape is the Best and Why?

Different people prefer different teeth shapes. But the most common shape of teeth is square. Square-shaped teeth are not very sharp, but they look nice and healthy, so it makes your smile look natural and attractive. People also tend to prefer straighter teeth, but that is highly subjective because everyone has their taste.

Many factors influence how teeth size and shape influence our impression of attractiveness, such as tooth Type, smile proportion, age, and gender.

What is a Smile Makeover?

A smile makeover procedure can change the way your teeth look and consequently improve your appearance. Smile makeovers may include:

• Improving the size, shape, or color of teeth
• Replacing missing teeth with crowns, bridges, or implants
•  Straightening misaligned teeth

What Dental Procedures Can Change the Shape of the Teeth?

The shape of the teeth is based on genetics, but some dental procedures can change the appearance of your oral appearance, and a smile makeover dentist will choose one based on your dental needs.

• Crowns Bridges

A bridge is used when one or more adjacent teeth to the gap caused by missing teeth are still present. The teeth on either side of the gap become anchors for the bridge, and a false tooth (called a pontic) is placed between them to fill in the space. Bridges can be made from materials such as porcelain and gold alloys or more biocompatible materials such as high-strength, lighter-weight zirconium oxide. A crown is similar to a bridge in that it acts as a support for a false tooth. However, instead of replacing teeth adjacent to the space caused by one missing tooth, it supports an entire row of teeth on one or both arches.

• Veneers

Teeth veneers can correct the shape of your teeth. These are thin shells or laminates fixed on the enamel to change the appearance of the teeth.

• Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a resin-based procedure that involves filing down the teeth slightly and then applying a liquid resin to fill in imperfections before being permanently hardened with ultra-violet light. Dental bonding is primarily used to close gaps between teeth and to smooth chipped or damaged areas.

Dental bonding can also be done to change tooth shape. Dental bonding can create small, subtle changes in tooth shape that can make the teeth look longer and more uniform. Dental bonding is an inexpensive alternative to other procedures, like porcelain veneers, which often costs around $1000 per tooth. Dental bonding lasts for about five years before it starts to wear down.

Schedule an Appointment

Visit Family Dental Care if you are looking for an affordable smile makeover procedure.