Did you make any New Year’s resolutions this year? Maybe you’ve decided this is the year to finally improve your smile! If you’ve lived with a less-than-perfect smile for years, there’s no better time than now to experience all the benefits aesthetic dentistry has to offer.
With aesthetic dentistry, changing the appearance of your smile is easier and more affordable than ever. In this blog, we’ll provide an overview of all the cosmetic choices available to you. Your dentist will help you decide which treatment or treatments will benefit your smile the most.
Porcelain Veneers
Veneers are one of the quickest and most conservative ways to improve your smile. Celebrities like Tom Cruise, Ben Affleck, and Morgan Freeman have all (reportedly) used porcelain veneers to completely change the appearance of their teeth.
To place veneers, the thin, durable shells are bonded to the front surface of your teeth. Dental veneers hide stains, gaps, and oddly shaped teeth. Patients must have a sufficient amount of enamel on their teeth to be candidates. If not, there are a few more options available.
Dental Bonding
Cosmetic dental bonding provides many of the same benefits as porcelain veneers. During this procedure, composite resin is painted and shaped onto a tooth to cover up flaws such as stains, chips, gaps, and cracks. The cosmetic dentist will use her trained eye and steady hand for a natural-looking, but much-improved smile.
Invisalign®
Most people think of clunky, metal brackets and wires when they hear the word “braces”. Thanks to advances in orthodontic technology, clear aligners are now an effective aesthetic dentistry solution to gapped or crooked teeth.
Instead of using wires and brackets to move teeth into proper position, a series of clear aligners are custom-made to gently reposition the patient’s teeth. Patients are required to wear these aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day for up to 12 months. The length of treatment time depends upon the severity of the patient’s dental needs.
It’s important to know that not everyone qualifies for Invisalign treatment. Patients with severe dental misalignment may require braces. BUT the good news is, even traditional braces have improved over the past several years. Your dentist can place clear brackets and thin wires that are hardly noticeable.
Teeth Whitening
Coffee, tea, and even certain fruits and vegetables can stain and discolor teeth over time. Stores everywhere sell tons of teeth whitening products daily, but none of them work as well as professional teeth whitening. With over-the-counter products, you may experience a slight change in the appearance of your smile over the course of a few weeks, but in-office teeth whitening provides incredible results in just one dental appointment.
At Austin Laser Dentist, we offer top-of-the-line teeth whitening treatments that can brighten your smile up to nine shades in a matter of minutes. After one treatment, we also offer free whitening for life!
Gum Lift or Crown Lengthening
Patients with a gummy smile or short teeth are the perfect candidates for a gum lift. This procedure minimizes the amount of visible gum to make the teeth look longer and more symmetrical.
For this procedure especially, it’s important to choose a cosmetic dentist who uses laser technology. Without it, dentists use a scalpel to cut away and stitches to close the gums (yikes!).
Dr. Ragsdale uses a Waterlase™ medical laser to remove small amounts of gum tissue. This state-of-the-art technology reduces discomfort and allows for a one-to-two-day healing period.
Experience the Benefits of Aesthetic Dentistry
These cosmetic treatments will boost your confidence and change the way others perceive you. A beautiful smile makes for a memorable first impression—in the best way!
To fulfill your resolution of a new and improved smile in 2020, visit an aesthetic dentist near you today.
Call (512) 346-4690 to schedule an initial consultation with our Austin Laser Dentist.
