Dental issues include misaligned teeth, crowding of teeth, dislike of shape, size or shade of their teeth, chipped teeth, worn down teeth or gaps between teeth
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The impact of social media has made people a lot more conscious of their looks these days hence the number of patients coming in for cosmetic reasons at the dental office has significantly increased over the years. Dental issues patients come in for are misaligned teeth, crowding of teeth, dislike of shape, size or shade of their teeth, chipped teeth, worn down teeth or gaps between teeth.
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There are multiple treatment options available at the dental office to treat such problems and enhance your smile. But which one is most apt for you? From a dentist’s perspective, for our patients, functional changes are always preceded by cosmetic changes. Therefore, which option is best for you can only be determined by your dentist after a full checkup.
Here is the list of best choices as suggested by Dr. Ekta Khatri, Prosthodontist, Implantologist, and the Co-founder of The Func Dent.
Veneers have been one of the most popular options for improving the appearance of your teeth. They are thin custom-made shells that are bonded to the front of the teeth to change the shape, size, color and at times also placed to carry out mild alignment changes. Veneers can be direct, made of composite resin made chairside onto the surface of the teeth during one single appointment.
Usually, a great option for small problems like chipped teeth or closure of small gaps, they may need to be changed every few years and are more prone to discoloration and chipping over the years. Indirect veneers are made of porcelain fabricated in the dental laboratory.
They are a more permanent solution, with a natural appearance mimicking the texture and translucency of teeth they are great for aesthetic transformation. However, there are a few considerations when opting for this procedure as there is a small amount of enamel that is reduced from the tooth surface for accommodating the veneer.
This process is irreversible and can at times lead to tooth sensitivity. It is an expensive treatment option and can be easily damaged with excessive force from biting on hard objects. The number of appointments is more and of longer duration.
Another popular cosmetic treatment option is Teeth Whitening. A non-invasive procedure that is done in one appointment, to remove all stains and discoloration on the tooth surface and make the natural color of the teeth lighter enhancing the smile. There is no requirement to change the structure of the tooth, only a professional cleanup is required prior to teeth whitening.
While it is an effective way to brighten one’s teeth it is also cost-effective making it an extremely affordable option. There are certain limitations of teeth whitening, it only is effective in the removal of extrinsic stains, stains that are on the surface of the tooth due to foods, drinks and smoking, intrinsic stains which are stains within the tooth surface are not treatable with just teeth whitening and whitening effects are not long-lasting, it has to be repeated once in 6-8 months based on the oral care and habits of the patient.
Orthodontic treatment is usually one of the most functional options to treat a misaligned tooth, jaw alignment and bite-related issues, options such as traditional braces or clear aligners are given to such patients. Traditional braces are seldom considered cosmetic as they are made up of metal or ceramic brackets with wires that are easily visible, therefore the preferred option these days is clean aligners.
Due to their transparency a more aesthetic option that carries out functional changes. However, the sort coming with aligners is the timeline as it takes over some months to get the desired results, the cost factor associated with aligners is very high and may require a patient to get veneers even after correcting the alignment for further enhancement of smile.
The aesthetics of one’s smile is not only about the teeth but also about the gums. Some patients come in with a complaint of a gummy smile while some come in complaining about dark gums. The crown lengthening procedure is done in cases where the tooth length is too short or the gums coverable over the tooth is more than required.
It is most often a simple procedure where the gum length is reduced either surgically or by a LASER. While it is a painless procedure, maintenance post-treatment does increase. Gum depigmentation is done for patients with discolored or hyper-pigmented gums, it can be done over 1-2 visits either with basic surgical inventory or with a LASER. Either way, this procedure may need to be repeated every few years for certain individuals.
Full coverage dental crowns are done for a patient with more severe problems such as worn down teeth or acid-eroded teeth. They usually command a more multidisciplinary approach as these patients may have pain in their teeth, a traumatic bite etc. Crowns are more durable and less susceptible to breakage or chipping but require more tooth reduction which can pose long time challenges.
They are as expensive as veneers and require over 3-4 appointments to get done. Tooth jewels are considered by some people a nice way to highlight their smile, usually done by bonding a tiny gemstone onto the tooth surface without altering the tooth's natural structure in a single appointment within minutes.
However, the surface of the tooth has to be etched in order to place this gemstone, which can cause sensitivity, the edges of the jewel are more prone to food debris, plaque and calculus deposition. If not bonded properly it can be ingested accidentally too.
In conclusion, the choice between veneers and other cosmetic options depends on an individual's dental health, cosmetic concerns, and financial ability. Consulting a dentist to determine which option is best suitable for you to achieve the most effective results is the key to enhancing your smile.
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