5 Popular Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments

Cosmetic dentistry is a series of procedures that enhance the look of your teeth and the brilliance of your smile. But unlike cosmetics you use on your face or hair, the benefits of cosmetic dental treatments are that they improve your smile permanently and also advance your oral health.

As more and more movie stars make over their smiles with cosmetic dentistry treatments, more and more regular folks do, too. If you feel your smile lacks symmetry, dazzle or brightness, cosmetic dentistry treatments are your remedy.

Our expert dentist Nisha Modi, DMD, at Miracle Smile Dental, wants your teeth to be healthy and strong. But she also wants you to feel confident in your brilliant smile. Our team offers cosmetic dentistry treatments at our Aubrey, Texas, office. Here are the most popular treatments:

1. Orthodontics

As with many cosmetic dental treatments, orthodontics do not only improve the look of your teeth, but also improve your oral health. When teeth are more perfectly aligned, you can chew your food better. Well-aligned teeth also ensure a more balanced jawbone, which minimizes your risk for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. 

Depending on your age and needs, you might choose traditional bracket-and-wire braces made of metal or ceramic or the clear Invisalign® alignment trays. Over a period of months to years, both systems gradually advance your teeth into a perfect alignment to resolve the following:

• Overbite
• Underbite
• Open bite
• Gapped or twisted teeth
• Crowded teeth

An advantage of Invisalign includes using trays made with a patented SmartTrack® material that don’t irritate or cut your soft oral tissues, as braces might, and they don’t interfere with eating. You remove them for meals, then clean and reinsert.

Invisalign is also nearly invisible, which makes it a good choice for adults or self-conscious teens. Many complex bite problems get solved with Invisalign and its SmartAttachments® — often much more quickly than with traditional braces. 

Once your teeth are straight and your alignment is corrected, you maintain your new teeth positions by wearing a retainer at night. With proper care, your realigned smile lasts for the rest of your life. 

2. Medical-grade teeth whitening

If you've been frustrated by the (lack of) results from DIY teeth-whitening systems that you bought online or at the drugstore, it’s time to brighten up your prospects and your smile with medical-grade teeth whitening. Dr. Modi and our team use Phillips Zoom!® system to whiten teeth by up to eight shades in under an hour. 

Dr. Modi applies a special peroxide preparation that breaks up the stains on your enamel surface and reaches deep into the grayish brown dentin that makes up the inner core of your teeth. A whitening agent combined with LED light leaves your teeth whiter and brighter. Touch-ups may be necessary throughout the year.

3. Veneers

Veneers are tooth-shaped shells made of porcelain or composite materials that fit over your natural teeth. Your teeth must be specially etched in order to accept the veneers, so once you have a veneer, you must wear it permanently.

Veneers are the number-one reason why celebrities have such dazzling smiles. Veneers can change the shape and length of your teeth to resolve concerns, such as a gummy smile, gaps, or short teeth. Veneers are also stain-resistant; you never have to whiten your teeth again.

4. Bonding and other “fixes”

Although chips and cracks in your teeth may seem minor, they can detract from the beauty of your smile. If untreated, your teeth are more vulnerable to bacterial infection and further damage.

Dr. Modi uses tooth-colored composite bonds to remedy flaws and trauma in your teeth. She may use tooth-colored fillings to protect treated cavities and bonding to rebuild a chipped or cracked tooth. Bonds and fillings should last for many years.

5. Implants, Crowns, and Bridges

Missing teeth are more than a cosmetic issue; they pose functional issues, too. The ideal tooth replacement is a dental implant — a single false tooth with a false root inserted deep into your jawbone. Implants don’t just look like natural teeth but also function like them, which can save your jawbone from atrophy.

A crown is a false tooth that slips over a damaged and cleaned tooth, or can be used as an abutment to hold a bridge that replaces missing teeth. Although a bridge may be less expensive than implants, it doesn’t exert healthy pressure on your jawbone.

Learn more about cosmetic dentistry and how it can make you smile again. Contact our Miracle Smile Dental team at 469-765-3567 or use our convenient online booking tool to make an appointment.