Cosmetic
Cosmetic Dentistry
A smile is a nonverbal form of communication. A smile can be a tool that allows others to perceive your personality, such as displaying confidence, warmth, and compassion.
Is your smile attracting people’s attention in the wrong way? Unfortunately, imperfections can attract more than their fair share of attention. If a lackluster appearance, misalignment, or other complications dim your smile’s shine, consider cosmetic dentistry.
Why is cosmetic dentistry important?
Dental professionals use the collective term “cosmetic dentistry” to refer to any dental work that enhances the aesthetics of a smile. Primarily, we focus on boosting the color, shape, size, alignment, and overall appearance of teeth, gums, and bite. In a nutshell, cosmetic dentistry techniques are intended to improve how you look at yourself and how others see you.
Cosmetic Dentistry Options at Live Oak Dental Group
At Live Oak Dental Group, we firmly believe that “all dentistry is cosmetic,” but the following techniques focus primarily on improving the way the teeth look:
Chairside Teeth Whitening
The most sought out cosmetic dentistry treatment is teeth whitening. Instead of trying risky DIY techniques, consider professional teeth whitening.
Tooth Contouring
Live Oak Dental Group offers diode laser dental contouring as a convenient and affordable alternative to enhance your smile. With tooth contouring, cosmetic dentists can gently add minor changes to your smile, including:
- Minimize overlapping teeth
- Scrape away tartar and plaque accumulation
- Reconstructing the bite grid
Gently contouring the teeth can make your bite more comfortable and even out the way your smile looks.
Bonding
When a tooth-colored resin is applied and hardened to the teeth, this is known as bonding. Beyond improving aesthetics, bonding can:
- Aide in functionality
- Prolong the life of the tooth
Porcelain Veneers
Cosmetic dentists adhere porcelain veneers to the visible portion of your teeth to:
- Reshape and level out teeth
- Add volume and length to smaller teeth
- Hide deep discoloration
Orthodontics
Orthodontics involves aligning the teeth so that your smile looks, feels, and works overall better. Consequently, spreading the biting pressure evenly throughout the mouth can alleviate tension on the teeth, gums, and jaw. So, orthodontics may improve your overall, long-term health.
Live Oak Dental Group offers the Invisalign® system so that older teens and adults can straighten their smiles with more freedom and discretion than traditional braces. If Invisalign is not suitable for you, we can refer you to a specialist who can help you align your smile.
Smile Makeover
A smile makeover is exactly what it sounds like and involves combining multiple cosmetic dental services to help you achieve a brighter, more visually appealing smile. Our Live Oak Dental Group Team can take the current aspects of your smile into account and help you map out a plan so that you can start your journey to the smile of your dreams.
Cosmetic Dentistry Candidacy
At a cosmetic dentistry consultation, our team evaluates the health and appearance of your smile:
- If your teeth and gums are generally healthy, you should be able to withstand cosmetic dentistry techniques.
- If your mouth is otherwise unhealthy, it is wise to tackle and manage health problems before starting cosmetic procedures.
