Many people live with stains, gaps, chips, and other cosmetic dental issues that can keep them from feeling confident about their smiles. Age, medical conditions, and simply living your life can lead to damage, discoloration, and other cosmetic issues. While over-the-counter solutions can help with minor cosmetic imperfections, some dental problems require more significant intervention.
Cosmetic dentistry refers to procedures that can improve the appearance of your teeth. Modern cosmetic dentistry procedures can correct misalignment, reduce gaps, enhance color, and address many other dental issues. The result? A healthier, better-looking smile–and a more confident you.
When you feel more confident about your smile, you’re more likely to share it. Don’t let cosmetic issues keep you from living life to the fullest. Find Littleton dentistry today by contacting the caring, creative team at Canyon View Dentistry. Explore your options and discover how Dr. McCallum and Canyon View Dentistry can help you get the healthy smile you deserve.
Common Types of Cosmetic Dentistry
Many procedures can improve the look of your teeth, gums, and smile. Here are some of the most common types of cosmetic dentistry procedures.
Teeth whitening
Teeth can become less white as you age. People who drink beverages that stain, like tea, coffee, and wine, may be more susceptible to tooth discoloration. But other factors, such as taking medications, neglecting dental hygiene, and dental decay, can also alter the color of your teeth.
Teeth whitening is one of the simplest forms of cosmetic dentistry–and one of the least expensive. Your dentist can apply whitening products that bleach teeth during in-office appointments, which is generally believed to be the most effective. Or, you may purchase trays and professional-grade whitening gels from your dentist’s office to use at home. There is also a wide range of at-home whitening strips, gels, rinses, and toothpaste to try.
While teeth whitening is relatively simple, it can have a considerable impact on the appearance of your smile.
Dental veneers
When you imagine the perfect Hollywood smile, you are probably picturing someone with dental veneers. Dental veneers are very thin shells crafted from tooth-colored resin or porcelain. During a dental veneer procedure, a dentist will remove a thin layer of enamel from your teeth and apply the veneers using bonding cement.
Dental veneers can provide a dramatic change in the appearance of your teeth. Uneven, worn, chipped, or mis-sized teeth can be covered up with perfect veneers. Veneers may be your best option if you want to change a significant aspect of your teeth, from size, length, color, or shape.
Because dental veneers offer such a dramatic change in the overall appearance of your smile, the procedure can often cost between $500 and $1300 per tooth depending on your dental insurance.
Dental crown
A dental crown may be your best option if you have significantly damaged or decayed teeth. A dental crown–sometimes called a tooth cap, is a custom-made cover that fits over the entire surface of a tooth. The tooth is restored to its original shape and size, and the crown is strong enough to withstand regular, everyday use.
While crowns are often used to repair a damaged tooth or prevent a cracked tooth from breaking, they can also be used to correct moderate to severe cosmetic dental issues. Your dentist can craft a crown to cover teeth that are severely misshapen or discolored, helping to improve your smile’s health and appearance.
Crowns are often created from metal, resin, ceramic, or porcelain. Generally, you can expect to pay between $900 and $1,500 for each crown depending on your dental insurance.
Inlays and Onlays
Inlays and onlays are an alternative to crowns when teeth are severely decayed or damaged. Instead of capping the tooth, fillings can be bonded to the center or biting surface of a tooth. Fillings applied to the tooth’s interior are called inlays, and those adhering to the exterior are called outlays.
Inlays and onlays are created in dental laboratories and expertly applied by cosmetic dentists. These innovative fillings are made from gold, porcelain, or composite materials and generally cost between $350 and $1,000 per tooth depending on your dental insurance.
Dental implants
If you have missing teeth or teeth that need to be removed, dental implants provide a natural-looking way to maintain the functionality and appearance of your smile. Dental implants are artificial replacement tooth roots made from titanium. During a dental implant surgery, your dentist will insert a titanium tooth root into the missing tooth’s bone socket. As your jawbone heals, the bone will form around the dental implant and hold it securely in place. This provides an anchor for a replacement tooth.
Dental implants allow you to replace missing teeth, preserving your mouth’s natural appearance and functioning. This innovative procedure generally costs somewhere between $1,250 and $3,000 depending on your dental insurance coverage.
Bridges
A dental bridge is a permanent solution to missing teeth. A bridge is created for your unique mouth and fits perfectly in the space where a tooth or teeth are missing. Bridges preserve the structure of the mouth and teeth, allowing you to talk and eat more easily and improving the appearance of your smile.
Dental bridges can be created from gold, alloy, or porcelain–the most common material for visible front teeth.
Braces
Braces are a common dental tool used to correct various cosmetic and functional dental issues like crooked or crowded teeth. While many people get braces during adolescence, adults can get them to fix a misaligned bite or improve the appearance of their smiles. In addition to traditional braces, clear aligner options like Clear Correct, Invisalign, and Reveal have advanced the convenience of cosmetically straightening smiles without the traditional brackets and wires.
Dentures
Dentures are a removable option for replacing missing teeth. There are two types of dentures: partial and complete. Complete dentures are an option for people missing all their teeth, and those with remaining natural teeth use partial dentures.
Some dentures can be worn only after the gum tissue has healed after an extraction, while others are designed to be worn immediately. Dentures are a non-permanent alternative to dental implants.
Find Littleton Dentistry Today
If you are interested in exploring how Littleton dentistry can enhance the health and appearance of your smile, reach out to the best Ken Carly dentist at Canyon View Dentistry. Dr. McCallum is an experienced dentist in Littleton CO who can provide innovative, practical solutions to your cosmetic dentistry issues.
Whether you’re looking for a simple teeth whitening procedure or need to make a dramatic change to your smile, Dr. McCallum can help. Don’t just live with your cosmetic dental issues. Contact us today to get the healthy, beautiful smile you deserve.
