Cosmetic Dentistry: An Art and A Science

Cosmetic dentistry, or aesthetic dentistry, is a field of dentistry dedicated to improving the appearance of teeth, gums, and bite alignment. Common cosmetic dentistry treatments include teeth whitening, veneers, tooth-colored fillings and crowns, and dental bonding. While cosmetic dentistry is a medical science, it is also an art in that your dentist flawlessly improves a patient’s smile while still maintaining a natural look.  

Below are 4 common types of cosmetic dental procedures and how they can improve your life.  

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is a process that removes layers of stains and discoloration from natural teeth to bring the color to a brighter white shade. Knowing how many shades whiter a patient’s teeth can become while still maintaining a natural appearance is an art. A good cosmetic dentist will be skilled at smile transformations that still match a patient’s skin tone while improving their overall appearance.

Teeth whitening can make a patient look and feel years younger, provide them with a boost of self-confidence, and even help them advance in their professional lives. Patients who experience teeth whitening can smile without hesitation or concern about their appearance and can enjoy both social and professional settings with a whole new level of confidence.  

Veneers

Veneers are custom-designed covers or shells that are bonded to the front of a patient’s teeth for a total smile transformation. Crafted of high-grade porcelain or a tooth-colored composite material, veneers are resistant to staining and maintain their white color far longer than natural teeth. Veneers are an excellent option for patients with:

• Severely discolored teeth

• Chipped or broken teeth

• Large gaps between teeth

• Small or unnaturally shaped teeth

• Damaged teeth

For an aesthetic dentist, the art of veneers is knowing how to shape the veneers so that they fit naturally with the patient’s mouth and facial structure and how to color the veneers so that they match the patient’s skin tone for a natural look.  

Tooth-Colored Fillings and Crowns

Many patients with older dental work have fillings and crowns made of silver, a color that stands out unnaturally when they smile or laugh. Some less expensive dental work may also have been filled with silver to save on time and money. For patients wanting to hide the appearance of their dental fillings and older crowns, tooth-colored restorations can be made to replace old dental work.

Tooth-colored fillings and crowns can bring a patient more confidence as they smile, talk, and laugh while knowing their dental work is now hidden behind naturally-colored restorations. This can especially benefit patients with extensive dental work or with fillings and crowns on teeth toward the front of the mouth.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a good option for patients with one or two damaged or misshapen teeth. Unlike veneers, dental bonding uses a tooth-colored resin to give teeth a new shape and size. The resin is shaped while on the surface of the tooth and is then hardened with a special laser light all during the same appointment. This fast and cost-effective procedure can resolve issues with:

• Gaps between teeth

• Chipped or cracked teeth

• Misshapen teeth

• Small or short teeth

• Severely stained teeth

Dental bonding provides the smile transformation of veneers without replacing as many teeth and is excellent as a less-extensive dental fix for a problem tooth or teeth.  

Call today to schedule an appointment with your cosmetic dentist in Rapid City and find out how we can improve your life!

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