Aesthetic Dentistry

Don't let stains, cracks or chips ruin your smile. Aesthetic dentistry, also called restorative or cosmetic dentistry, can fix unattractive or unhealthy teeth, leaving you with a magazine-cover grin. Aesthetic dentists can use a variety of methods to improve your teeth, depending on your needs. Often, a combination of methods will be used to help you achieve the look you've been dreaming of.

Aesthetic dentists can:

· Whiten your teeth
· Improve gummy smiles
· Seal gaps
· Fix chips and cracks
· Correct rotations
· Replace worn-down or discoloured teeth

Teeth Whitening
Coffee, tea, tobacco, red wine, antibiotics and age can all darken teeth. Patients can choose from two routes to whiter teeth: at-home whitening or in-office whitening.

· At-home bleaching kits use carbamide peroxide solutions to oxidize and bleach your teeth. Your dentist will create customized trays for your mouth based on plaster molds of your teeth. Place the solution in these trays, then hold the tray in your mouth for the amount of time specified by your dentist. He or she will determine a duration of treatment. In a few weeks, return to your dentist for a follow-up appointment.

· In-office bleaching (also called chairside, light-activated or one-hour bleaching) uses hydrogen peroxide gels and a heat or light source, these treatments lighten your teeth by six to eight shades in one to three visits, and sometimes less. The light source can be a plasma arc lamp or a laser. The dentist applies the gel to your teeth, then shines the light source, quickening the work of the gel. When a lamp is used, three twenty-minute gel applications are required. When a laser is used, the dentist treats each tooth individually.

Over-the-counter toothpastes, kits and peroxide strips are also available from most drugstores; however, these products are used at your own discretion, without the assistance of a dentist.

Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of ceramic fitted over your existing teeth to create a beautiful, natural-looking smile. Veneers are long-lasting, natural-looking and, because they are custom-made based on your needs, can cover up all kinds of problem teeth: chips, overlaps, "short" teeth, crooked teeth, and gaps. Best of all, veneers come in beautiful shades of white, fixing any discoloration worries you might have for years to come. They require three trips to your dentist: consultation, preparation, and application. During the consultation session, you and your dentist will decide on a course of action. During the preparation session, your dentist buffs half a milimetre off your teeth to create room for the veneer, then creates a mold from which your veneers will be made. During the application session, your cosmetic dentist will give you a "trial fitting," then cement the veneers to your teeth.

Bonding
Another option to whiten stained teeth, lengthen short or chipped teeth, and fill in gaps between teeth is dental bonding, a procedure in which a plastic resin is applied to the front surface of a tooth. First, the dentist erodes the tooth and applies phosphoric acid to it. The acid creates tiny crevices in the tooth in which the resin can stick. Next, he or she applies the resin to the tooth and shapes it into an aesthetically pleasing form. A light source cures, or hardens, the resin. The dentist completes the procedure by polishing and smoothing your tooth.

Gum Lift
Sometimes, excessive gum tissue creates the appearance of "short" teeth. An aesthetic dentist can shift gums to a position that reveals more of the teeth and less of the gums. This procedure, also known as crown lengthening or gum re-contouring, sometimes requires cutting out gum and bone around the teeth. Gum lifts are also useful in exposing enough of a damaged or decayed tooth so that a restoration procedure can be performed.

Gingivectomy/Laser Gum Surgery
Surgery is another option for treating a "gummy smile" that covers much of the teeth. In these cases, excess gum tissue (and, if necessary, underlying bone) is removed to expose more of the teeth. This excision can be done using either hand-held instruments, lasers, or a combination of both.

Depending on your needs, your aesthetic dentist might combine one or more of the above methods with bridges, crowns, dental implants or orthodontic treatment. Many aesthetic dentists offer free consultations; visit a few dentists to find one that suits your needs.

There is no specific specialized training for a general dentist to become an aesthetic dentist. Rather, general dentists can choose the aesthetic services they wish to offer in their office, and must regularly attend hands-on workshops, courses and conferences to remain up-to-date with the latest developments in their field.