When you don't feel proud of your smile, your self-confidence can suffer. Luckily, cosmetic dentistry offers plenty of ways to correct or hide tooth flaws. Dr. Nicholas Booker, your Trenton, MI dentist, shares some information about several common cosmetic dentistry options.
Crowns
Tooth-shaped crowns slide over your teeth, hiding chips and cracks and stabilizing fragile or damaged teeth. They're also a good option if one of your teeth is smaller than the others or a tooth is discolored due to a large filling or tetracycline use.
Bridges
Bridges replace one or missing teeth. They consist of a false tooth or teeth anchored on either side with crowns. Because bridges are made of porcelain or porcelain-fused-to-metal, materials that look like natural tooth enamel, no one will be able to tell that you lost a tooth.
Teeth whitening
Years of drinking and eating dark-colored foods can dull your smile. Coffee, tea, wine, colas and berries are common culprits, although any food that will stain a white tablecloth will stain your teeth. Professional teeth whitening can lighten your teeth an average of three- to eight-shades in just one session.
Dental veneers
Dental veneers can hide a variety of dental flaws, including chips, gaps or slightly crooked teeth. They're a good choice if teeth whitening doesn't get your teeth white enough. Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain that fit over the fronts of your teeth. They can be used to change the appearance of one tooth or all of them.
Dental implants
Dental implants offer a permanent tooth replacement option. The implant bonds with your jawbone, replacing your teeth roots. Your Trenton dentist places a crown on top of the implant, which not only looks natural but also restores your ability to bite, chew and speak normally.
Composite bonding
Chips and gaps or other defects can also be hidden with composite bonding. Your dentist shapes the soft bonding material to fit your tooth, then uses a curing light to harden it in place.
Don't let cosmetic issues stop you from smiling! Call Dr. Nicholas Booker, your Trenton, MI dentist, at (734) 675-5700 to learn how cosmetic dentistry can restore your smile.