Nevertheless, dental offices offer a range of smile treatment options for patients to choose from, including teeth whitening, orthodontic treatments, dental crowns, implants, veneers, etc. Make sure you check the Cost of veneers in Melbourne prior to scheduling an appointment.
The benefits of undergoing any of these treatments are not only cosmetic but restorative as well.
Get familiar with each option below.
Teeth whitening
A popular non-invasive dental treatment for improving your smile is teeth whitening. While it works perfectly with extrinsic stains, it’s less efficient when it comes to eliminating intrinsic stains, which penetrate the enamel. This treatment doesn’t provide protection from future staining as well. It can be performed by a dentist or in the comfort of your home. Nevertheless, the procedure should be trusted in the hands of a dental professional for better results.
Once the patient arrives in the office, he/she chooses a shade in consultation with the dental professional. Then, the dentist polishes the teeth and puts cheek retractors to keep the cheeks and lips away. Afterwards, the whitening gel is applied to the front teeth and spread out evenly to the others with a tiny brush. The gel should be left on for at least eight minutes and a maximum of fifteen minutes.
After the required period has passed, the gel is removed with the help of cotton rolls and gauze. It’s applied again three to four times to achieve the desired result. Following the last application, the gel is washed off, and the teeth look much whiter. Remember that teeth whitening is only effective in the removal of the stains on the enamel, such as those from smoking cigarettes.
Orthodontic treatments
Another smile treatment alternative is undergoing orthodontic treatment. It’s the most effective option in the correction of misaligned teeth. Orthodontists are the best people to check for misaligned teeth by using clinical exams and special x-rays. There’s a variety of misalignment issues that a person can be diagnosed with, including underbite, overbite, crossbite, open bite, spacing, crowding, etc. Read more about the causes, treatment, and effect of underbite on overall health.
For instance, individuals with underbite have upper teeth located far back compared to their lower jaw. In contrast, in overbite cases, the front teeth are those that stick out. Crossbite occurs when the upper teeth sit inside the lower ones when the jaw is clenched. Spacing, as the name implies, happens when there are gaps between the teeth.
Misalignment problems are usually hereditary, but certain habits might lead to these issues as well. For instance, prolonged thumb sucking, using a pacifier after the age of three, jaw injuries, etc. The treatment plan generally involves the use of orthodontic appliances, such as retainers, braces, jaw splints, aligners, and others. Aligners, referring to clear braces, are usually preferred by adults due to the lack of wires.
Dental crowns
Another treatment that’s used to improve the smile of individuals is the use of dental crowns. Such crowns, also called dental caps, are applied when repairing damaged teeth, which are cracked, chipped, or damaged by cavities. Permanent crowns can be made out of different materials, such as metal, resin, ceramics, or porcelain.
Two visits are usually required for patients to get a dental crown. In the course of the first visit, the tooth about to get a crown is prepared for the process. The dentist takes an x-ray of the affected tooth, as well as the surrounding bone.
It’s common for the dentist to perform a root canal treatment before the procedure in the event of tooth decay, inflection risk, and pulp injury. The following link, https://www.healthline.com/health/root-canal#:~:text=A%20root%20canal%20is%20a,you're%20under%20local%20anesthesia, explains the purpose, procedure, and risks of a root canal.
Furthermore, pulp refers to the soft tissue inside the tooth that contains the nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. Once the tooth is treated, an impression of it is made and sent to a laboratory that creates permanent crowns. In the meantime, the dentist uses a temporary crown to protect the affected tooth. During the second visit, the temporary crown gets removed, and a permanent one is cemented in the same place.
Dental implants
Another dental treatment that does wonders for one’s smile is getting dental implants. These devices are a permanent method for replacing missing teeth. Nevertheless, the procedure of having implants installed takes months to complete. The procedure is completed in stages, starting with the removal of the damaged tooth, performing bone grafting if necessary, and then installing the implant.
Once the implant is installed, it takes time for the bone to grow and heal. Afterwards, an abutment is placed, which is attached to the implant. In order to expose the implant, the dentist has to reopen the gum, place the abutment, and close the gum around it. The final step is placing a crown over the abutment.
As already mentioned, this procedure takes months to complete, as it consists of multiple stages. Consequently, the discomforts following the procedure are similar to those after undergoing any dental surgery, including gum and face swelling, skin bruising, implant site pain, minor bleeding, etc.
Veneers
Last but not least, veneers have become a popular cosmetic treatment that improves the colour, alignment, and shape of one’s teeth. These shells are custom-made to fit the exact needs of every patient. Suitable candidates for veneers are those that cope with slight crowding, intrinsic stains, gaps, spacing, chips, fractures, etc.
In addition, porcelain veneers are the most popular and long-lasting alternative, as these are not only strong but stain-resistant too. Composite veneers are a more affordable option, but these are more prone to fractures. Conversely, snap-on veneers are a temporary solution for individuals not ready to commit to the permanent variant.
The bottom line
The option you choose should be based on your unique needs.
Consult a dentist to assist you!
