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What are Cosmetic Dental Procedures?

What are Cosmetic Dental Procedures?

Age, bad habits, and food and drink choices can all add up to be hard on our teeth. If you are unhappy with your smile and wish you could improve it, consider cosmetic dental procedures. Cosmetic dentistry offers a variety of options for restoring your smile.

Teeth whitening
One of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures, teeth whitening can either be performed at your dentist’s office or at home. Methods used by your dentist work quickly and can provide dramatic results, but many patients are very pleased with home methods as well. Home treatments may be as simple as using products you purchase at your drugstore, or your dentist can provide customized bleaching trays for home use.

Bonding
Tooth-colored resin can be applied to your teeth to correct chipped, broken, stained, or decayed teeth in a single dental visit. The resin is molded onto the surface of your damaged tooth, shaped, and then polished to match your other teeth.

Veneers
If you’re looking for a long-lasting and stain resistant solution to damaged teeth, porcelain veneers are a good choice. These thin custom shells are adhered to your teeth to cover them so that they provide a beautiful smile.

Composite fillings
A material called composite resin is used to restore decayed teeth or to reshape your teeth to improve their appearance. Composite fillings can correct minor imperfections like a chipped tooth, or it can restore a whole tooth like a molar to a fully functional tooth.

Inlays and onlays
For large cavities or cracks in your back teeth, inlays and onlays may be used instead of fillings. These tooth-colored restorations are created in a laboratory, and then adhered to your teeth so they fit perfectly.

Cosmetic dentist in Baltimore

What is a Smile Makeover?

What is a Smile Makeover?

A gorgeous smile can give you confidence and open doors in your personal or professional life. A study by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry found that people with bright, white smiles were viewed as more attractive, intelligent, and successful. If you don’t love the reflection you see in the mirror, a custom smile makeover can transform your smile.

For a smile makeover, your dentist will work with you to develop a detailed plan for your updates. Often, patients look at examples of the dentist’s work or they bring photos of smiles they admire with them to the consultation.

Depending on the status of your mouth and what you want to accomplish with a smile makeover, your dentist may recommend:

•    Porcelain Veneers
Crafted from thin shells of porcelain, dental veneers cover imperfections such as gaps, chips, or stains. Traditional veneers are designed to complement your facial features and will produce a stunning, new image. Minimal-prep veneers, such as Lumineers, are ultra-thin porcelain shells that work for certain smiles.

•    Teeth Whitening
If age, foods, beverages, or lifestyle choices have caused your smile to lose its luster, professional teeth whitening can restore brilliance. In-office chair side Zoom! whitening or an at-home whitening kit provided by your dentist can erase discolorations and brighten teeth up to 10 shades.

•    Invisalign Clear Aligners
Not only will straight teeth boost your self-esteem, but they will also improve dental health. Brushing and flossing are easier when your teeth are in the correct position.

•    Dental Implants
If you are missing teeth, you won’t look your best, and you may compromise your oral health. Dental implants are permanent replacements for missing teeth that will give you a sensational, complete smile.

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How Do You Define the Perfect Smile?

How Do You Define the Perfect Smile?

Movie stars and celebrities often have stunningly beautiful smiles that immediately catch your eye. In recent years cosmetic dentistry has become far more popular, and many people want to emulate the smiles of famous people to help boost their self-confidence and self-esteem.

Your dentist in Baltimore can transform a perfectly ordinary smile into something spectacular, often using a combination of techniques. A smile makeover can involve teeth whitening, tooth colored fillings and porcelain veneers, and a skilled and experienced cosmetic dentist will restore damaged teeth, rebuilding a smile. Patients can invest as much or as little as they wish in updating their teeth.

When deciding on a smile makeover, it can help to define your idea of a perfect smile. Think about particular characteristics of your teeth you would like to change, for example teeth that are crooked or which have spaces in between them. Could your teeth look a little whiter?

Popular cosmetic dentistry treatments can include:

  • Dental implants to replace missing teeth
  • Invisalign clear braces to discreetly straighten teeth
  • Porcelain crowns and fillings to replace old restorations
  • Porcelain veneers to create a uniformly stunning smile

Deciding how you’d like to improve your smile will give you a good starting point for treatment. You can discuss your goals during your initial meeting with your cosmetic dentist in Baltimore, and they can describe possible treatment options. Many people collect photographs of smiles they admire, and this can be helpful for your dentist to compile your treatment plan. Just remember everyone’s smile is unique, and treatment will be customized to fit in with your facial features, skin tone, gender and age.

We treat patients from Baltimore and the surrounding area

Top Reasons to see a Cosmetic Dentist

Top Reasons to see a Cosmetic Dentist

A special area of dentistry has been formed that focuses on making your smile as flawless and appealing as possible. Cosmetic dentistry corrects imperfections that cause people to feel insecure and unhappy with their smiles. If you are one of those people, maybe it’s time to see a cosmetic dentist to give you back your smile and confidence. Here are some of the most common reasons for visiting a cosmetic dentist.

One of the biggest complaints that people have about their smile is the color of their teeth. Stains can cause your teeth to become yellow or brown with time, making your smile unattractive and embarrassing. Cosmetic dentists offer teeth whitening techniques that brighten your teeth, and can restore your pearly whites in just one appointment.

Gaps in your smile from missing teeth not only look awkward, they also make chewing and speaking more difficult. A cosmetic dentist can replace your missing teeth with dental implants, bridges, or dentures. Implants have become increasingly popular because they provide a permanent, comfortable, and natural-looking solution for missing teeth.

Cosmetic dentists can solve a variety of other imperfections that make you unhappy with your smile. Veneers improve the shape and color of your teeth by covering the fronts of your teeth with thin shells. Dental fillings and root canals resolve problems often linked to tooth decay. Crowns are used to cover an unhealthy tooth and restore its strength, shape, size, and appearance. They also may be used in conjunction with dental bridges to correct gaps in your smile.

There is no reason to go through life ashamed of your teeth. Make an appointment with a cosmetic dentist to see how your smile can be improved to get the bright, beautiful smile you desire.

Cosmetic dentists in Baltimore

Who Could Benefit from Dental Veneers?

Who Could Benefit from Dental Veneers?

Lots of people feel self-conscious about smiling, and problems with their teeth can make them hesitant to talk and laugh with others. Veneers are an easy way to transform teeth, and to get that gorgeous smile you’ve always wanted. Dental veneers are made from very thin pieces of porcelain or composite resin and fit tightly over the front surfaces of your teeth. They can mask many different types of imperfections and are a great way to improve the appearance of your smile.

In spite of this, veneers are not suitable for everyone. Your cosmetic dentist in Baltimore can help you decide if veneers are the best choice of treatment, or if another solution might be more appropriate. This procedure is not usually reversible so it’s important to be sure before your teeth are prepared for veneers. The following guidelines will help you determine if dental veneers are right for you.

Tooth Decay
Teeth that are decayed or which have already been filled are weaker and less able to support veneers. In this case you may be better off considering dental crowns that completely cover up decayed teeth right down to the gum line.

Gum Disease
You will need to have a full checkup with your dentist in Baltimore prior to having veneers. If you have any signs of gum disease then this condition must be treated first. It’s important to be in good oral health before your veneers are fitted.

Bad Oral Habits
Nail-biting, biting on ice cubes and teeth grinding can all damage veneers. If you have any of these habits then you’ll need to quit if you want your restorations to last.

Misaligned Teeth
If your teeth are quite crooked or misaligned, consider consulting an orthodontist to decide if braces are a better solution. It could be that once your teeth are straightened you’ll no longer need veneers. Dental veneers are not meant to correct severely misaligned or crooked teeth.

The Roles of Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistant

The Roles of Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistant

When you visit the dentist, you often see other professionals in the office. Usually, the dentist will have a hygienist and a dental assistant as part of the team. While their roles aren’t the same as the dentist’s job, these individuals do play an important part in your dental care. Understanding what the hygienist and dental assistant do can make you feel more comfortable at your dental appointments.

The Dental Assistant
To become a dental assistant, an individual usually completes course work through a community college or technical school. This training will provide hands-on experience before the dental assistant works in an actual dental practice. A dental assistant can serve many functions, including assisting the dentist during treatment, taking impressions, sterilizing instruments, and making temporary crowns for patients. Dental assistants also welcome patients and help them feel comfortable in the dental office.

The Dental Hygienist
At a minimum, a dental hygienist must earn an associate’s degree, though many hygienists choose to obtain four-year degrees. Additionally, hygienists must be licensed in the states where they practice. The dental hygienist is generally responsible for taking patient x-rays, performing an initial periodontal assessment, and cleaning your teeth. During your appointment, the hygienist will also offer tips on home hygiene to help you maximize your oral car routine. A dental hygienist may also perform deep cleanings for gum disease, apply fluoride, remove sutures, and administer local anesthetic.