What is Cosmetic Dental Care?
Generally speaking, cosmetic dental care is any dental procedure which main objective is the improvement of the dental aesthetics of the patient. Areas treated include the teeth, bite and gum and the procedure could be aimed at correcting color, shape, positioning, size and alignment issues just to name a few. You can get more information through this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmetic_dentistry
Examples of Cosmetic Dental Procedures
There are different types of cosmetic dental procedures that address different dental issues. Let’s look at some of them.
Teeth Whitening
This is one of the more common procedures used to improve the whiteness of the teeth. It is a simple procedure that involves bleaching the teeth to make it whiter.
Inlays and Onlays
These are procedures used to strengthen the teeth by providing extra support in cases where parts of a tooth are broken and the tooth structure remaining is not sufficient for a filling procedure. This support is provided by inlays and onlays which are made of composite resin material and ensure that further decay is prevented and the shape of the tooth maintained. While inlays will be directly placed on the surface of the tooth being treated, onlays will be used to cover the full surface of the tooth.
Dental Veneers
This is a pretty expensive dental procedure which is probably why it is also called “Hollywood teeth”. Its main purpose is to change the color, size, length or shape of a tooth. To achieve this, some part of the tooth’s surface is removed and replaced with a tooth-colored shell which can be made of resin or porcelain. These very thin shells are called dental veneers and they are used to cover the front surface of the teeth.
Dental Crown
This procedure is used to cover really discolored or badly shaped teeth. It can also be used to replace damaged or decayed tooth. It can restore a tooth’s appearance size, shape and even strength.
Dental Implants
This is an expensive procedure used to provide a foundation for a replacement tooth. These titanium implants are placed inside the socket from which a tooth is missing thus preparing the position for a replacement tooth. You can read about some of these procedures here.
Who Needs Cosmetic Dental Care?
There are many classes of people who may need this type of dental care. Looking at the types of procedures described above, we can see that anyone who is uncomfortable with the way their teeth look is a prime candidate for this care.
A study carried out by Puneet Kaur et al in 2017 showed that persons with dental disorders could suffer low self-esteem.
The study is published here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5449896/.
Based on this, it is important that parents and guidance ensure that any persons under their care who may have these kinds of disorders that can lead to a low self-esteem get the treatment they need immediately.
Choosing a Greenbelt Dentist for Cosmetic Care
Getting the best dental cosmetic care in Greenbelt begins with choosing the right cosmetic dentist. To help you get this right, we will run through a few tips that you can use as a guide in your search.
Talk to Your Dentist
This is the very first thing you should do. Your dentist should be able to determine if indeed you need cosmetic care or if it is something s/he can handle him or herself. If s/he can’t handle it, s/he should be able to make some recommendations.
Ask Friends and Family for Referrals
If for some reason you cannot ask your dentist, then ask your friends and family members if any of them can refer you to a reputable cosmetic dentist.
Ask to See their Past Work
It is normal for cosmetic care givers to display their work proudly. Ask to see some of the past jobs they have done before making your final decision. If you want to see some examples you can look here.
Ensure the Location is Right
Some cosmetic procedures may require that you visit the clinic a number of times. Ensure you choose a location that is very convenient for you.
Check for Accreditations and Affiliations
Most dentists – cosmetic or not will usually provide some information regarding their accreditations and affiliations on their website. If for example you were to visit johnpowersdmd.com, you will find listed on the site the schools attended, associations and affiliations. This information will help you choose a professional you can trust.
Flexible Payment Plans
Your dental insurance will likely not cover cosmetic treatments. This means you will need to choose a dentist who can offer you an acceptable payment plan or at least accept credit card payment depending on the extent of work you need done.
Conclusion
It is important that you are confident about how you look. Cosmetic dental care has helped many folks to regain their self-confidence. If you need any form of dental enhancements, the information we have looked at above will help get started with ease.