Cosmetic dentistry is a term used to describe the field of dentistry, which deals with treatments that enhances the appearance of one’s teeth, gums or bite. Cosmetic dentistry is considered to be a formal specialty area of dentistry by the American Dental Association. The two dental specialty streams that predominantly focus on dental cosmetics are prosthodontics and orthodontics.
You should know whether the dentist you are going to consult is an accredited professional or not. Finding the best cosmetic dentist is a difficult task. Ask your friends or relatives whether they are familiar with any good cosmetic dentist. You can even go for a web search to find out your doctor. When you choose a cosmetic dentist, his experience in the field and past stories of successful treatments can be the two important criteria for selecting the right one.
The best option for you is to choose an Invisalign. They are becoming more popular nowadays. Invisalign does not have wires and brackets. Instead, they consist of series of plastic trays (like retainers). You may have to wear them only for short periods of time.
Dentures are used to replace missing teeth. There are different types of dentures and can be chosen according to the requirements of the patient.
You should start with consulting your dentist. He will help you to choose the right type of dentures for you.
You can use denture whitening products to whiten your dentures. They are available in the market. You can even use baking soda if other products are unavailable to you. Coffee and smoking may stain your dentures. If you wish to maintain your dentures white and clean, you should avoid using stain-causing items.
The tooth-shaped cap used placed over a mouth to restore the strength, shape, size and to improve the appearance of the tooth is called a crown. Dental crowns are very common nowadays. They are classified according to the material used for making the crown.
Fitting the crown is not a simple procedure. It may require many visits. During the first visit, the dentist will check the tooth and prepare the tooth for the crown. A temporary crown will be fitted until you get the permanent one. The dentist will remove the temporary crown and fit the permanent crown during the second visit. He/she will make the tooth numb and cement the permanent crown in the right place. You may have to go for follow up checkups after that according to the suggestions of the doctor.
Dental bridges are used to restore the gap between teeth made by the missing teeth. Getting a bridge may have various causes that are:
Technology has advanced a lot and there are number of materials and choices of tooth restoration available nowadays. Tooth fillings can be made of different materials. Now, patients can choose the type of filling he/she wish to have. This is known as option for replacing defective filling. Patients can choose the material to replace their decayed or worn teeth.
Veneers are thin, custom made shells of tooth-colored materials placed over the tooth. They are usually made up of porcelain or resin composite materials. They are bonded to the worn out or discolored teeth in order to give them natural look and make them more beautiful
You may need veneer due to different reasons-mostly cosmetic. It may include:
Porcelain teeth veneers can give more natural look than that of the other materials. It will provide more strength and resilience to the teeth. Porcelain veneers best choice for those who want to make slight position alterations or to change tooth size, color and shape. It can give the aesthetic perfection that you desire.
It will take one to two weeks to get the veneers prepared. The bonding procedure may take almost one hour to complete.
Usually, veneers last for five to ten years. It may need to be replaced after that.
Veneers does not require any special care. You should continue proper oral practices to protect your teeth. You can go for normal practices such as brushing, flossing etc. If you use porcelain veneers, you may be suggested to avoid stain-causing beverages and food items.
Also known as geriodontics, this branch concerns with the dental care of older adults. This includes various components like diagnosis, management & prevention of dental diseases among the older persons. The prevalence of many dental disorders among this category has necessitated the establishment of a separate branch in dentistry.
As you get older, there are chances of many dental conditions for cropping up. This condition can, however, be managed by practicing good oral habits. It is very much relevant for the older persons to brush twice daily, particularly during night. Methods like flossing can also be beneficial in this regard. If you have any specific dental problem, the consultation with a dentist can help you in tailoring the oral habits.
There are also other things that you can do to maintain good oral health. One of these considerations that can be beneficial is to modify the food habits that promote oral health. Include vegetables & fruits that have necessary nutrients & minerals, which strength the teeth and associated structures. In addition, it is necessary for you to keep away from ill habits such as excessive alcohol and tobacco use etc. For knowing more about other measures, please consult your dentist!
The dimensions of your tooth very much affect the smile considerably. The height/width ratio of the tooth determines if the teeth dimension is correct or not. A low value height/width ratio indicates that the tooth is square. A high value, therefore, indicates that the tooth is longer than usual. In these cases, veneers can be helpful. Veneers are materials that are used to cover the surface of the tooth. They can be made from various materials like resin, porcelain etc. Affixing these into the long teeth needs proper dental assistance and treatment.
Full mouth rehabilitation concerns with the rejuvenation or reconstruction of tooth in mouth. Such a treatment becomes necessary when the teeth become broken, torn etc. Problems like bite issues, issues with mouth appearance etc can be corrected using full mouth rehabilitation.
A consultation with an expert dentist is mandatory for deciding whether the patient has to undergo this treatment or not. Full mouth rehabilitation does not mean the optional observance of dental habits. These habits need to be regularly practiced to ensure a good oral status after treatment.
At first, the function of jaw muscles is examined. Both relaxed & stretched positions are examined. If any abnormality is found in this context, the doctor might perform the remedial measures. One such measure is the introduction of an appliance that modifies the bite of patient in an appropriate way. If the patient does not want to use such an appliance, then he/she can resort to full mouth rehabilitation. The rehabilitative procedures are then done according the patient’s dental status. Compared to the former method, full mouth rehabilitation takes very less time to restore the teeth.
Pediatric dentistry deals with the dental treatments and diagnosis of children from toddlers to adolescents.
It is recommended to take your child to a dentist when the first tooth appears. It will help you to protect your child from dental problems. You can also get guidelines from the doctor to make your child’s oral health better.
Teach your child to follow good oral practices. Make sure that, your child uses fluoridates tooth paste and brushes twice a day. Teach the child to floss properly. Try to get him/her enough fluoridated water and products. Get your child to the dentist to have proper dental check ups at least twice a year.Tips for helping children develop positive dental habits.
Diet has an important role in developing and preventing the cavities. A balanced diet is very important to prevent cavities. What they eat and how often they eat will affect the health of their teeth. Usually children have the habit of snacking intermittently. It is crucial to clean the mouth after every snack. Another thing is that to avoid sugary items that can cause cavities.
Dental implants are frames, metal posts & other structures. These devices provide a strong foundation for the fixed or removable replacement teeth. In most cases, these are positioned surgically into the areas beneath the gums, into the jawbones. Dental implants can be fabricated using several materials, depending upon which their lifespan vary.
For getting the maximum use of dental implants, the patient needs to maintain good oral hygiene. The health of bone in the jaw should be sufficient to support the implant. A person is a candidate for dental implants if he/she has the following conditions:
A full mouth examination is needed before deciding if dental implants needs to be fixed or not. Such an examination can help the dentist to identify the dental conditions.
The major advantages of dental implants are as follows:
These implants also have some disadvantages, which are:
Dental implants are broadly classified into 2 categories. These are:Endosteal implants: The word ‘endosteal’ refer to ‘in the bone’. Hence, they are surgically inserted into the jawbone. Either a single or multiple prosthetic teeth can be supported by an implant. For those individuals with removable dentures like bridges, these can be beneficial.Subperiosteal implant: These are implants that are placed ‘on the bone’. In these implants, the post of the metal framework protrudes through the gum so as to hold the prosthesis in the correct position.
Dental implants are one of the natural tooth replacements developed. Many people opt these implants to correct the teeth loss due to disease, injury related tooth disorder etc. Dental implants can also be placed if the patient is not so much satisfied with the existing oral apparatus like loose dentures, bridges etc.
The success rate of dental implants depends upon various factors. In general dental implants have a success rate of 75% & above. For actually knowing the success rate, the stability of the implants has to be achieved and maintained
Dental implants of sufficient quality can last even for a lifetime, if they are maintained properly. Therefore, maintenance and quality of these implants are decisive factors that determine the implant lifespan.
Long term success of dental implants depends up on many factors. The first thing is the quality and quantity of bone. After fitting, it is your duty to keep it firm and clean. Bacterial infections can affect the life of dental implants. You may have to avoids habits such as smoking and bruxism in order to avoid the problems such as bone loss and gum disease. Your general health can also affect the life of dental implants. Choosing a good surgeon can be a factor that can determine the long-term success of the dental implants.
The life of dental implants may depend upon how well you maintain them. They should be cleaned and checked properly by the dentist every three or four months to ensure its life.
The cost of dental implants may vary according to the surgical procedure used and the doctor’s fees.
No. The procedure of placing implants is not painful. The procedure will be done under local anesthetic and you will not have to face any kind of discomfort during the period. It may take 30 minutes to 3-4 hours to complete the procedure
Implants are more aesthetic and easier to maintain when compared to that of the conventional dentures. You may feel difficulty while eating certain food items using conventional dentures. Whereas, you may not have to face such kinds of difficulties using implants. Implants are better than that of conventional dentures in many aspects.
Root canal treatment is one of the procedures used for preserving the infected tooth. In such a treatment, the infected or damaged tooth pulp is removed and the associated structure is cleansed. After doing these procedures, the empty canals are filled.
Root canal treatment becomes a necessity when the pulp gets infected or inflamed. These can be caused due to various factors like repeated toot procedures, deep decay, faulty appliances like crowns etc. Traumatic conditions can also trigger the inflammation/infection of pulp, thus making this treatment a necessity.
Firstly, a local anesthetic is given to the specific portion of the tooth. This is followed by the removal of pulp using appropriate apparatus. The inside portions of the tooth under the gum line is filled with appropriate temporary materials, medicines etc. A permanent filling is then needed after this procedure. An example of a permanent filling is crown.
Yes. There will not be much issues after root canal treatment. The treated tooth may require a crown to give it an extra strength and support. You should also have to maintain proper oral hygiene.
The cost of root canal treatment may depend upon various elements. The doctor whom you choose for the treatment will be able to tell you the cost for the treatment. It may vary according to the procedures used in the treatment. The severity of your problem will also constitute an element that can affect the cost of the treatment.
It may not possible to treat deep cavities only with simple filling. Fillings are meant for mild and moderate cavities. Your cavity may be severe. When it is severe, the pulp chamber may be affected. This will cause teeth decay and cannot be completely cured with fillings. This may be the reason why your doctor suggested you a root canal treatment.
