What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Do you have a slightly crooked tooth, or front teeth that are a little yellow, or a tooth you chipped in an accident? Fortunately, there are effective and affordable cosmetic dental treatment solutions to address all these problems. The goal of cosmetic dentistry alexandria va procedures is to improve the various aesthetic aspects of the smile. Many adults immediately think of dental veneers when they hear the words cosmetic dentistry. In reality, there are many cosmetic dental procedures that can help improve your smile. Below is more information about cosmetic dentistry and the number of cosmetic dental procedures that may include the right solution for you.
Is Cosmetic Dentistry a Specialty?
Cosmetic dentistry is not recognized as a dental specialty. This means that any general dentist can perform cosmetic dental procedures without needing additional training or certification. This is a bonus if you have a dental provider you love and are hoping they can perform a simple cosmetic procedure. However, this can also make it challenging to find a provider with a high cosmetic dental skill level. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) holds established standards for cosmetic dentistry to help ensure high quality procedures are performed by certified dentists. While any general dentist can perform cosmetic dentistry procedures, dentists with AACD credentials are dedicated to meeting the high cosmetic dentistry standards of the AACD.
Popular Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments
It is likely that you are familiar with many cosmetic dental procedures and never realized it. This may be because many cosmetic procedures both improve appearance and have other benefits including repairing or restoring a tooth’s function. Here are a few of the most common or popular cosmetic procedures:
- Tooth whitening: Professional whitening is a simple procedure usually performed in the dental clinic to reduce yellowing, discoloration or staining.
- Dental bonding: dental bonding is a tooth-colored putty that is applied directly to teeth to change their shape, size, or minimize gaps between teeth. The putty hardens and is polished to create a tooth that appears healthy and natural.
- Veneers: Veneers are custom-made covers that are attached to the front of the teeth to improve their look and function. Veneers are a popular treatment to improve the appearance of teeth that are stained, discolored, or have been damaged overtime.
- Dental implants: Dental implants are a more permanent tooth replacement option for a missing tooth. Implants are becoming increasingly popular because they look and function just like natural teeth.
Benefits of Cosmetic Dental Procedures
Cosmetic dentistry solutions are often simple procedures that can result in a big and significant change to your smile. A simple procedure will improve the appearance of your teeth, restore the mouth’s function, as well as lift your self-esteem and boost your confidence. The goal of cosmetic dentistry is to restore or repair damaged teeth. But the benefits of cosmetic procedures are often much greater. Many cosmetic procedures help improve the appearance of teeth, restore their function, lift your overall oral health, and enhance your quality of life.