Cosmetic dentistry is a branch of dentistry that focuses on correcting the appearance of your teeth, smile and gums by improving color, shape, size and alignment of your teeth. It includes- teeth whitening, dental bonding, veneers and smile makeovers.
Various procedures are available in cosmetic dentistry to help you get a better smile. These procedures are painless, harmless and most of them are permanent. These procedures involve: smile makeovers, dental bonding, veneers and teeth whitening.
It completely depends on the wearer to protect them and increase their lifespan. On an average they last for 10-15 years with a good maintenance. Veneers last very long with regular checkups, cleanings, proper brushing and flossing.
Not at all! Teeth whitening procedure is totally safe and effective. Since enamel is the hardest tissue; whitening does not cause any damage to it neither does it cause sensitivity. The procedure involves only superficial surface of enamel and gives a good physical cleanse to the tooth.
It is safe when done by a professional or using proper kits. Lack of right training and knowledge can be harmful.
Dental implants look and feel like natural teeth as tooth and root are replaced. Since implants are fixed in the bone, bone is preserved unlike in dentures where boneloss happens over a period of time. Also, dental implants are fixed, more comfortable, easier to maintain and last for decades.
Depending on the severity of your gapped teeth, there are several options available. Dental bonding is the easiest and quickest way.
Veneers are another cosmetic approach that can fix the gaps between front teeth. Orthodontics can close severe gaps over a period of time. If you’re uncomfortable with metal braces; there are esthetic options like invisible braces.
Dark gums are because of melanin pigment in gums. A procedure called ‘Gingival Depigmentation’ is carried out to remove this pigmentation which is done with laser. The entire procedure is painless and is less time consuming. The gums heal within a week.
Invisible braces are a series of tight-fitting custom-made mouthpieces that slip over the teeth. They are the clear alternative to metal braces for adults and teens. They offer esthetic, efficient and barely visible orthodontic treatment.
Dental bonding and veneers both help to improve the appearance of the teeth to get you a dazzling smile.
In dental bonding a tooth colored material is applied to the tooth surface and hardened with a specific light to match the shade of your teeth. This entire procedure is done by your cosmetic dentist on chair.
Veneers are thin shells that match your tooth color which are bonded to tooth surface. These shells are made by labs and bonded to the tooth by your cosmetic dentist.
Yes! Most chipped teeth can be repaired by dental bonding. Dental bonding repairs fractured teeth beautifully by matching up exactly the natural tooth color and lasts for a long time too. Severely fractured teeth can be repaired with veneers or crowns.
Yes, cosmetic dentistry has come a long way since the concept was put into practice. A vast variety of materials and techniques are available today to improve one’s smile by correcting the shape, shade, size and position of teeth. So much so that one can have it in a day!! There are various procedures like veneers, bonding, metal free aesthetic crowns, etc.. that make all of this possible.
It really doesn’t matter which tooth brush you use, as long as you use it ! both manual and electric tooth brushes can be equally efficient if used with the right technique.
It really doesn’t matter which tooth brush you use, as long as you use it ! both manual and electric tooth brushes can be equally efficient if used with the right technique.
One should always use fluoride toothpastes. Fluoride in the toothpaste makes teeth harder, stronger and more resistant to cavities.
Ideally adults and children should change their toothbrushes every 3 months because when a tooth brush is worn out it is much less effective at removing plaque from your teeth. Some electric tooth brushes have indicators which help you decide. If you have gum disease it is a good idea to change it every 4-6 weeks as bacteria harbor on the bristles. You should wash your toothbrush under running hot water after every use.
Ideally a child should have his/her first dental check up as soon as the first tooth erupts & no later than his third birthday.
Tooth sensitivity is a very common problem affecting many. It means pain or discomfort with cold air, hot/cold drinks, sweets, ice cream or in severe cases even from brushing and flossing. The good news is that it can be cured.
A soft and sticky, transparent substance called plaque is continuously forming on the tooth surfaces. When this plaque combines with food that we eat acids are produced which attack the tooth enamel causing it to break down and cause tooth decay.
Plaque is a sticky transparent film that keeps forming on the surfaces of teeth. When this is not removed efficiently, it begins to harden and form a calcified mass around your teeth and gums, called calculus (commonly known as tartar).This tartar if left to remain for a long time causes gum disease, various infections, and even bone loss. A professional cleaning every 6 months to a year is required to avoid all of that.
Halitosis- commonly known as bad breath can be a very embarrassing condition and can be caused due to various factors. The food that we eat, with strong flavors such as onions, garlic, some spices get absorbed into the blood stream and when this blood reaches the lungs, bad breath is evident from the air that we breathe out. Indigestion or constipation causes release of gasses which may escape through the mouth causing unpleasant odour.Improper brushing and flossing can also result in accumulation of food particle in the oral cavity resulting in the same. Other reasons may be gum disease, tooth decay, dry mouth or smoking.
The top layer of your tooth is known as enamel and the one below that is known as dentin. When the enamel has worn off, hot and cold drinks can penetrate in the small holes in the dentin causing sensitivity. It could also be due to tooth decay, broken or damaged fillings.
A tooth once removed must be replaced, if not it causes the adjacent teeth to tilt into the available empty space and the opposing tooth of the other jaw to grow upward or downward in the toothless space. This poses a serious risk for gum and bone disease and also causes an imbalance in the alignment of the teeth in chewing position. Missing tooth or teeth can be replaced with the following:
Removable denture
Fixed bridge
Dental Implant
The first signs of tooth decay usually go un-noticed by the patients. Some do experience mild sensitivity, accumulation of food and bad breath due to presence of bacteria and food in the areas of initial tooth decay. So the ideal thing would be to have regular dental check-ups (every 6 months) which enables your dentist to catch tooth decay and other dental problems in their budding stages thereby reducing the need for extensive time consuming dental treatment.
What you eat is what you are! The kind of food consumed has an important role to play in the benefit of teeth. Consumption of the wrong foods in large quantities at one go is less harmful than small quantities throughout the day.
Foods that promote dental decay and gum disease:
All sugars including honey – Sugary drinks and colas and lemonades – Refined carbohydrates such as chips, cookies, white bread etc.. -Chocolates, sweets and toffees Foods that prevent dental decay and gum disease:
Fibrous fruits like apples , oranges , pears , bananas etc. Milk products such as cheese , milk and yogurt
