Cosmetic Dentistry,do we need it?
Undertaking cosmetic surgery in general has become very popular, many people are spending large amounts of money trying to change the way their body looks rather than accept what nature provided them with. No cosmetic procedure should be taken lightly; as well as the financial costs involved, the procedure itself could also carry risks. Cosmetic dentistry is seen as an extension of ordinary dentistry but some of the procedures that many sources claim are gentle and safe may not be quite what they seem. Having porcelain tooth veneers, for example, is often proclaimed as being an example of how a quick and simple cosmetic dentistry treatment can give you perfect teeth without being invasive or painful. In reality,however, having a tooth veneered involves first having some of the surface enamel filed off, in the same way that the surface of your fingernails are filed before acrylic nails are fitted. This is done to roughen the surface of the tooth too allow the veneer toget a good keyl – but this does cause some damage to the surface of the tooth.Initially, a temporary veneer is fitted while the permanent veneer is made to exactly fit the tooth. This can take up to a couple of weeks. At the following appointment, the veneer is stuck in place using very strong dental adhesive. If there is a problem and the veneer needs to be renewed at a later date, removal can cause further damage to the surface of the tooth.Once you have had a veneer, it is difficult to go back to natural teeth – the combination of the filing and the adhesive means that your own teeth have deteriorated under the veneer so must be recovered with another veneer. As each tooth veneer can cost around $900, this is an expensive procedure, particularly if you want the ‘smile makeover’ that some private dentists advocate.
Teeth whitening can be a far less invasive Cosmetic Dentistry procedure but results can vary depending on where you have the treatment done and what kind of materials are used.
One of the easiest ways of getting your teeth cleaned up if they are stained by smoking or drinking tea, coffee or red wine, is to have a professional teeth whitening treatment by a reputable dentist. They are able to place the whitening chemicals very accurately, so that the delicate gum tissue is not going to be damaged. They can also use systems that are faster and light activated, producing a professional result in about an hour.Home teeth whitening kits are available and some contain a very weak whitening solution. While they are relatively safe, as a rule they also don’t work very well. Kits that have solutions containing a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide, a common bleaching agent, can cause damage to the teeth and gums if they are wrongly applied. A professional cosmetic dentistry treatment is therefore reccomended. The wish for the gleaming white smile has grown over the years because our favourite celebrities often have veneers, false teeth or cosmetic dentistry. It really makes sense to care for your teeth well including brushing well and to have regular dental checkups and also to correct any problems that arise, such as misaligned ,cracked or damaged teeth, or decay.
