We’re always looking for ways to improve ourselves – ways to enrich our different points of view in life. Trying to become the best version of oneself is one of the most human reactions and, as such, finding different methods to do so is a natural response.
The pursuit of aesthetically-pleasing features has been part of human culture ever since the start of time. Said pursuit adapts to what people want or need at the time.
Dental care is not only a form of taking care of your health – your smile is a channel for you to express an array of different emotions. Your smile is a direct indication of how you’re feeling and how you react to different situations. Giving it the treatment that it deserves is a must, and it’s the least that we should do.
Our smile is a vital part of our personality, yet we tend to take it for granted most of the time. We’re never aware of how important our teeth are until we start going through toothaches or need one removed, or how crucial oral hygiene is until our gums start to swell and bleed.
Even if we take all of the aforementioned factors into consideration, sometimes we might not feel comfortable with the appearance of our teeth – however, there is no reason to worry. Dentistry has evolved to the point in which a patient – with the proper intervention of a dentist & specialist – is able to ask for their smile to be modified to fit their specifications. This branch of dentistry aims to correct or improve a patient’s denture with cosmetic procedures and treatments.
In this blog, we’ll delve deeper into the topic of cosmetic dentistry as a whole – its uses, what it treats, and the various benefits that it can bring to a patient that wants to or has to go through it.
Cosmetic Dentistry
What is cosmetic dentistry?
As it was mentioned before, cosmetic dentistry is a branch of dentistry that specializes in improving your smile or correcting esthetic issues. Its primary aim is to cause a positive impact on the patient’s smile. Sometimes, esthetic treatments can also correct different dental and oral problems. For example, getting a single dental implant or a full denture can improve how your smile looks, but it can also help recover functionality.
Cosmetic dentistry relies on the implementation of tactics and procedures used in different dentistry branches, such as prosthodontics, and maxillofacial surgery, among others. Sometimes, certain esthetic medicine treatments such as facial fillers and Botox can be great additions to your new denture.
Why do people choose cosmetic dentistry?
People who want to go through any cosmetic dentistry procedure tend to:
· Want to improve how their smile looks,
· Feel that their smile does not fit their facial features,
· Have lost multiple teeth and want to fix their smile,
· Want to restore how their smile once looked.
It’s normal to lose teeth with age or have them show signs of severe damage. Sometimes, our teeth are exposed to hassles and situations that put them at risk without us noticing at first glance. Things such as opening cans or lids with our teeth, or eating hard foods are potentially dangerous to crack your teeth.
The procedures
The most famous cosmetic treatments
In order to achieve the objectives that the patient has set, a mixture of different esthetic dental procedures can be applied. As it was mentioned before, some of these measures and treatments also serve the purpose to restore a patient’s mouth and teeth functionality.
Dental crowns
A dental crown is a cap that is placed over a broken tooth. A dentist can remove the damaged part of the tooth and file the healthy part to have the crown fit onto it.
In order to achieve the best results, the crown is fabricated having the rest of your teeth in mind. The purpose of it is to appear natural and not look out of place with the rest of your teeth.
Dental crowns, just like dental implants, are made out of different materials. Metal-free options are available.
The materials used in the fabrication of crowns are:
· Metal, which is the go-to material for most crowns. Some of the materials used in dental crowns are nickel, chromium, and gold. These crowns are durable and tend to last the longest,
· Porcelain-fused-to-metal – probably the most malleable and modifiable in terms of color. They’re also pretty durable,
· Ceramic and porcelain – a great choice for patients that don’t would rather stay away from metal due to allergies or adverse reactions.
If your tooth is severely damaged, your dentist may advise you to have it removed to prevent any infections from happening, as well as other complications. In this case, they may tell you to have an implant installed to avert jawbone loss.
Dental implants
Dental implants are a post-like device that is installed into a patient’s jawbone. This device works as a root that will hold an artificial tooth that receives the name of the crown.
In cosmetic dentistry, there are different methods that rely on the use of strategically-placed implants to fully rebuild a patient’s denture instead of having to install a single implant for every single lost tooth.
Some of these methods are:
· All-On-4 implants: Probably the most popular method out of all the “All-On-X” treatments. As its name states, the All-On-4 implant method uses 4 implants placed on the patient’s jawbone to hold an artificial, permanent denture in place.
· All-On-6 implants: The second most common, most popular “All-On-X” treatment. This process is similar in nature to the All-On-4 procedure but uses 6 strategically-placed implants instead of 4 to set a permanent denture in place.
This denture is tailor-made to the patient’s specifications and will work just like normal teeth.
If a patient wants to or has to replace a lost tooth, a single implant can be used. Dental implants, just like dental crowns, are made out of different materials – if there’s a patient that has a history of metal-related allergies, ceramic implants are also an option.
To assure the best results, your dentist may resort to using a surgical guide. That device helps them perform this procedure in a quicker, more efficient manner.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers, as opposed to dental crowns, are just a shell-like cover that works to cover the front surface of the tooth, not a cap itself.
Dental veneers are used to fix lots of things, such as:
· Teeth that show discoloring,
· Teeth that have broken or are chipped,
· Gaps between teeth,
· Teeth that show signs of irregularity in their alignment, shape, or harmony with the rest of your teeth.
Just like both of the aforementioned methods, dental veneers are made of different materials, but porcelain veneers are the most common.
The effects of veneers before and after the procedure are amazing and have been shown to change patients’ smiles completely.
Smile Design Dentistry
Perhaps the most revolutionary procedure in terms of esthetic dentistry. Smile Design Dentistry uses all of the procedures mentioned before with a few extra ones to get that new smile you want.
Doctors use special software to take examples of other types of smiles and check how that smile will look once it’s done with the use of digital mockups.
Resorting to a smile design procedure could be your best option if you:
· Want to look younger,
· Want to feel more confident with how your smile looks,
· Want to have a healthier denture and restore it.
You should ask your dentist what your best options are and what procedures to follow to have a full mouth reconstruction.
Dental Work in Mexico
What to expect
Each procedure has a different set of procedures to follow, but it doesn’t matter if you’re just getting a single veneer, a crown, or multiple implants to get a new set of permanent dentures and get a full mouth rehabilitation you should always discuss what your expectations are in your initial appointment with your doctor. Letting your dentist know what your objectives are will help create a personalized plan to achieve the results that you want.
While dental veneers and crowns are an almost immediate solution, dental implants might take longer due to how long it can take for the bone and surrounding tissue to heal. These factors come into play when choosing how your smile design procedure will be carried out.
Setting an appointment
What to do
It may be hard or perhaps seem expensive to get any of these treatments, but have you considered booking a visit with a dentist in Mexico?
Yes, at first it might sound scary to go to another country, but you’ll be amazed at how you can have world-standard dental care in Mexico at highly affordable prices.
If you’d like to schedule an appointment with Sani Dental Group, call us at (928) 257-1308, or fill out a form online with some basic contact information. Our team of patient coordinators will be more than pleased to help you through your process.
Disclaimer: Open dentist to help you with your dental needs. We are taking additional special measures following CDC recommendations to ensure your health and safety.