Cosmetic dentistry treatments include things like porcelain veneers, clear aligners, cosmetic dental bonding, professional teeth whitening, tooth-coloured fillings, and zirconia dental crowns. Essentially, these are treatments that change the look of your teeth for cosmetic purposes. Cosmetic dentistry often overlaps with functional dentistry, and many treatments achieve both cosmetic and functional goals.
Types of Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments
Let’s get into more detail about each of these cosmetic procedures. Porcelain veneers are very thin shells that a dentist bonds to the front of the teeth to conceal cosmetic issues like cracked or discoloured teeth.
Clear aligners can fix crowded, crooked, or unevenly spaced teeth. Misaligned teeth can be more difficult to brush and floss, which can lead to cavities. This is an example of a cosmetic procedure that is also about restoring function.
Cosmetic dental bonding involves a dentist using composite resin to fix chipped teeth, gaps between teeth, or to alter a tooth’s shape. Professional teeth whitening is about transforming stained or yellow teeth with either in-office whitening or customized, take-home whitening kits. Tooth-coloured fillings are obviously functional, but also offer a cavity treatment solution that’s difficult to detect.
Finally, zirconia dental crowns are basically tooth covers that a dentist places over the entire tooth. These work well for restoring function and aesthetics to broken or decayed teeth.