Dental Care and Special Needs: Planning for Success

Posted on: 3 August 2015

Everyone knows that you should go to the dentist if your tooth hurts or if you are in need of a checkup. However, people don't always recognize the signs that they need to pay the dentist a visit. This is doubly true for the category of cosmetic dentistry.

So what is cosmetic dentistry?

This branch of dentistry mainly focuses on procedures that improve the appearance of one's teeth and gums. Some of the most common cosmetic dental procedures are teeth whitenings, tooth reshapings, veneers, and bite reclamations.

Teeth Whitenings

Lots of people are dissatisfied with the color of their teeth. Fortunately, there is a solution for that ailment: teeth whitenings. Although you can buy a teeth whitening kit at your local drugstore, it will be a lot less effective than a visit to the dentist for a couple of reasons.

First of all, your cosmetic dentist is going to have a lot more experience doing teeth whitenings than you. You might not know exactly how to complete the process or which brands are effective, but your dentist probably does.

Secondly, your dentist has access to much more potent teeth whitening solutions than you can buy over the counter. The last thing you want is to spend a bunch of money on a drugstore teeth whitening kit only to find out that it is far too weak for your needs.

Veneers

If you want to improve the color and texture of your teeth, then you might be interested in veneers, which are thin layers of porcelain that are placed on top of your teeth. In order to get veneers, your dentist will need to remove some of the enamel on your teeth so that there is a flat surface on which to attach the veneers. This means that you need to have a healthy amount of enamel in order get veneers.

Tooth Reshapings

In many cases, your teeth might just be the wrong shape for one reason or another. Maybe your tooth has a naturally strange outline or maybe you chipped it in an accident. Cosmetic dentists can shave off enamel from certain parts of your tooth in order to create a more uniform appearance.

Bite Reclamation

An overbite or an underbite can be an incredibly frustrating condition to have. It can impact your self-confidence, your eating habits, and your general quality of life. Thankfully, dentists can use a process called bite reclamation to correct your bite. In this procedure, your dentist will take carefully measurements of your teeth and mouth dimensions. Then, your dentist will file down some or all of your teeth so that your jaw can rest naturally.

For professional dental care, contact a company such as Adams Dental Center.