Cosmetic Dentistry in Davis, CA
According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), over 99 percent of Americans place a very high value on a beautiful smile. This is one of the reasons why cosmetic procedures are so common in this country—Americans spend roughly $2.75 billion per year on cosmetic dentistry. Many patients don’t go to their Davis dentist until they have an aesthetic problem that they want to fix, like discolored teeth or unattractive gaps.
Whether you have a few crooked teeth, unattractive spaces or a discolored smile, there’s a solution, thanks to major advances in the field of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Types of Cosmetic Procedures
Any dental treatment that is aimed at improving the overall appearance of the teeth is classified as cosmetic. Common Cosmetic Procedures include:
Composite Bonding, using a tooth-colored liquid resin which is sculpted perfectly to match your tooth. Composite bonding can close small gaps between teeth, change the color of your teeth, and cover small chips and cracks.
Contouring and Reshaping, which can cosmetically straighten or correct overlapped, cracked, chipped or crooked teeth; contouring and reshaping can be done as a stand-alone procedure, or in combination with composite bonding to achieve the look you want.
Porcelain Veneers, which are thin sheaths of porcelain placed on front teeth to improve their appearance. Dr. Afkham is one of the few dentists in Davis who offers non-prep veneers with little to no alternations needed after they are inserted. Veneers are used to correct teeth that are:
- Badly shaped, broken or poorly aligned
- Heavily stained or discolored
- Chipped and cracked from age-related wear
- Spaced apart or slightly overlapped
Teeth Whitening, which can whiten teeth up to eight shades; you can choose from an in-office procedure which takes an hour, or a convenient take-home kit.
Invisalign, which is the state-of-the-art virtually invisible way to straighten your teeth; it uses comfortable, clear plastic trays, called aligners. The entire Invisalign process takes about 9 to 15 months.
Dental Implants, new development to replace teeth that can last many years.
Dentures, Full or partial dentures to give you back your smile!
The Many Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry
Having a cosmetic procedure is an investment in yourself—you should feel comfortable with the way your teeth look. Here are a few of the short-term and long-term benefits of cosmetic dentistry:
Adjusts and improves the positioning of your teeth so that you have a better bite.
Straightens the teeth and reduces uncomfortable crowding.
Evens out the teeth, making them look more uniform.
Makes it easier to chew and talk.
Beautifies your smile and makes it look more natural.
Makes your face appear younger.
There are lots of decisions to make, but don't worry — dentists are skilled at helping you get the desired smile!
Share your thoughts. Communication is an extremely important part of the smile makeover process. At the first makeover consultation, it helps if you describe what you would like to change in as much detail as possible. Bring along pictures of smiles you like, or of how your own smile used to look. Your makeover dentist will have some thoughts to share with you as well because dentists are trained to look at smiles in terms of facial balance.
Make a plan. An important part of planning a smile makeover is a comprehensive dental exam. Cosmetic Dentistry offers an amazing array of lifelike tooth restorations and treatments; but first, any conditions in your mouth that may jeopardize a good result must be taken care of. If your teeth are discolored, for example, the reason must be determined. You may have an underlying dental disease that needs to be treated before whitening your teeth; otherwise, the whitening may not last. Likewise, if you often drink red wine or other beverages that stain, you might do better with porcelain veneers than bleaching treatments.
Try it out. A smile makeover is an investment that is meant to last. That's why many of the procedures performed are irreversible. So if you are contemplating some changes, it's a great idea to try them out before you fully commit to them. There are many ways to preview the results: computer imaging, 3-D models, and even placing temporary restorations on your teeth so you can see what the final results will look and feel like in your own mouth. This also allows a fine-tuning of the makeover plan.
Ready for a cosmetic dental treatment?
Call our Davis, CA office today at (530) 750-3311
For more information or to book an appointment!
