Can a Cosmetic Dentist Help Brighten Your Smile?

If you are tired of hiding your smile from the world due to stained, discolored, or otherwise imperfect teeth, a cosmetic dentist can help. They specialize in various aesthetic and cosmetic procedures designed to make their patients look and feel their absolute best. Let’s take a look at some of the options that they offer to help get your smile back to the place it needs to be.

What is a cosmetic dentist?

Cosmetic dentists can be compared to plastic surgeons. While both receive the same gamut of education and training as their general practitioner colleagues, they also pursue advanced training to provide additional services to their patients. These services include procedures to recolor, reshape, or replace damaged or discolored teeth.

What services and procedures do they offer?

While exact services should always be confirmed with your dentist's office, cosmetic dental professionals generally provide services such as:

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is the most common procedure in cosmetic dentistry. Teeth regularly become stained even when practicing good oral hygiene due to everyday activities such as eating and drinking, aging, genetic predisposition, taking certain medications, and using tobacco products. 

A dentist can help with stains, discoloration, and more by providing in-office whitening services, the most common of which is called bleaching.

Cosmetic bleaching is done utilizing a potent whitening gel that is not available over the counter. This gel can penetrate the porous enamel of the teeth and break apart stains and discoloration. After application, the gel is exposed to a heat source - most often a specialized light or laser - to amplify the chemical processes that cause whitening.

Veneers

Veneers are thin, custom-made fittings that can cover cracks, chips, and irregular tooth shapes. They are also helpful for fixing crookedness or gaps between teeth. This versatility allows dentists to create dazzling smiles regardless of previous wear, discoloration, or damage. Veneers are so effective at creating a perfect grin they've earned the nickname "Hollywood teeth."

Bonding

Bonding is another quick procedure with dramatic results. Often only requiring a 30–60-minute appointment to complete, bonding is done by using a tooth-colored putty to repair the shape of cracked, chipped, or otherwise damaged teeth. Like bleaching, the dentist will apply the putty and expose it to light or heat to bond the material to the tooth. Then, the dentist will then trim, shape, and polish the putty to create a realistic, natural, and bright cover for the damaged tooth or teeth.

These are just a few of the many services a dentist can provide to brighten and improve your smile. Their advanced training and professional experience creating custom solutions for patients allows dentists to address a wide variety of cosmetic issues safely, reliably, and most importantly, effectively. 

While there are many over-the-counter products available to address cosmetic issues with your teeth, they often take weeks or longer to provide the same result available in thirty minutes under the care of a skilled cosmetic dentist.

Request an appointment here: https://www.kirklanddentalexcellence.com or call Kirkland Dental Excellence at (425) 365-0856 for an appointment in our Kirkland office.

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