There are any number of things that can go wrong with someone’s teeth. They can grow weak, develop cavities, grow in crooked, discolor, and develop a huge variety of other problems. While a general dentist can take care of many issues from cleaning to drilling, there are some issues that require special training. For issues that aren’t actually threatening the teeth or the person’s dental hygiene, but which are simply unpleasant looking, the client needs the services of a cosmetic dentist.
What Does a Cosmetic Dentist Do?
As the name suggests, this variety of dental professional focuses on procedures that affect the way teeth look, rather than how they function. Similar to a cosmetic surgeon, who performs procedures to alter the way someone looks even if there is nothing physically wrong with them, this kind of dentist specializes in making someone’s mouth look different. This requires a great deal of additional training over and above what the individual needs to be a dentist in the first place, and it also requires training in each of the unique cosmetic procedures that he or she will be performing on patients.
What Dental Procedures Qualify as Cosmetic?
Any dental procedure which has no effect on the actual strength or health of the teeth, but only changes the way they look, qualifies as a cosmetic dental procedure. Procedures like putting in teeth caps, whitening teeth, attaching veneers or crowns are all cosmetic procedures for which one should seek out a dentist with experience in providing a quality, cosmetic experience. There are other procedures, but these are some of the most common ones performed on a regular basis.
Why Would Someone Go To a Cosmetic Dentist?
The reasons someone would go to this kind of dentist are at least as varied as the number of procedures that these dentists can perform in the first place. Someone who is embarrassed that his or her teeth have been stained by a lifetime love of coffee, or a smoking habit, might want to try and get their teeth whitened so they can smile without feeling self conscious about it. People with an alternative lifestyle might want to get gold or silver crowns over their teeth, and some people might even want to have caps that are shaped like vampire fangs. People who might feel their teeth are ugly because of chips or cracks might want them shaved and a veneer put over them.
Whatever the reason, everyone wants a smile that they can be proud of. That is what these dentists specialize in, and it’s why so many different patients with so many different needs come to them. No matter the canvas, these dentists can make them beautiful.
