With changing, times and increased awareness cosmetic dentistry has become an ever-demanding part of any kind of dental treatment.
If not every but every second patient wants a good smile along with treating other dental problems. As a dentist practicing in Delhi for many years I often come across people who don’t smile in public or are highly conscious of their teeth.
This affects them to the extent that it sometimes can become a psychological problem, especially among youngsters. Many things can bother one like the color, shape, or alignment of the teeth. Issues like crowding, protruded teeth, or discolored and stained teeth can greatly hamper one’s confidence.
But now with advances in medicine and science, cosmetic dentistry has become a huge and rapidly developing branch. With the right Dentist and correct treatment planning, it is possible to fix almost any aesthetic concern of the patient. There is a plethora of cosmetic therapies and state of the art softwares available which help in smile designing and makeover. This can greatly help the dentist in treatment planning and also help the patient in understanding the process and the result he/she can expect at the end of the treatment.
The array of cosmetic therapies available in the dental clinic nowadays is huge. Most dental problems can be corrected with new-age non-invasive therapies. Most of these procedures are done chairside and can be completed in a single day. In most of the cases, the patient can walk out with a beautiful smile even on the same day.
Treatments Available
1. Dental whitening or Bleaching: This is an in-office whitening treatment carried out by the dentist. The procedure takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour. If this is done well by a qualified professional using the right materials the result is very satisfactory. One can expect the teeth to get at least 4 to 5 shades lighter and brighter. Also, a big plus is this treatment is completely painless and comfortable.
2. Tooth-colored fillings: These are composite fillings that are again very simple and completely painless. They provide a great solution to many aesthetic concerns like mild discoloration or staining, small pits, or unevenness on the tooth surface.
Also in some malalignment cases like generalized spacing or gaps between the teeth, or somewhat protruded teeth. In such cases, well-matched and well finished composite fillings can work very well and give great results in a single sitting.
There are a wide variety of shades available and many different types of composites in the market. If all the protocols are followed and done properly, an aesthetic composite filling can last for a long time.
3. Laminates or Veneers: These are thin shells of ceramic or a form of tooth-colored glass-like material. These are fabricated in a dental lab and cemented onto the tooth after preparing it. This is a highly technique sensitive treatment and should only be attempted by an experienced aesthetic dentist.
There are various advantages like this is very minimally invasive and very little tooth structure is prepared for this.
Also, the whole treatment can be completed in just 2 sittings, within a week the patient gets a whole new set of perfect teeth. Since these are cemented onto the tooth structure, they are much more stable and last longer than composite veneers.
Lastly, porcelain is a material with a very good finish and shade matching, so the final result is very good. Also, this material does not get stained or discolored like others, so it retains its shade and finish for a very long time. This is a very good option for smile designing and makeover.
So, for those who just want to correct their smile and do not want to invest a lot of time for a more comprehensive treatment like orthodontic therapy. Laminates are a very good option.
4. Invisible Braces: Orthodontic treatment has greatly evolved over the past years. Earlier there were only simple metal braces. With time came ceramic or tooth-colored braces, then self-ligating ones which are much smaller.
After that came lingual braces wherein the brackets are placed on the inner surface of the teeth. These are completely invisible but they are not the most comfortable. Since the brackets and the wire are placed on the inner surface next to the tongue, it takes time to get used to them. In some cases, it can interfere with speech or talking. However, this is also a very effective system for aesthetic orthodontic treatment and gives good results.
The latest and the most advanced cosmetic or rather the most aesthetic option for this are invisible braces. This is a truly path-breaking system wherein the patient can undergo the full treatment without anyone knowing that they are wearing braces.
This is an ideal system for adults or anyone who is conscious of wearing brackets and wires. They are called clear aligners and in addition to being completely invisible, it is also highly comfortable. Since there are no brackets or wires on the teeth nothing pokes or hurts the patient in any way.
So, the aligners come in pairs that are removable and need to be changed by the patient every 2 weeks. The most important thing is to wear them every single day for at least 20 hours. Since these are removable this treatment can be carried out for outstation patients as well.
This is a huge advantage especially if the patient is motivated and wears his aligners regularly the treatment can proceed very well. In this case, he or she does not need to visit his orthodontist every month unlike for the fixed braces.
Hence, there are several advantages of clear aligners and there are many companies in the market making these both internationally and in India. The indications and costing of each of them vary but the basic principle is the same. Generally, this treatment is indicated for adults and not children since the most important thing is to wear the aligners regularly for at least 20 hours to allow the teeth to move.
So, to conclude within the sphere of cosmetic or aesthetic therapies in dentistry there are several treatments available. Almost any concern with the smile or appearance of the teeth can be addressed today to the utmost satisfaction of the patient.
So, if you have been wanting to correct or fix your smile or whiten your teeth or even fix that crooked tooth, please go ahead and visit a good cosmetic dentist and get a smile analysis or consultation done. You may be surprised how easy it is to get that perfect smile you have been yearning for so long in a short period of time.
