Did you know there are all kinds of dentists, trained in a variety of specialty areas? There are pediatric dentists that specialize in taking care of the teeth of infants, children, and teenagers. There are orthodontists that specialize in straightening crooked teeth. Then there are dentists that specialize in cosmetic and restorative techniques to keep your smile looking its best.
Let’s take a moment and set the stage for cosmetic dentistry by introducing you to the kinds of sophisticated techniques you’ll find at a practice like Dr. Hadley’s.
Veneers and Bridges and Braces – Oh My!
There isn’t a single person in the world that doesn’t want to look their best at one point or another. Your smile is the first thing the eyes are drawn to on a person, so looking your best includes keeping your teeth clean, straight, and healthy looking. Dr. Hadley and his team can straighten and clean up the most crooked smile, with some techniques you may not know much about:
- Let’s start with veneers, which are made from porcelain and are designed to fill gaps in the front of your teeth. These are custom made prosthetics designed to whiten permanently stained or chipped teeth. They’re usually permanent covers over the top of a gap-toothed or broken smile.
- Composite fillings are tooth colored and pretty much invisible. We recommend these to replace the old silver fillings in older adults.
- Bridges do exactly what they do in the highway – they bridge a gap between two points. If you’re missing a tooth or two, bridges replace the hole with artificial teeth that look like the real deal. Bridges are important because if you’re missing teeth, it can throw your mouth alignment off and make chewing uncomfortable.
- Braces are awesome. No, really. The old days of “metal mouth” are over. You have a variety of choices to straighten your teeth, including braces that are “invisible.”
- Dental implants replace missing teeth with artificial teeth that blend right into your mouth. The implant is actually inserted into the bone under your gums, just like a real tooth. That makes these great options for people that are missing teeth but don’t want the hassle of dentures or a bridge.
- Inlays and onlays are perfect if one of your back teeth are cracked or chipped but you don’t need a full crown. These restorative tools help strengthen the broken tooth and protect it more than a filling would.
- Gum recontouring is for people who show more gum than teeth when they smile. Or, if their gums are receding, making their teeth look overly long or disproportionate.
- Teeth whitening is perfect for making your teeth sparkle again. This is a gentle cosmetic procedure that restores the bright white of a good healthy smile by eliminating coffee or other stains on the teeth.
There’s even more to share – but this will give you a good sense of the kinds of procedures a cosmetic and restorative dentist can offer you. Dr. Hadley and his team are standing by to meet with you in a one on one session to help you envision the smile you’ve always dreamed about.