Cosmetic dentistry is an interesting specialty in the dental profession that concerns itself with the appearance of your teeth. This includes the size, shape and even the color or whiteness of them. However, it doesn’t normally include the alignment of the teeth and jaws which generally falls into the category of orthodontics. To ensure their patients have the best possible smile your dentist has access to a number of procedures specifically created for Cosmetic Dentistry in Mankato, MN, such as teeth whitening, dental veneers and even the replacement of missing teeth with dental implants.
Teeth whitening is perhaps the most commonly performed treatment in the field of Cosmetic Dentistry in Mankato, MN. This procedure is designed to remove the stains that can set into the enamel of your teeth. These stains can build up over time and many common toothpastes only clean the surface of the teeth leaving the stain behind. Home whitening kits are available, but they rarely have the chemical strength required to remove deeply set stains.
In some cases dental whitening can’t remove all the stains a person’s teeth can acquire. For example, tobacco smokers can get severe tar stains on their teeth and these get worse as time progresses. Since these stains can’t be removed a dentist skilled in Cosmetic Dentistry in Mankato, MN will need to cover the teeth with veneers instead. Veneers are a thin porcelain or resin based shell that covers the front of the teeth, unlike crowns that cover the whole tooth. Veneers allow the dentist to give their patient an even and consistent smile. In some cases the dentist may need to shape the front teeth to ensure the veneers will fit properly.
Other Cosmetic Dentistry in Mankato MN treatments performed by dental organizations such as North Mankato Family Dentistry include composite fillings, porcelain crowns or caps, porcelain bridges, porcelain inlays and on-lays and dental implants. Out of all of these procedures the dental implant may be the most important advance in recent dental history. This procedure allows the dentist to fill the gap that occurs between teeth from extractions or tooth loss. This can be very important because this space allows other teeth to shift position resulting in a crooked smile. Plus, dental implants improve the patients biting and chewing abilities.
