Full mouth reconstruction
cosmetic procedures, treatments, and trends
Introduction
The cosmetic dentistry field aimed at creating a positive change to patient’s teeth and smile. Dental workers believe that aesthetic dentistry must complement the overall general and also their oral health. So, dentistry is no longer offering treatments about fillings and taking out teeth. The dental procedures are progressing and many patients choose a cosmetic dentistry or aesthetic dentistry as a way of making positive changes to their appearance. These are cosmetic procedures and patients use them in the same way they use cosmetic or plastic surgery to change their look.
Various treatments in cosmetic dentistry
Teeth whitening - bleaching
One of the newest trends in cosmetic dentistry is the teeth whitening procedure which is used for solving the aesthetic and at the same time psychological problems caused by the dissatisfaction of the teeth natural color. Patients can whiten their teeth with many methods but the most effective ones are professional dental bleaching and laser teeth whitening. These procedures are performed by a special trained dental worker who knows which concentration of the active bleaching ingredient is the most convenient for the patients. Regular tooth brushing can only remove some food particles and for obtaining more whitening results these procedures are applied.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is another cosmetic procedure that can solve a variety of dental aesthetic problems like discolored, chipped, oddly shaped teeth or gapped. This procedure consists of an application of a tooth-colored dental composite plastic material to the surface of the tooth. With this composite material, dentist could sculpt the tooth into a proper shape, size, and contour. The color of the chosen material can be adjusted so it can be a perfect match to the natural color of the rest of the teeth. In many cases, tooth bonding technique is used to make teeth look longer, to change their shape or to cover a part of the tooth’s root in case if it is exposed to the process of gum recession.
Porcelain veneers
Dental veneers represent the most revolutionary and advanced method in the cosmetic dentistry. They are made of thin porcelain layer, only around half a millimeter thick and they are permanently attached to the front side of the tooth. All this is with one purpose to restore its natural look. Porcelain veneers are custom made by a dental laboratory which is using the same material that is used to make tooth-colored crowns which look like the natural structure of the tooth. These veneers are very popular treatment because they can be used to easily change a wide variety of dental problems in a cosmetic way. They are used for repairing cracks and chips whiten discolored or stained teeth, close gaps between teeth. They can be also used to correct misaligned or crooked teeth without the need of wearing braces. These porcelain veneers offer excellent results and can be applied only if there is adequate tooth structure for a proper support.
Dental implants
These are artificial replacements of the tooth root and they are used for replacing missing teeth. Dental implants require expensive cosmetic dentistry treatment but they are a long-term solution. They could be made of titanium or zirkonia and are surgically placed into the jawbone. After that, a gingival former is placed just to recover the shape of the previous situations. Then abutments are placed. They imitate the natural shape of the tooth. When abutments are placed then a crown, bridge or a denture can be fitted over them.
After few months, the dental implant is fused with the bone of the jaw by a proper process. Dental implants are long lasting restorations. They provide much more suitable and naturally looking replacement of missing tooth when it is compared to bridges or dentures.
Gingivoplasty
This procedure is also known as gum contouring, the crown lengthening or gum lift. This cosmetic treatment could be performed as a surgical or it can be done by a proper laser. However, it modifies the gum shape by cutting the excessive gum tissue. This method is recommended for treating the gummy smile more exactly when the gums cover a large part of the tooth crown. This results with shorter or smaller teeth. Recovery period for this treatment is different and depends on the method which is used. If it is done surgically the recovery period takes longer because after one week or ten days a surgeon will pull out the surgical threads. It takes additional few days for a complete recuperation. If the laser method is used for this type of dental problem then, the recovery period lasts about one week.
Porcelain Crowns and Bridges
Dental crowns are also known as caps, are specific restorations that are more compatible for natural teeth that have sustained significant structure loss. They are also used for dental implants placed for replacing the missing teeth. They have a metal body custom and they are covered by a thin tooth-colored porcelain layer to match the color of the other teeth. The metal body fit the over whole tooth so it can stand the biting pressure. In the frontal region for better aesthetic results, an all porcelain crown could be used. Porcelain crowns can offer a greater strength and durability than veneers but they demand a bigger damage of the enamel layer. All porcelain crowns or zirconia crowns are far more aesthetic and biocompatible with the gum tissue.
Bridges are also known as fixed partial dentures and they are used to replace the missing teeth with the artificial teeth. There are many materials they can be made of such as alloys, porcelain, gold or a combination. Dentists first prepare the surrounding teeth for crowns and anchor the bridges onto the surrounding teeth after the preparation procedure. When a dental practitioner decides that everything is okay he would cement the bridge into the prepared teeth. It is very important to know that only a dental worker is able to remove the fixed bridge.
Inlays and Onlays
These types of procedures are known as indirect fillings because they are not placed immediately in the first visit to the dentist and because they are made by a dental technician. Before being fitted a dental worker try them in the proper position and if everything is okay they would be adhesively bonded or cemented (depends on the type of material they are made of) into the proper place. These additional fillings can be made of porcelain or composite materials. They are a long lasting solution and they pleasing the aesthetics in all the way to provide a proper filling to the teeth that would be similar to the damage of the tooth structure.
Porcelain Crowns and Bridges
Bite reconstruction is made in the most of the cases because few people are blessed with what a dental practitioner consider “a perfect bite”. Bite reconstruction helps to counteract the occurred damage a pathology bite is causing of the jaws and in the mouth. All the mentioned procedures may help in this complex process. A recent innovation is made in the occlusal splints which help in this treatment. Occlusal splints are custom-made simply by using a detailed study models placed in an articulator, a device which stimulates the movements of the jaws. This mouth guard is designed for guiding the jaw as it moves front-to-back and site-to-side. The precise splint device protects the teeth from the habits which are harmful and at the same time it supports the TMJ and muscles which are helping in chewing. There are so many different types of splints such as mandibular splints, full coverage splints, anterior deprogrammers, etc and the right person who will determine which one is the best for the patient is its dental professional. In some cases splint therapy must be performed in order to realign the proper position of the TMJ. If the right splint is not designed then, there is a possibility the patient has a risk of faulty TMJ position after the placement of new restorations and possibly a night grinding. Splint therapy is applied also in cases where patient suffer from grinding their teeth at night because of some stress or other inborn habits.
Conclusion
They have to explore their options for a complete smile makeover and to decide what is better for them.
By taking a smile makeover, they experience a new period in their lives which would be greater and shine.
so they have to pick the right dentist for performing these procedures.