Smile Makeovers
Smile Makeovers Boost Confidence and Dental Health with Bonding, Crowns, and Veneers
Recent studies show that an attractive smile can improve the quality of one’s life. Research also supports that smiling relieves stress, lowers blood pressure, and improves overall health. Smiling also lifts your face, making you look younger. Yet, only about one-third of Americans are happy with their smile.
Thanks to advances in cosmetic dentistry, you can boost your self-confidence and be proud to show your pearly whites with a smile makeover. A smile makeover can fix cosmetic and structural imperfections. Some of the most common smile makeover procedures performed at McDonogh Dental include:
- Bonding
- Veneers
- Crowns
What Is Cosmetic Bonding?
Cosmetic bonding is a procedure that repairs dental imperfections. In bonding, dentists use a type of material called “resin” to:
- Close gaps between teeth
- Correct discolored teeth
- Straighten uneven teeth
- Fix fractured teeth
Direct bonding is one of the fastest ways to improve your smile. It typically takes less than an hour. McDonogh Dental provides smile makeovers through bonding in just one appointment.
What Are Veneers?
Veneers are thin shells put on the front of teeth to correct a variety of issues. Like direct bonding, veneers can change the color, shape, and spacing of teeth. However, veneers are fabricated by a dental lab and are applied to the entire surface of a tooth, while bonding is usually limited to a smaller area.
The veneer shell is typically made of resin or porcelain. Porcelain veneers are stronger than resin, and they don’t stain or change color. Porcelain veneers also last longer than resin veneers.
A tooth needs to have enough enamel on it for a veneer to bond to it. If the tooth can support a veneer, the dentist will capture an image of the tooth and create a permanent veneer that fits the tooth’s shape. Finally, the dentist will use a cosmetic dental cement to affix the veneer to the front surface of the tooth.
What Are Crowns?
Dental crowns (“ caps”) can fix many of the same cosmetic issues as bonding and veneers. However, crowns are the best option for repairing badly damaged and broken teeth. A crown is also a good choice if a tooth has a large filling or has had a root canal.
A crown not only improves your smile, but it also will help your teeth function better. Typically made of ceramic, a crown surrounds the entire tooth. This improves how the tooth looks and also makes it stronger. Because the crown completely covers the tooth, it protects the tooth from stress and further damage.
The process of creating and fitting a crown typically takes two visits. First, the dentist will prepare the tooth and take an impression or a digital scan of the tooth. A temporary crown is placed on the tooth while the permanent one is in development. Finally, the dentist will cement the permanent crown into place at the second visit.
Improve Your Smile and Your Self-Confidence
McDonogh Dental of Owings Mills, MD, offers a wide range of cosmetic techniques to improve the health and appearance of your teeth. Our team of highly skilled dentists can perform smile makeovers whether you’re looking for cosmetic bonding, veneers, crowns, or other improvements. For a better smile, make an appointment today at 410-363-2500.
