Tackling Your Dental Treatment Plan

Cosmetic dentists are dentists who have trained to be especially proficient in improving the aesthetics of your smile. They undergo all of the training that a normal dentist does and then choose to focus their efforts on the cosmetic side of dentistry. One of the best, and probably least heard of, ways a cosmetic dentist can improve your smile is through direct composite veneers.

First, let's answer the question of what a veneer is. Basically a veneer is a covering of a tooth that improves the looks of that tooth. As opposed to crowns that cover the entirety of a tooth and provide structural support, veneers are generally only on the front of the tooth and only improve the looks of the tooth. 

Normal veneers are generally made in a lab somewhere outside of the dentist's office. They're a great option, but they can take a few weeks to be completed. Direct composite veneers differ from the "classic" veneer in that they are completed on the same day of your initial appointment. You can get a great smile in just a few hours!

So how do direct composite veneers work? They're fairly simple in concept, but are technique sensitive. The first step is making sure there's enough room in the mouth for the veneer. Sometimes this space already exists and no drilling is necessary. Other times a slight amount of reduction on the front surface (known to the dentist as the "facial" surface) of your tooth is necessary. Once the space is there the dentist will use a variety of tools to fill the space with composite material.

You've probably heard of composite before. It's the same stuff dentist's will use to fill cavities. It's also known as a "white filling". Composite technology has been greatly improved since it first came out decades ago. Dentists now have access to thousands of shade so that they can match the color of your tooth to the color of the composite they're using. It's also ridiculously strong, and bonds directly to enamel. With proper instrumentation and technique, a direct composite veneer can last for a very long time. 

Once the composite material is on the tooth the dentists shapes it from all angles to make it look aesthetically pleasing. The dentist then cures the material with a UV light, polishes the composite to a high shine, and then the appointment is over! There are times when injections aren't even needed for this appointment.

As always, the dentist knows best. Cosmetic dentistry has been improving the smiles of millions of people for years. Talk to your local cosmetic dentist today and see what they can do for you!