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What's Included in Cosmetic Dentistry?
When you look at a picture of yourself, are you smiling with your mouth closed? Do you tend to hide your mouth when talking or laughing for fear of exposing your smile problems? If so, you’re not alone.
Nearly 57% of Americans cover their mouths when they laugh or talk, seven out of 10 people are self-conscious about their teeth, and one in four people have received a negative comment about their smile from someone close to them.
Dr. Ryan J. Fait and our team at Southern California General & Cosmetic Dentistry know that getting help for your smile problems often requires jumping over emotional and financial hurdles. We want to encourage you by showing all of the ways we can help you address your most frustrating and embarrassing dental concerns with our cosmetic dentistry services.
The basics of cosmetic dentistry
The overall goal of cosmetic dentistry is to improve the appearance of your teeth and gums. Some of the most common issues we address with our cosmetic dentistry services include:
- Chipped or cracked teeth
- Alignment issues
- Stains and discoloration
- Irregular gum lines
- Gaps
- Missing teeth
Improving the look of your smile also improves the overall function of your teeth. For example, fixing an alignment issue can help you talk and chew more easily.
Finding the right treatment
We’re proud to offer a variety of cosmetic dentistry treatments. Dr. Fait takes the time to review your oral health history, conduct a thorough exam and cleaning, and discuss your goals with you. Then, he recommends a treatment or combination of treatments that will help you achieve your goals quickly.
Bridges
Dr. Fait uses bridges to close the gaps in your smile left behind by a missing tooth. They’re prosthetic teeth attached to abutment teeth on either side. Typically, we use bridges made from porcelain to help them blend in with the shade of your natural teeth.
Depending on the type of bridge you get, your abutment teeth could be crowns or dental implants. You may need to have your bridges replaced every 5-15 years based on how well you care for them.
Crowns
Think of crowns as porcelain caps for your teeth. We use them to correct teeth that are severely worn down, cracked, chipped, or weak.
Crowns are made from a variety of substances, including porcelain and metal. Dr. Fait selects the material of your crown based on the location of the damaged tooth.
Veneers
Veneers are similar to crowns. They are tooth-colored shells made from porcelain or resin composite material permanently bonded to your natural teeth. We recommend veneers for people who are concerned about:
- Broken and chipped teeth
- Teeth that are smaller than other teeth
- Severe discoloration
- Unusually shaped teeth
- Small gaps
Most veneers can last for more than a decade with proper care.
Fillings
Cavities develop due to tooth decay and poor oral hygiene. To repair your decayed teeth, we offer composite fillings that closely match the shade of your natural teeth.
Composite fillings are also an option if you’re concerned with chipped, broken, or worn-down teeth.
Implants
Dental implants are the gold standard in tooth replacement. They offer a permanent solution to your smile gaps while also supporting oral health.
Implants are prosthetic teeth attached to a metal post that replicates a tooth root once we surgically implant it into your jawbone.
With implants, you can enjoy a complete, natural-looking smile as well as care-free chewing, talking, and oral hygiene routines.
Whitening
From pigment-rich foods and beverages to the inevitable effects of time, all smiles eventually lose their shine. Fortunately, we offer advanced in-office and at-home teeth whitening options to brighten your smile.
We use the Zoom!® system, which contains some of the highest concentrations of bleaching agents and far surpasses any whitening kits you can find at the store.
Invisalign®
Invisalign clear aligners are a popular alternatives to traditional braces. The system uses a series of clear aligners to gradually shift your smile into the desired position, often faster than other corrective treatments. They’re much less noticeable, easier to care for, and often more cost-effective than traditional braces.
We also offer another alternative to braces called Six Month Smiles® — a short-term orthodontic system that uses clear brackets and tooth-colored wires to address your alignment issues. Talk to Dr. Fait about which is right for you.
If you’d like more information about any of our cosmetic dentistry services or would like to get started with treatment, don’t hesitate to make an appointment online or over the phone at either our Long Beach or Avalon, California offices.
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