1. What is cosmetic dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry is designed to improve your smile and make you more comfortable and confident with your smile. Different procedures can be used to correct crowded, crooked, rotated or spaced teeth. They can also be used to whiten teeth and cover stains or deficiencies in tooth structure.


2. How important is your smile?

Your smile is one of your most important features; most people will notice your smile right away. If you are not happy and confident with your smile, it can affect how you feel about yourself and how you project yourself to others. Also, right or wrong, people will judge you based on your smile. The investment you make to create a beautiful, healthy smile will be one of the best investments you could ever make.


3. Who is a good candidate for cosmetic dentistry?

We need to distinguish between cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry that is also cosmetic in nature. Patients who are good candidates for cosmetic dentistry generally have pretty healthy teeth and gums; they just need to improve the way their teeth look. We also need to determine how the teeth relate to each other so an interference or impediment to cosmetic work is treated prior to moving on to the investment of cosmetic dentistry. Doing an exam is an important first step in determining who is a good candidate or not.


4. Is cosmetic dentistry worth the time and the cost?

As I mentioned before, your smile says much about you. Some people have come into my office barely smiling, covering their teeth with their hands, and not even wanting me to look in their mouth. Once we completed the work, the whole demeanor and personality of these patients can change. We have had patients who have gone from being single with no dates to getting married and having children, or who were having trouble getting jobs being able to secure a good job. While these drastic life changes may not happen for everyone, it is amazing the transformation that can be made just by creating a dazzling smile. Cosmetic dentistry is also much less expensive than other facial cosmetic procedures and less painful (believe it or not!). It is absolutely worth the time and cost.


5. How long will my new smile last?

This question is a common one with my patients. I usually start off with the comment that it takes some teamwork to increase the longevity of the dentistry. I must do a good job, and the patient must commit to taking care of it. It also depends upon the completed treatment. If you just do tooth whitening, the average time patients wish to re-evaluate their whitening options is about 2-3 years. Other types of procedures, such as bonding or porcelain veneers, can last 10-15 years on average. Keep in mind the longevity is a highly individual component to cosmetic dentistry. I encourage anyone who is considering treatment to speak with their dentist regarding their particular situation for more information.


6. How quickly will I be able to complete my cosmetic dentistry treatment?

Again, a timeline varies depending upon the individual situation. Tooth whitening can be done in one visit in about 2 hours. Other procedures such as bonding or veneers can take a one visit to several visits over the course of a few weeks. Orthodontic treatment can take several months. I strongly urge anyone who is interested in creating a more beautiful smile to speak with their dentist regarding all these questions: Am I a good candidate? What are my options? What is my best option? How long will it take? How long will it last?, etc. You might just find the right fit for you!