Cosmetic dentistry has become more popular over time. Currently, cosmetic dentists use various methods and tools to improve the appearance of a person's smile. Cosmetic contouring is a standard dental procedure that aims to enhance the appearance of damaged, worn-out, and irregularly shaped teeth. Dentists remove worn-out or chipped edges during the procedure. Cosmetic contouring goes a long way to boost a patient's self-esteem by enhancing the overall appearance of their smile. If you would love to improve your teeth's appearance, cosmetic contouring might be the perfect procedure. If you require high-quality cosmetic contouring services in Santa Clarita, CA, the Valencia Advanced Dentistry At Copperhill Smiles can offer you excellent cosmetic contouring services at an affordable price. All our dentists are well trained and certified to offer high-quality dental services.
The Purpose Of Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry aims to positively change a patient's teeth and smile. It complements the teeth' general look and a patient's overall oral health. Improving a person's smile can greatly change their overall appearance. When you meet people, the first thing they are likely to notice is your smile. Seemingly minor changes could substantially enhance your self-esteem and confidence. Due to the significant advancement in dental technology, cosmetic dental procedures can range from advanced surgeries like replacing missing teeth to minor color correction.
Many people desire to have brighter and straighter teeth. You will not feel embarrassed by your smile or the appearance of your teeth if you have a cheerful smile. Cosmetic dental procedures can help you correct noticeable flaws like a gap in your teeth, misshapen teeth, and chipped teeth. Most cosmetic dental procedures are convenient and cost-effective.
Cosmetic dental procedures focus on enhancing the appearance of an individual's teeth, bites, and gums. Dentists concentrate on aesthetics like the teeth' shape, alignment, size, color, and position. Your dentist can book you for cosmetic procedures like cosmetic contouring even if you only have a minor dental issue. Cosmetic contouring can be performed alongside other dental procedures to give you a complete smile makeover. Most cosmetic dental procedures focus on aesthetics but can still enhance oral functionality.
Advantages Of Cosmetic Dentistry
Boosting an individual's appearance is the most significant benefit of cosmetic dentistry. Cosmetic dental procedures can also enhance your confidence and self-esteem. Your smile will, without a doubt, look better regardless of the dental procedure you undergo. You will appear and feel healthier and younger following a smile improvement. Patients become more confident and feel free to talk and interact with others after a smile makeover.
You might not be comfortable or free to show others your smile if you have broken or chipped teeth. A patient could also shy away from talking to people if he/she has stained teeth. Your smile is often the first thing people will notice once they interact with you. You might feel like people judge you if your smile is imperfect. Therefore, you will enjoy interacting with people freely after undergoing cosmetic dentistry. A beautiful smile is a great way to boost your self-esteem and confidence while smiling at people. You can easily attend dates or meet new people because of your improved confidence.
Cosmetic dentistry also improves a patient's overall oral health. When performing a cosmetic dental procedure, a dentist cleans teeth and removes plaque, enhancing general oral health and preventing tooth decay.
Additionally, a cosmetic dental procedure could improve most areas of a person's life, including their profession. If your smile is perfect, you will have more confidence when looking for a job. Your physical presentation and appearance will go a long way in influencing your capability of securing your dream job. An enhanced smile will generally positively affect most areas of your life.
Cosmetic Contouring Explained
Cosmetic contouring is also known as teeth contouring or cosmetic reshaping. This is a cosmetic dental procedure that helps to improve the beauty of a person's teeth. Other names of cosmetic contouring include:
- Enameloplasty.
- Stripping.
- Slenderizing, or
- Odontoplasty.
Cosmetic contouring involves removing certain sections of the tooth's enamel. By removing small amounts of the enamel, your dentist can change the look of your tooth's surface, length, and shape. This procedure is used to fix various dental problems, including cracked, chipped, and crooked teeth.
Cosmetic reshaping is a straightforward procedure in which the dentist uses lasers or drills to extract certain sections of your tooth's enamel. This allows the dentist to change the length and shape of your teeth. After the procedure, the dentist will polish your teeth to give you the smile you deserve. Your dentist can recommend cosmetic contouring if you have minor cosmetic problems and want to improve your smile. You could also be a good candidate for cosmetic contouring if some teeth are longer than you would like or have a misshapen tooth. This procedure can help you obtain your dream teeth.
The dentist will not remove much of your enamel during cosmetic contouring. Your enamel is vital because it protects the teeth. Unfortunately, you might not be the best candidate for cosmetic contouring if you have serious cosmetic problems. Your dentist could advise you to consider alternatives like bonding and veneers if you suffer from extensive tooth damage.
Sometimes, your dentist could use a combination of bonding and cosmetic contouring. Bonding is a procedure that encompasses using composite resin to create a better smile. Your dentist will smooth out fractured parts and round the angles to remove sharp curves on your teeth. This procedure enables your dentist to produce better teeth alignment, creating a more masculine or feminine look. You could consider a combination of cosmetic contouring and other cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening for a great outcome.
Your dentist could also use abrasion techniques to reshape your teeth. The dentist will assess your teeth and map the areas requiring attention before cosmetic contouring. At this point, a sanding instrument could be used to remove the imperfections on the sides or surface of your teeth. Your teeth will look polished and smooth once cosmetic contouring is complete and will no longer have rough or uneven spots.
Advantages Of Cosmetic Contouring
Cosmetic contouring has significant benefits because it is one of the fastest and easiest techniques for enhancing a person's smile. Your dentist could complete the whole procedure in less than 30 minutes, and a patient usually only requires one dental visit for cosmetic contouring.
Cosmetic contouring is a comfortable procedure because it is not painful. This is so because the enamel has no nerves, and the dentist extracts only a minor section of the tooth's enamel. You will, therefore, not feel discomfort and pain during the procedure. Anesthesia is not required because your dentist only removes the tooth's surface.
Once cosmetic contouring is done, you will achieve a permanent outcome. Your tooth's enamel will not regenerate because the changes are generally permanent once the dentist makes some changes to your tooth. Therefore, you will not need to return to your dentist for teeth reshaping.
Unlike other cosmetic dental procedures, cosmetic contouring is cost-effective. This procedure could be the best option if you suffer sudden trauma that requires an immediate fix.
Cosmetic contouring prevents the risk of suffering tooth decay or gum disease when your dentist contours minor flaws and imperfections where tartar could build up. Teeth reshaping or contouring is a better option than wearing uncomfortable braces.
No downtime or recovery period is required after cosmetic contouring. A patient does not need to take some days off work to heal after a cosmetic contouring procedure. You can resume work immediately after the procedure.
People That Could Be Eligible For Cosmetic Contouring
Not every person qualifies for cosmetic contouring. For example, you are not a good candidate for cosmetic contouring if you have a thin enamel layer. Other cosmetic procedures like bonding and veneers could be suitable if you have thin enamel.
Cosmetic contouring is the best option for fixing minor imperfections on the patient's teeth while improving their smile and oral hygiene. This procedure could also suit people seeking straighter and more evenly distributed teeth. People with slightly overlapping teeth and reduced teeth length could also consider cosmetic contouring. Similarly, individuals with irregularly shaped teeth could qualify for this procedure.
Dentists usually restrict cosmetic contouring to minor aesthetics because extracting too much enamel from the teeth could weaken the teeth.
Cosmetic contouring might be the remedy for people with minor bite issues caused by teeth touching unevenly during contact. However, the dentist will not recommend cosmetic contouring if any bite imbalances could arise from dental contouring. The best way to acquire the young-looking smile you have often desired is to combine teeth whitening and cosmetic contouring.
What To Expect During Cosmetic Contouring
You might not be sure what will happen during cosmetic contouring. Generally, the dentist will first assess your teeth to determine if you qualify for cosmetic contouring. The dentist could take X-rays to determine the location and size of your tooth's pulp. Your dentist will give you an appointment if he/she establishes that your teeth are healthy, making you suitable for cosmetic contouring.
Dentists often use a pencil or pen during the procedure to map the areas that need sculpting. The dental expert does not use anesthesia or pain medications because the enamel is composed of minerals and has no underlying nerves or blood vessels.
Dentists utilize various tools during cosmetic contouring. For example, the dentist could extract small amounts of the surface of the enamel using a sanding drill with a fine or laser diamond bur. He/she will also shape and smooth the sides of your teeth using abrasive strips between the teeth. Once the procedure is complete, your dentist will examine your bite to ensure it is appropriately aligned.
Smoothing and polishing of the teeth is the final procedure. This procedure helps you acquire a uniform appearance and less crowded teeth. The dentist will gently sculpt your teeth, which could accompany some vibrations. Usually, dentists take a period that does not exceed 30 minutes to reshape one tooth. The outcome will be evident when you look in the mirror soon after the procedure. In most cases, a tooth could become more sensitive to cold or hot after cosmetic contouring. The good news is that the sensitivity is usually mild and often does not exceed two days.
Tooth Contouring And Bonding
Dentists often combine bonding with tooth contouring. The combination is usually vital because it helps fill in the gaps and chips between the teeth. It also helps improve the color and add shape to the teeth. The bonding procedure involves adding putty-like resin to the teeth. The resin sticks to the teeth and becomes hard. The color of the resin is usually tailored to produce the best outcome. Your dentist will ensure that the resin enhances your teeth's natural color or matches the color of your teeth.
Dentists can use local anesthesia to combine bonding with cosmetic contouring. The dentist will use a Dremel-like tool to etch the surface of the teeth before putting resin on your teeth. This is often done to ensure resin sticks on the teeth properly. Your dentist could also paint your teeth using a conditioning liquid. This enables the resin to adhere to the teeth properly. Teeth bonding could also last 30 minutes to one hour, similar to cosmetic contouring. You will require more than one visit to your dentist if you need treatment for several teeth.
The Cost Of Cosmetic Contouring
Several factors could determine the amount of money you will incur for cosmetic contouring. The main determining factor is how much work the dentist will do to reshape the tooth. Other factors could include:
- Cosmetic dentist's expertise.
- The dentist's reputation.
- The local rates.
Generally, cosmetic contouring costs between $50 and $500 per tooth. Unfortunately, dental insurance does not cover cosmetic contouring. Most insurance companies consider contouring to be a purely cosmetic dental procedure. In some cases, however, dental insurance could cater to this procedure. The only situation in which the dental insurance company could intervene is when you need cosmetic contouring after an accident or injury.
However, contouring is the most affordable dental procedure. You should worry less if your insurer refuses to cater to your cosmetic contouring procedure. This procedure is cheaper than veneers and other methods used to enhance oral health and the look of your smile.
Your doctor could estimate your treatment options as part of your consultation. You can make sound decisions regarding your dental care once you know the amount you are expected to pay. Some clinics could be willing to develop an affordable payment plan to help you meet the expenses of your procedure.
Teeth Maintenance After Cosmetic Contouring
Brush and floss your teeth at least twice daily to maintain an excellent cosmetic contouring outcome. Additionally, you should go for regular check-ups to maintain proper dental hygiene. Using a dental night guard is also recommended. A mouth guard can help you prevent severe wear and tear, which happens when you grind your teeth, also called bruxism.
You should eat healthy foods like vegetables and fruits, which could help remove plaque on the teeth.
Drinking water after meals is also crucial because it removes food particles and debris from your teeth. You should also avoid chewing on hard objects because it could cause further breakage or chipping of your teeth.
After treatment, brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste to keep them white and stain-free. You must also avoid products likely to cause stains, such as cigarettes, coffee, tea, and wine.
Disadvantages Of Cosmetic Contouring
Despite its immense benefits, cosmetic contouring has several disadvantages. For example, a patient can only achieve subtle changes with cosmetic contouring. Dental contouring and reshaping cannot dramatically change your look and smile. Dental veneers could suit you if you pursue a more noticeable smile makeover. Unlike veneers and other cosmetic procedures, which provide a completely new appearance, teeth reshaping and cosmetic contouring only remove minor imperfections.
You could also suffer tooth damage because of cosmetic contouring. After this procedure, your teeth might become sensitive to cold and hot food or drinks. However, this will depend on the quantity of the enamel that your dentist removes during dental contouring and reshaping.
Find a Reputable Dentist Near Me
Have you constantly desired a perfect smile, but your teeth have minor flaws?
Cosmetic contouring might be the ideal cosmetic dental procedure for you. Cosmetic contouring is an affordable yet effective procedure, making it the go-to option for most people seeking to enhance their smile. Since the procedure involves scraping off a section of your tooth enamel, it might not be ideal if you have a thin enamel. You should speak to your dentist to help you determine if you are a good candidate for cosmetic contouring.
If you need a skilled dentist you can count on, contact Valencia Advanced Dentistry At Copperhill Smiles. We take pride in being the go-to dentists in Santa Clarita, CA. You can never go wrong by choosing our services. Call us today at 661-775-7717 to speak to one of our dentists.
