Esthetic Dentistry and Preserving Natural Tooth Structure

Esthetic dentistry is about more than changing your smile. You may have minor imperfections on otherwise healthy teeth. Esthetic dentists seek to improve those issues without damaging the natural tooth structure. Keeping your natural tooth structure healthy promotes better oral health. Esthetic dentistry can work with the natural tooth structure to balance your smile. Esthetic dentists always have your oral health in mind.

Shaping and contouring treatments

Enamel is the hard outer shell that covers the tooth. Due to accidents or other factors, the enamel can chip and crack. Esthetic dentistry uses several methods to repair chips and cracks. The goal is to correct any issues without damaging the otherwise healthy tooth. Bonding adheres resin to the tooth surface and prevents further chipping and cracking. It covers over these imperfections, making them impossible to see.

Porcelain veneers are another possibility. The veneers fit over existing teeth. They hide damage and help to protect the teeth from new damage. Both bonding and porcelain veneers do need some care to maintain integrity. The dentist may need to contour and shape the tooth for a better fit. The structure of the tooth stays intact with veneers.

More subtle shaping procedures

Esthetic dentists can resurface the pits and uneven spots in the enamel. There must be enough enamel for the dentist to be able to resurface a tooth. The esthetic dentist will check that the enamel is not too thin for this procedure. Some patients are good candidates for tooth shaping. Even fine reshaping can make a big difference not only in appearance but also in the patient’s bite. Reshaping teeth also helps with abnormal tooth wear.

Esthetic dentistry and cavities

Some patients develop cavities in the permanent teeth. A dentist can often treat these cavities without removing the tooth. Traditional fillings need more drilling to create the space to insert the filling. Esthetic dentistry minimizes the amount of drilling and tooth destruction when treating cavities. The dentist can make tooth-colored crowns and fillings for patients. These crowns and fillings last longer because the dentist can preserve more of the tooth.

Natural tooth structure and aligners

Misaligned teeth can be a cosmetic and an oral health issue. Overcrowded teeth are difficult to clean and can promote cavities and gum disease. Esthetic dentists use several alignment procedures to help their patients. Braces and alignment trays can move teeth into alignment over time. Patients can correct alignment and avoid further damage to the tooth structure. Correcting alignment makes caring for the teeth easier and improves appearance too.