Common Cosmetic Procedures a General Dentist Performs

A general dentist can help you rejuvenate your smile. Procedures in cosmetic dentistry aim to improve the esthetic value of one’s smile. Healthy-looking teeth and gums can enhance your self-image. This can do wonders for your personal and professional life. If you want to know what common cosmetic procedures your general dentist can provide, here are the details.

Porcelain veneers

These are thin porcelain shells. Each shell catches and disperses light the same way as natural teeth. That is why it is popular among those who want to have permanent dental restorations without having dental surgery. The general dentist will take the measurements of the patient’s teeth first. This will help make the fabrication of the shells accurate. The custom-fit porcelain veneers can treat discoloration, chipping, cracking, and spaces between teeth.

Porcelain crowns

A general dentist can provide porcelain crowns as well. These are famous among celebrities. Porcelain caps or crowns custom-fit to cover teeth. Crowns can also be acrylic, but porcelain-fused-to-metal and porcelain have the same look and texture as natural teeth. Porcelain crowns can improve the patient’s smile or hide imperfections like ill-shaped teeth.

Teeth whitening

Many patients want to have teeth-whitening treatments from a general dentist. This procedure involves using a bleaching compound and a light to speed up the whitening process. Teeth whitening can remove heavy staining and deep discoloration. This common cosmetic procedure can finish in about an hour.

Dental bonding

Stained and damaged teeth can get a quick restoration from a general dentist with dental bonding. The dentist roughens the surface of the patient’s tooth and then places composite resin onto the tooth. A curing light hardens the composite resin. Shaping and polishing the treated tooth follows. The tooth-colored material restores the damaged tooth and enhances the patient’s esteem.

Dental shaping

This restoration is increasing in popularity. Dental shaping is effective in improving the shape of teeth. The dentist uses an electric tool to file the tooth into shape. Most of the enamel comes off during the process.

Dental implants

Sometimes, a patient needs a complete, stable smile. The general dentist provides dental implants to patients who have at least one missing tooth in different areas of the arch. This restoration is for patients who do not want to wear removable dentures. Getting dental implants takes time to complete, but the results are worth the wait.

The dentist drills a hole in the site of the tooth loss. Then, the dentist will place a titanium rod into the hole and stitch the gum tissue to close it. It will take at least four to six months before the implants finish osseointegration. Placement of the abutments and dental crowns will follow after this process.