‘’Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful’’, or so said the famous Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama offered his own thoughts on that most wonderful of gifts which we’re all able to bestow on loved ones and strangers alike, saying that ‘’A simple smile. That’s the start of opening your heart and being compassionate to others’’.
We couldn’t agree more. And obviously, an appreciation for smiling isn’t only reserved for those on the path to tranquility and transcendence. Studies have suggested that smiling is contagious, and that when you see a smile, you can’t help but respond in kind. But you didn’t need science to confirm that for you, right?
In fact, psychologists have even found that smiling can even make the smiler feel happier, and that you can ‘’trick’’ your brain into happiness just by grinning to yourself.
Once again, Thich Nhat Hanh put the previous two paragraphs more succinctly than we ever could when he said that ‘’Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
Despite their ability to spread such joy, there are so many folk out there reluctant to share their smiles with the world, and often, this can be down to self-confidence issues regarding their teeth.
According to Kate Brayman, DDS, the appearance of your teeth can play a huge role in your self-esteem, which in turn can affect your relationships, career prospects and overall health. Yep, for the brightest of gestures, your smile really isn’t something to be taken lightly.
Today, we’re considering the role which cosmetic dentistry can play in your smile, and subsequently, your confidence. With that in mind, if you’re wondering whether cosmetic and general dentistry are the same, then here are 6 different types of cosmetic dentistry procedure explained.
SO, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COSMETIC DENTISTRY & GENERAL DENTISTRY?
The term cosmetic dentistry has been coined to account for all the modern scientific dental procedures that are used to improve the appearance of your smile by fixing elements of either your teeth or gums for purely aesthetic reasons.
There is no medicated treatment or therapeutic purpose for cosmetic dentistry, unless you consider boosting self-esteem to be a medical reason, of course. Generally speaking, cosmetic dentistry is carried out solely to improve the appearance of the teeth and gums, rather than address any medical concerns.
There are various different procedures that are used in cosmetic dentistry to fix faulty teeth. As the Fresh Smile Clinic, a top dentist in Huddersfield, advises us, this may include fixing the position of teeth by using braces, the whitening of teeth discoloured by wine, coffee or other items, or getting teeth caps or veneers to further improve the radiance of your smile.
Procedures common to general dentistry, on the other hand, include general diagnosis of any oral issues, root canals, fillings and crowns.
TYPES OF COSMETIC DENTISTRY PROCEDURE
If you’re keen to improve the brilliance of your own smile, or you have a minor aesthetic issue with your teeth which you wish to adjust, then here are 6 of the most common cosmetic procedures currently available in the UK.
Teeth Whitening
The most common and popular cosmetic dentistry procedure going is teeth whitening. It is a simple non-invasive process in which your dentist (or usually, a hygienist) restores the whiteness of your teeth, either via an extensive clean, a bleaching gel or sometimes laser whitening.
Teeth whitening, when correctly done, has several benefits. It can help improve your appearance, boost self-confidence, and draw attention away from your wrinkles and frown lines. Therefore, teeth whitening can help you get the smile you want.
However, though some beauty salons in the UK offer such a procedure, be aware that this is illegal in such a setting if no dentistry professional is present. It’s potentially dangerous, too.
Following a teeth whitening procedure, your dental practitioner will give you advice on lifestyle changes you can make to maintain your smile’s radiance for longer, such as avoiding wine, tea and coffee, and quitting smoking.
This is the one cosmetic dentistry procedure which you can actually try at home for yourself; teeth whitening kits are sold in most high street pharmacies.
Indeed, many people test the waters with simple widely available OTC teeth whitening products. But if you begin this way, always be sure to purchase products from a reputable store like LLoyds Pharmacy or Boots. You can take a risk buying these online.
A&L Clinics Dentist in Ipswich recommend that you ”apply your whitening solution over a period of ten days to two weeks. This enables you to gradually whiten your teeth to your desired shade whilst avoiding the long-term sensitivity.”
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is one of the most straightforward ways of treating damaged, decayed or discoloured teeth. The procedure uses tooth-colored resins in order to make them stronger and fill in any tiny cracks present in the teeth.
Generally speaking, it is one of the more affordable cosmetic dentistry procedures (Starting at around £200 per tooth) and is most commonly used on cracked teeth to fill in the extra gaps between them, if these gaps are causing issues aesthetically. Dental bonding can also be used to even out teeth and is sometimes used as an alternative to the silver amalgam fillings.
Moreover, like other cosmetic dentistry procedures, dental bonding has many benefits. It can help improve the teeth size by fixing the damaged ones. It can also make you more confident about your smile.
On the other hand, dental bonding can be safe for your teeth. It uses a biocompatible composite material that doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals which are unsafe for your teeth. Lastly, if you can’t wait for a very long time to have a beautiful smile, this procedure can be an excellent option as it requires less time.
Dental Bridges
As Evo, who offer dental implants in Kent, explain, dental bridges, essentially false teeth, are used as an alternative to dental implants and represent a less comprehensive, time consuming procedure than the latter. Dental bridges are usually used to address the issue of missing teeth or large gaps between teeth, ‘bridging’ that gap between them using a fake tooth known as a pontic, which is typically made from porcelain.
Be warned that the cost of a dental bridge procedure is generally quite high. In the UK, you can get a dental bridge on the NHS for £282.80, with the cost of the procedure fixed regardless of how many teeth you have treated. Alternatively you can go private, negating increasingly large NHS wait times and also giving you a choice over the material used. Privately, a traditional fixed crown and bridge will cost £250 – £800 per unit, a bonded bridge £350 – £1’000, and an implant-supported bridge (2 implants, 3-unit bridge) starts at £3’500.
Dental Implant
Dental implantation is a procedure of filling in the gaps or spaces left by losing one or more teeth from your set. A knocked out or broken tooth cavity can trap a variety of germs and bacteria, which is why the cavity needs to be filled by a dental implant. Such a procedure is also common in terms of arresting serious tooth decay.
Dental implants represent long-term (and often, lifetime) solutions to missing teeth or decay. The procedure involves the insertion of an artificial tooth into the gums via a titanium screw, which essentially serves to replace the root. The foundation of an implant is strong enough to allow you to eat and drink as normal without abrasion, disruption or damage to your teeth and gums. Because of the longevity of this procedure, it’s expensive, with the average cost in the UK starting at around £2’500.
Despite the expensive costs, dental implants can be beneficial for your teeth. Since they come in various shapes and sizes, they can match your natural teeth, perfectly fitting in the gap. Dental implants can provide a permanent solution if you’re dealing with tooth loss. They’re durable and designed to have a longer service lifespan.
Porcelain Crowns
Porcelain is a common material used to make dental crowns, and is a popular cosmetic dental procedure in cases where teeth are comprehensively damaged due to serious accident or injury or in cases of complete tooth decay when the teeth cannot be fixed with any other treatment.
A porcelain crown is prepared using the measurements of the patient’s teeth set, with the crown used in the space to fix the teeth set by mimicking the look of real teeth. On the NHS, this procedure costs £282.80, whereas privately, you’re looking at upwards of £1’000.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers use made using more or less the same material as porcelain crowns, but are the procedure is carried out with aesthetics more keenly in mind, rather than to fix a specific issue.
Porcelain veneers are often used to fix generic tooth discolouration, as well as a performing a minor reshaping of teeth or fixing any small gaps. These porcelain veneers are simply glued to the patient’s existing teeth or bonded over them by the cosmetic dentist. Since veneers aren’t generally considered to be fixing a pressing issue, but rather, used largely to improve self-confidence, it’s unlikely you’ll get this procedure on the NHS; expect to pay a minimum of £500, privately.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Whilst we’re tempted to call back to the wise words of Thich Nhat Hanh here, we’ll instead channel the energy of a man who most certainly possesses a beaming white, Las Vegas grin. In the words of Brandon Flowers of the Killers, it’s so important to ‘’smile like you mean it’’. A cosmetic dentistry procedure might give you the confidence and conviction to do just that!