Healthy Smiles Dentistry Georgetown Georgetown Texas

Cosmetic dental services often involve using tooth-colored restorations to restore damaged, decayed, or discolored teeth. Restorations, like crowns, can be made from materials like gold, silver, and metal alloys, but these materials look nothing like natural teeth. Most patients prefer restorations made from materials that share properties with real teeth, like porcelain, ceramics, and composites. Cosmetic dental services focus on addressing dental issues in a way that does not negatively impact your smile.

Cosmetic dental services match the color of natural teeth

Let us take a look at a few of the cosmetic dental services that typically involve using restorations that can be color-matched with the rest of the patient's teeth.

1. Composite bonding

Composite bonding is a versatile treatment that can be used to address issues like tooth decay, discoloration, and damage to teeth structures. It is a non-invasive procedure that does not involve making any permanent alterations to the tooth being treated. The composite used is color-matched with the rest of the patient’s teeth, so the repairs do not stick out when the patient smiles.

The procedure involves using an etching solution to roughen the tooth’s exterior and then applying the composite to it. Roughening the exterior of the tooth enables the composite to adhere better.

The composite is typically applied in layers to create a stronger restoration. Then, the dentist molds it as desired before hardening it with a blue light to complete the treatment. It all takes about 45 minutes or less, and the patient can leave the clinic with their smile restored.

2. Crowns

Crowns are even more versatile than composite restorations, and they serve cosmetic and restorative purposes. Crowns are designed to look like natural teeth, and those used for cosmetic treatments are matched with the color of the patient’s teeth. These crowns are typically made from materials that share teeth's natural color and their translucent nature, like porcelain.

Installing a crown requires removing enamel from the tooth being treated so the crown fits better. Unfortunately, the process cannot be reversed in the future because enamel does not grow back. That means the tooth will always need cosmetics, like a crown, to serve as its artificial enamel.

The process of getting a crown usually takes two trips to the dentist. During the first visit, the dentist prepares the patient’s tooth and takes an impression of it. The impression is then sent to a lab where technicians make dental restorations like crowns. It takes about two weeks for the custom crown to get back to the dentist.

During the first visit, the patient gets a temporary crown to protect their teeth while waiting for their custom restoration. The temporary crown comes off during the second visit, and the custom crown is cemented into place.