Cosmetic Treatment

Cosmetic dentistry is generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance (though not necessarily the function) of a person’s teeth, gums and/or bite. It primarily focuses on improvement dental aesthetics in color, position, shape, size, alignment and overall smile appearance.[1] Many dentists refer to themselves as “cosmetic dentists” regardless of their specific education, specialty, training, and experience in this field. This has been considered unethical with a predominant objective of marketing to patients.

What is cosmetic dentistry?

Dentistry is no longer just a case of filling and taking out teeth. Nowadays many people turn to cosmetic dentistry, or ‘aesthetic dentistry’, as a way of improving their appearance. They do this in the same way they might use cosmetic surgery or even a new hairstyle. The treatments can be used to straighten, lighten, reshape and repair teeth. Cosmetic treatments include veneers, crowns, bridges, tooth-coloured fillings, implants and tooth whitening.

Types

Cosmetic dentistry may involve:

  1. the addition of a dental material to teeth or gums – examples: bonding, porcelain veneers (laminates), crowns (caps), gum grafts
  2. the removal of tooth structure or gums – examples: enameloplasty, gingivectomy
  3. neither adding nor removing dental materials, tooth structure, or gums – examples:teeth whitening (bleaching), laser whitening, gum depigmentation
  4. straightening of teeth accompanied by improvement in appearance of face –orthodontics