How to Improve Your Smile

October 26, 2019

 

Are you looking to improve your smile? Our team at Dental Implants & Aesthetics has outlined the 10 most common ways steps on ‘How to Improve Your Smile’.

Many of our patients come to us because they are unhappy with the aesthetics of their smile. There can be various reasons, ranging from missing or broken teeth to discolouration or staining. Our practitioners treat each patient individually and endeavour to find the right solution for each case. We have put together 10 ways to improve your smile.

For this reason, a smile makeover can include just one or various treatment options. Depending on our patient’s goal, our dentists will select from the broad range of dental procedures. We asked our practitioners what a smile makeover can consist of and put together.

Porcelain Veneers

A common treatment option for a smile makeover is porcelain veneers. They are one of the most popular and effective methods to create a natural-looking smile.

A porcelain veneer is a thin piece of porcelain that covers the outside portion of the tooth. This is the part that shows when you smile or talk. In general, veneers can be used to enhance, improve or change the appearance of your teeth. However, they can only be placed when there is enough tooth structure available for the veneer to bond to the enamel. Otherwise crowns or dental implants may be the more suitable treatment option.

Porcelain veneers look very natural and can match your surrounding teeth in shape, colour, and size. They last 10 to 15 years on average but can stay intact for longer if they are well looked after by the patient.

Composite Resin Veneers

Composite resin veneers are used for similar reasons as porcelain veneers. This is mainly to improve the cosmetic appearance (e.g. shape, size, colour, alignment, and position) of the teeth and the overall smile. Composite resin is a white filling material which can cover the visible portion of your front teeth.

As porcelain veneers have superior aesthetics and longevity compared to composite resin veneers, composite veneers start at a lower price per tooth. In general, composite resin veneers last 3 to 5 years or even longer if well looked after.

Mini Veneers

Mini veneers are porcelain veneers that only cover a part of the front surface of a tooth. Your dentist may decide they are the right treatment option for you if only a part of your tooth is missing. Possible scenarios are chipped teeth, small gaps between your teeth or minimal inconsistencies in the shape of the selected teeth.

The placement of mini veneers does not require the removal of additional tooth structure.

Prep-less Veneers

Your dentist may select this treatment option for you. It is possible to restore your teeth without removing the structure of the existing teeth if your natural teeth are in good condition without extended decay or discolouration. As this porcelain restoration type doesn’t require the removal of a portion of your teeth, these veneers are called prep-less veneers.

Prep-less porcelain veneers can be as thin as 0.1mm, which is equal to the thickness of a contact lens. Like porcelain veneers, prep-less veneers cover the entire front surface of the tooth and wrap around a small portion of the incisal edge.

Porcelain Crowns

A dental crown is a prosthetic cap which is placed to protect or improve the appearance of a damaged or decayed tooth. Since it completely covers the front, back and sides of your tooth, the placement of a crown requires your dentist to remove a portion of your tooth. This ensures the dental crown has enough space and fits seamlessly.

Porcelain crowns are used to restore the shape, size, strength, or appearance of a tooth to maintain functionality and overall aesthetics. Because they are made from porcelain, they can closely match your existing teeth in shape, size, and colour.

This treatment might be the right option for you if you have teeth with large failing fillings and broken, decayed or damaged teeth.

Porcelain crowns, on average last 15 years but can stay intact for longer if they are well looked after.

Teeth Whitening

At Dental Implants and Aesthetics, we use Philips Zoom In-Chair whitening to achieve whiter teeth for our patients.

During in-chair whitening, your dentist will place bleach on the teeth to break down the colour pigments on and in the tooth enamel. In-chair whitening is more effective than over-the-counter bleach, as the bleach contains a higher concentration, which allows it to break down more pigments.

In-chair whitening takes 60 to 90 minutes. Prior to treatment, you will also require a scale and clean.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are an aesthetic, permanent solution to replace missing teeth. A titanium rod holds the prosthesis in place. A dental implant replaces both the root and crown of the tooth. The restoration placed on the fixture and abutment of the implant can be an implant crown or an implant bridge. Both can match the existing teeth in size, shape, and colour.

For implant restorations, our Dental Implants and Aesthetics patients receive a 10-year warranty on their dental implants. However, the warranty requires patients to attend their regular maintenance and review appointments.

Invisalign

Invisalign is a clear aligner system that allows our dentists to straighten your teeth ‘discreetly’ over time. The orthodontic treatment requires you to wear a set of clear aligners for at least 22 hours a day over a determined time period. The benefit of Invisalign over traditional braces is that they are removable, so you can remove the aligners to eat, drink, or for any special occasion.

Crown Lengthening

Crown lengthening is a dental procedure that involves removing gum tissue and/or bone. As a result, more of the top of the tooth surface is exposed, appearing longer. Crown lengthening treatment may be the right option for you if you have excessive gum tissue around your upper teeth, also called a ‘gummy smile.’

Usually, a periodontist will perform your crown lengthening treatment.

Get started with your smile makeover today

Book a consultation with Prof Vasilios Chronopoulos today to get started with your smile makeover. Call our friendly team on 07 5503 1701 to book an appointment. Alternatively, you can book your consultation online 24/7.