What is Cosmetic Dentistry? Costs and Types

Below is an excerpt from an article found on crest.com

If your teeth are stained, discolored, worn, chipped, broken, misaligned, misshapen, or have gaps between them, modern cosmetic dentistry can give you a better smile. A “smile makeover” improves the appearance of your smile through one or more cosmetic dentistry procedures. Cosmetic dentists work with you to develop a treatment plan. Below you’ll find some information that can help you learn more about the various types of cosmetic dental procedures available.

Types of Cosmetic Dentistry

Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening can be one of the simplest and least expensive ways to improve your smile. Teeth can be bleached with in-office products in your dentist’s office for about $500, or you can buy a mold and gels from your dentist to bleach your teeth at home. There are also whitening products available over the counter at retail stores for convenient at-home whitening: whitening toothpastes, rinses, and whitestrips. These products together run about $3 - $50.

Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored porcelain or resin that cover the front surface of the teeth. After removing about a half-millimeter of enamel from the tooth surface, these thin shells are bonded (cemented) to the front of the teeth, changing their color, shape, size, or length. Veneers are often called “Hollywood teeth." Living up to that name, this process can cost up to $500-$1,300 per tooth.

Dental Bonding
In dental bonding, a tooth-colored, putty-like resin, which is a durable plastic material, is applied to the tooth and hardened with an ultraviolet or laser light, bonding the material to the tooth. Your dentist then trims, shapes, and polishes it. Bonding can repair decayed, chipped, cracked, or misshapen teeth; it is also a good cosmetic alternative to, or replacement for, amalgam or silver fillings. Bonding takes about 30 to 60 minutes, and $100 to $400, per tooth.

Dental Crown
A dental crown, also called a cap, fits over and replaces the entire decayed or damaged tooth above the gum line, restoring its shape, size, strength, and appearance. Crowns keep a weak tooth from breaking or hold a cracked tooth together; they can be used cosmetically to cover misshapen or severely discolored teeth. Crowns can be made from metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, resin, or ceramic, and cost about $500 to $900 each.

Inlays and Onlays
Inlays and onlays, also called indirect fillings, are made from gold, porcelain, or composite materials and fill decayed or damaged teeth. Dental fillings are molded into place during an office visit; however, inlays and onlays are created in a dental laboratory and bonded into place by your dentist. The filling is called an “inlay” when the material is bonded within the center of a tooth; it is called an “onlay” when the filling includes one or more points of the tooth or covers the biting surface. Inlays and onlays preserve as much healthy tooth as possible and are an alternative to crowns. This cosmetic dentistry procedure costs about $650 to $1,200 per tooth.

Dental Implants
Dental implants are titanium replacement tooth roots inserted into the bone socket of the missing tooth. As the jawbone heals, it grows around the implanted metal post, anchoring it securely in the jaw and providing a foundation for a replacement tooth. This procedure can cost anywhere from $1,250 to $3,000.

Other Options
A bridge is made of crowns for the teeth on either side of a gap with false teeth in between. A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth. Dental braces can straighten crooked or misaligned teeth and works by applying continuous pressure over a period of time to slowly move teeth in a specific direction.

To read the entire article visit crest.com

Infinite Smiles
5430 Lemay Ferry Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63129
(314) 892-8853
www.InfiniteSmilesDental.com 

What Are Veneers And How Should You Care For Them?

Below is an excerpt from an article found on colgate.com

The right veneers are a quick way to a beautiful smile, and this treatment is perfect for people with teeth that are stained, chipped or have gaps. But veneers are an irreversible treatment, so having them placed is a big decision. Before you and your dentist decide the procedure is right for you, it's important to have the right information about veneers, their cost and how best to care for them.

What are Veneers?

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), a veneer is a "thin piece of porcelain used to re-create the natural look of teeth, while also providing strength and resilience comparable to natural tooth enamel." They are custom made to the contour of your teeth and are bonded to the tooth's original enamel during a series of in-office procedures.

Why are Veneers Used in Dentistry?

Veneers are a less intrusive option than crowns or braces. According to the British Dental Health Foundation, veneers can be used to close gaps or correct small misalignments. Patients also choose veneers as a comestic solution to enhance the brightness of their teeth and to straighten their smile, correcting issues like discoloration, fractures, or chips.

Porcelain Veneers

The most commonly used material for veneers are the conventional porcelain veneer and Lumineers and composite resin veneers. AACD, porcelain veneers are preferable for correcting issues of shape or color and can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years. They can cost anywhere from $800 to $2,000 per tooth depending on what part of the United States you live in, which can be a major expense for most consumers, so it's important to know they will need to be replaced eventually.

Placing Veneers

The typical process takes one to two appointments. If the veneer is prefabricated it usually takes one appointment and if the laboratory is creating the veneer it takes two appointments. We will focus on highlighting placement of the porcelain veneer created by the laboratory:

1. Local anesthetia is not usually required when placing veneers. However, depending on the patient's sensitivity, it can be used if needed. The dentist will clean the tooth and determine the correct shade for the veneer. The dentist will remove a very small amount of the enamel of the tooth to provide room to place the veneer on the tooth.
2. An impression of the tooth will be made for the laboratory and a temporary veneer will be placed on the tooth with spot etching in the center of the tooth away from the margins.
3. After the laboratory has delivered the porcelain veneer to your dentist, the temporary veneer is removed, the tooth is cleaned with pumice and water. The veneer is then etched, rinsed throughly with water and air dried. The adhesive is placed on the preparation and then the cement and the veneer is placed for exact fit and contour.
4. The veneer is then light cured for 60 seconds on all surfaces of it to attach it to the tooth structure.
5. Your dentist will remove any excess material and polish the margins of the veneer.

Many dentists will schedule a follow-up visit to check for comfort; a comfortable veneer will be a long-lasting veneer.

Care for Veneers

The AACD suggests brushing and flossing just as you would your regular teeth. Proper daily brushing, and use of non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste. Consider limiting coffee and other stain-inducing foods.

Keep in mind that veneers will need to be replaced at some point, no matter how well you take care of them. But proper oral hygiene will help them last as long as possible.

If you're deciding on veneers, consult with your dentist and be sure you understand every part of the process and cost. A beautiful smile feels great and can increase both your confidence and well-being.

To read the entire article visit colgate.com

Infinite Smiles
5430 Lemay Ferry Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63129
(314) 892-8853
www.InfiniteSmilesDental.com 

Smile Makeovers

Have Your Dream Smile

Having the smile you have always dreamed of changes the way you feel about yourself! To achieve the aesthetics you want, we use a combination of restorative techniques that let you have that healthy, attractive smile. These makeovers are both affordable and easy to achieve, so there is no reason for not coming into our office to hear what we can do for you. We will discuss techniques such as bonding, whitening, tooth-colored fillings, and crowns.


No Drilling, No Shots, NO KIDDING!
 As an alternative to veneers and other cosmetic makeover procedures, we now offer our patients Snap-On Smile™. With Snap-On Smile there is no tooth preparation or bonding, and no shots or drilling. This is an appliance that simply fits over your teeth, can be worn while eating, and lasts for years. It is removable whenever you want and is a great solution for an affordable and quick makeover. Our patients who have Snap-On Smile are impressed with the feel and look of a natural, beautiful smile.

Professional Teeth Whitening in One Visit!
 
In just one visit, you can have dazzling white teeth with all stains and darkness removed and the results lasting for years. With our method we use a professional-strength whitening product and custom-made whitening trays to fit over your teeth, and give you supplies and instructions to complete the procedure at home. Not only is it effective and safe, you will see results in 1 - 14 days.

Whitening for Severely Stained Teeth

Although power whitening works very well for most smiles, some teeth may be severely stained – for instance, from taking the antibiotic tetracycline. To dissolve the stains and whiten these teeth, our dentists are among the first in this area to offer KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching™. With this technique, we are able to obtain brilliantly white teeth in cases that have been very difficult to lighten. If you have tried other methods with little to no results, you will be surprised what we can do for you!

No More Metals – Really!

The mercury-silver amalgam is the filling material used for years, and it provides reasonable restoration. However, it does not bond that well to the tooth, allowing bacteria to eventually settle under the filling, resulting in decay. Also, many patients do not like these fillings because of the appearance of a silver plug. Today, we offer a restoration that looks natural and blends in with tooth color. As it bonds tightly to the tooth, the filling strengthens the tooth structure and reduces the chance of future decay.

Need for a Crown
 
If a tooth is too damaged, a filling will not restore it. Placing a crown over the tooth is the best way to save and strengthen it. The high-quality materials we use not only will preserve the tooth for years to come, but will appear as natural as your other teeth.

Two Quick Trips to our Office for your Smile Makeover
 
We can change your smile by correcting gaps, discoloration, and misshapen teeth in as few as two appointments. We use porcelain veneers that fit over and bond to your teeth. Veneers are created from advanced dental ceramic and are very natural looking. Our patients have been very pleased with the results. 

Infinite Smiles
5430 Lemay Ferry Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63129
(314) 892-8853
www.InfiniteSmilesDental.com