A common dental issue many men and women have is that their teeth are misshapen, chipped, cracked, uneven, or not symmetrical. In many cases, these issues with a smile are not health concerns and are purely cosmetic. That said, millions of Americans have expressed that they are embarrassed to smile or have photos taken because of cosmetic issues with their teeth. It can be a huge hit to confidence when your teeth make you want to hide your smile. One cosmetic solution for uneven teeth is reshaping and contouring. In this article, we will discuss how contouring and reshaping work. If you live in the Lisbon area and are interested in dental services, please give us a call.
What Is Tooth Reshaping
Reshaping which is also sometimes referred to as dental contouring, is a cosmetic dental procedure. How it works is small amounts of tooth enamel are removed to change the shape or size of a tooth in situations where teeth are larger, overlapping, or there are issues with chips or cracks. In fact, in some unique circumstances, teeth reshaping can be used as a replacement for an orthodontic procedure. Although this is only for minor cosmetic adjustments and is not usually recommended for larger orthodontic issues.
What Is Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding is the process of adding synthetic material to teeth to reshape them. This is often combined with dental contouring. For example, if a chip or crack is truly superficial, the damaged section can be removed via reshaping, and then bonding can be done to fill in the tooth’s shape and make it more symmetrical with surrounding teeth. Dental bonding is done with tooth-colored materials designed to ensure your smile looks wholly natural.
How Is Dental Bonding & Reshaping Done?
Before receiving reshaping or contouring your dentist will use x-rays to evaluate the size and location of the dentin and the tooth pulp. This ensures that they only remove enamel, the outermost layer of the tooth. They can then use either a drill or a laser to remove a small amount of the tooth, and then use bonding to connect the tooth-colored filliament to your tooth.
How Do I Take Care Of My Teeth After?
Dental bonding is at a risk for chipping or staining. It is recommended that patients who get dental bonding avoid chewing on ice, pens, fingernails, or other hard objects that could cause the bonding to chip. It is also recommended to avoid smoking, coffee, tea, red wine, and other substances that can stain the tooth and the dental bonding. Of course, the most important thing is to make sure you brush and floss daily to promote good oral health.
Cosmetic Dental Services in Lisbon Maine
If you live in the Lisbon Maine area and need any dental services from exams and cleanings to restorative procedures, please give us a call. We would be happy to help with restorative dental solutions.