High-tech Advancements in Cosmetic Dentistry
Here at Bachelor Dentistry, we’ve seen firsthand how a confident smile can transform a person. In the past, if there was something you didn’t love about your smile, the solution was often less than ideal. It might have involved scheduling multiple visits to get uncomfortable procedures that still only yielded so-so results. Things have changed a lot since then.
Getting an amazing smile is easier than it has ever been. Recent high-tech advancements have made cosmetic dental treatments much more accessible for people with many different types of cosmetic concerns.
Why high-tech advancements in cosmetic dentistry are a big deal
We are now able to address the most common cosmetic dental concerns more quickly and with more comfortable, less invasive techniques. These common cosmetic concerns include:
Stained or discolored teeth
Chipped teeth
Gaps or misshapen teeth
Unsightly tooth restorations (like metal fillings or poorly made crowns)
The latest technology can also help you prevent cosmetic issues from occurring. So even if you don’t have any cosmetic concerns right now, these tools and techniques can help you preserve your beautiful smile and keep your mouth healthy at the same time!
Here are a few of the biggest breakthroughs:
3D imaging for planning treatment options
3D imaging makes a lot of amazing treatment options possible! Because it’s faster and more accurate than previous methods, digital imaging allows us to:
Get a clear, detailed visualization of your mouth
Diagnose problems
Plan treatment
Offer you better solutions that are completely customized to the unique curves and dimensions of your teeth and mouth
3D imaging is the starting point for many of the amazing cosmetic treatments you’re about to read about!
Same-day crowns
A crown is essentially a cap that we place over a tooth that’s cracked, severely discolored, or damaged. Crowns are a great cosmetic solution because they look just like real teeth, but a crown can also restore the functionality of a damaged or weakened tooth — a tooth that’s been chipped or broken during a sports accident, for example.
In the past, getting a crown often meant multiple appointments over several weeks. Now, we can do the whole thing during your lunch break, or at a morning appointment before your workday starts. It’s so quick!
We use a process called Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, also known as CEREC. CEREC uses 3D imaging to get a highly accurate picture of your damaged tooth. Then we can immediately design and create your crown right in our office. Not only is this process much faster and more convenient for you, but the results are better. Our same-day crowns are…
Designed to look just like your natural teeth
Biocompatible with your mouth tissue
Extremely durable
White fillings (metal free)
Advances in dental technology have made it possible to use tooth-colored fillings instead of metal ones. They look so natural that people won’t even know you’ve had a filling!
Batchelor Dentistry uses a resin-based composite for our fillings. Not only do these fillings look better than traditional metal fillings, but they’re also extremely strong and they more similarly resemble the properties of real teeth.
Teeth whitening
It’s impossible to talk about cosmetic dentistry without discussing teeth whitening. Many things can stain and discolor our teeth over time, including cigarettes, soda, coffee, tea, wine, and other beverages and foods.
The dental aisle is stuffed with products that promise a whiter smile, but the safest, fastest, and most effective way to whiten your teeth is still professional whitening. In fact, professional whitening methods are better now than they’ve ever been before.
A professional whitening will give you a much more dramatic result than store-bought DIY kits. We also know how to significantly whiten teeth without risking damage to your tooth enamel or gums.
Porcelain veneers
Some stains and discolorations are just too stubborn even for professional whitening. Certain types of dental trauma (like slipping on ice and landing on the ground mouth-first) can cause parts or all of the affected teeth to change color.
In addition, sometimes the color of a patient’s teeth isn’t their only concern. Maybe you don’t like the shape of your teeth, or maybe you have small gaps that you’d like to close up.
Porcelain dental veneers are a great solution in these cases! A dental veneer is a thin porcelain shell that we place over the front of your tooth to improve its color and/or shape.
We use high-strength porcelain to make custom veneers that look just like shiny white teeth. The best part is, porcelain is resistant to staining, and you can choose the shade you want for your veneers, so you have complete control over how much whiter your smile becomes!
Comfortable custom dental appliances
Did you know many cosmetic dental issues can be prevented? Along with good at-home mouth hygiene and regular dental visits, many people benefit from wearing a dental appliance during certain activities that put their teeth at risk.
How do you know if you should be wearing one? Ask yourself these questions, and then talk to your dentist about what kind of appliance (if any) is right for you.
Do you grind your teeth at night?
It’s not always easy to tell. Many people clench, grind, or tap their teeth together during sleep without even knowing it. Telltale signs include waking up with sore teeth, an achy jaw, or a headache. This common condition (called sleep bruxism) can lead to jaw joint and muscle problems, recurring headaches, and neck pain, among other problems. It can eventually lead to worn down or broken teeth, which are certainly a cosmetic (as well as functional) concern.
What’s the solution? Using 3D imaging, we can create a custom night guard for you that is less bulky, more comfortable, and much more effective than over-the-counter night guards.
Do you play sports?
While sports are great for your health in many ways, they unfortunately put you at a higher risk for injuries to your teeth and jaw. In fact, athletes are 60 times more likely to damage their teeth when they don’t wear mouthguards. Most people understand the benefits of protecting their teeth when participating in contact sports like boxing and hockey, but did you know that the American Dental Association recommends mouthguards for bicycling, skateboarding, and weightlifting too? You can find the full list on this page.
If you participate in sports, consider getting a custom-made athletic mouthguard. Custom mouthguards (which we can make with 3D imaging) offer better injury prevention because they give you the best possible fit, protection, and comfort.
Want to get the best smile of your life? Tell us how we can help!
Do you have questions about one of the cosmetic dentistry options in this post? Do you have a different cosmetic concern?
The whole team at Batchelor Dentistry is here to help. Staying at the forefront of cosmetic dentistry is important to us because it makes it possible for our patients to get truly stunning results faster and more comfortably than ever.
Schedule your appointment with Dr. Caitlin Batchelor today to learn more about your options!