Want a Perfect Smile? Get Veneers!

Want a Perfect Smile? Get Veneers!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Karl_Kranston]Karl Kranston

More and more people are turning to cosmetic dentistry to improve the quality of their smile. Nature is often unkind with gaps between your teeth or an uneven alignment. Are your teeth discolored? Cracked? It doesn't matter because modern dental techniques can give everyone a perfect smile.

The easiest and least costly procedure is veneers. Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain permanently attached to the front of your teeth. The glass-like material is tooth-colored and resistant to surface wear.

Your dentist will note your desires for a better smile and analyze your teeth and facial structure, then determine which type of veneers will best suit your needs. He will shave a thin layer of enamel from each tooth to be fit with a veneer. He will also fit you with a temporary set of veneers, until the lab has created your custom set.

Once the lab delivers your veneers to the dentist, you will have to visit him again for their installation. You will leave his office with a brand new smile, and your veneers should last from ten to fifteen years if you take care of them.

Whereas a veneer covers only the front side of a tooth, a crown covers a tooth like a permanent cap. A crown can be made from a variety of materials, depending upon the location in the mouth. If you're crowning a tooth in the front of your mouth, you'll want to use a tooth-colored material so it will look as natural as possible. It could be either a porcelain ceramic (glass-like) or a composite resin (a mixture of powdered glass and plastic resin). If you're crowning a molar, where you are more concerned with chewing power than hiding the crown, you might use a gold alloy mixture of metals. Your dentist will determine which material best suits your needs.

To place a crown in your mouth, the dentist will grind down the enamel from your tooth until it resembles a round peg. He will then permanently cement the crown on top of the tooth. If properly taken care of, a crown shouldn't need to be replaced for ten to fifteen years.

The most permanent and durable cosmetic procedure to replace a missing tooth is an implant, but it is by no means a quick fix. It typically takes anywhere from 12 to eighteen months to install. The dentist will first make sure the entire tooth is gone, and then he will drill a hole in your jaw. This hole is called the pilot hole. The dentist will then widen the hole until it is able to hold the implant screw. After the implant screw is inserted, the dentist will put a protective cover (temporary crown) on it. Osseointegration is the next step - where the jawbone grows around the implant and anchors it into place.

Several months later when the dentist determines the osseointegration is complete, he will remove the temporary crown and install a custom-crafted permanent crown. At that point, your implant is complete. An implant should last thirty years or more, although the crown itself may have to be replaced sooner.

New technology and stronger, more durable compounds continue to reshape dental cosmetics. If you desire to improve your smile, make an appointment with your dentist and discuss what he recommends for you.

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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Want-a-Perfect-Smile?-Get-Veneers!&id=4772716] Want a Perfect Smile? Get Veneers!