Most people dream of a beautiful, bright Hollywood dazzler of a smile. Unfortunately, though, not everyone is blessed with one, and numerous lifestyle factors can stain and discolour our teeth. Help is at hand, however, in the form of a cosmetic dentist.
Stained teeth is one of the many negative side-effects of smoking. This type of stain, along with those caused by tea, coffee, or red wine, can be safely removed by teeth whitening. This involves using a gentle dental bleaching gel to remove common stains from the teeth. It must only be carried out under the supervision of a dentist.
At Smylife in Manchester, teeth whitening is one of the most cosmetic dental procedures available. Whether home whitening or combination whitening is used, a cosmetic dentist will be on-hand to ensure that treatment is as safe as it is effective.
Another common aesthetic complaint is visible metal fillings. Metal amalgam is standardly used for fillings by NHS dentists, and whilst it is strong and durable, it can also be very obvious – particularly if teeth near the front of the mouth are involved.
A cosmetic dentist can use tooth-coloured composite material to replace metal fillings. This will be matched to the natural colour of your teeth, so nobody will see the joins.
In cases where teeth require extra strength, porcelain inlays and onlays are an excellent choice. Inlays sit in a prepared tooth cavity, whilst onlays are used to cover a larger cavity. Again, the dentist will carefully match the shade of porcelain to your tooth colour, and a dental technician will carefully craft your inlay or onlay for a perfect fit.
Metal crowns can also be a bit too obvious, and again a dentist can replace them with tooth-coloured alternatives. As with inlays and onlays, crowns will usually require at least two appointments.
When teeth are permanently discoloured, a cosmetic dentist may offer porcelain veneers. These are thin shells of medical-grade porcelain that can be placed over the front surfaces to cover permanent stains, as well as a host of other cosmetic problems.