General dentistry is focused on maintaining your oral health through prevention and treatment of diseases. Cosmetic dentistry, however, deals with the overall appearance of your teeth and mouth, and how they contribute to the way you look and feel. It’s important to know what the difference is between the two, because it will help you determine what services you need and what to consider when you’re looking for the best cosmetic dentist in Scarborough.

Types of Cosmetic Dentistry

Enhancing your smile can have amazing results on your life, by boosting your confidence and self-esteem. Smile more with the latest advances in cosmetic dentistry, which is a service that ranges from basic color correction to the restoration of missing teeth. The most popular types of cosmetic dentistry include:

1. Teeth whitening
2. Dental veneers
3. Dental bonding and
4. White fillings

The best solution for each patient depends on how severe their cosmetic dental problem is, their age, state of health, and budget or dental insurance. Whatever your situation, our experienced practitioners at the best dentist in Scarborough will be able to develop a customized plan for you. This plan will often make use of several different types of cosmetic dentistry to provide you with the best option.

Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry

There are many reasons why having an attractive smile makes you both look and feel better about yourself. While a minor chip in a tooth may not be a critical health issue, dental bonding will improve the way you present yourself overall. Don’t think of cosmetic dentistry only in relation to appearance, either, because there are also many great functional benefits to this type of treatment.

Enhanced appearance

There’s a common saying that you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and it’s true. Life might not all be about your appearance, but enhancing your appearance definitely has advantages. Improving your exterior makes you feel better about yourself, which impacts the way you interact with other people as well as your own feelings of self-esteem. If stained and discoloured teeth prevent you from smiling, then it stands to reason that porcelain veneers and teeth whitening will resolve the problem. Don’t underestimate the importance of showing your full smile when you meet someone, whether it’s during a job interview or while you’re on a first date.

More self-confidence

The benefits of gaining self-confidence aren’t always obvious. Your self-esteem impacts every facet of your life, from personal relationships to your professional career. The benefits of cosmetic dentistry treatments such as teeth whitening and dental bonding include improving the appearance of chipped or cracked teeth, which in turn increases your self-confidence.

Enriched diet and lifestyle

Missing, painful or sensitive teeth makes it challenging to speak and chew, particularly when it comes to certain types of food. If you have a malocclusion or uneven bite, it not only affects your appearance but can also have an effect on your digestion. Problems that seem minor can therefore have a major impact on your diet and nutrition. Cosmetic dentistry procedures such as crowns and bridges help to strengthen your bite and improve your ability to chew. This not only benefits your physical health but your mental health too.

Better dental (and overall) health

Cosmetic dentistry benefits your overall health almost as much as your dental health. Procedures like dental implants can prevent future damage to your bone and gums, while inlays and onlays help to protect your tooth enamel from deterioration. Regular checkups and cleaning prevents the build-up of plaque and tartare, and help to identify problems requiring treatments like root canal therapy before they become critical.

Upgraded financial outlook

Dental care is expensive, and anything you can do to protect your teeth, bones and gum tissue helps save you money in the long term. These various types of cosmetic dentistry can optimize your oral health and your smile, which gives your confidence a boost. In addition, the right treatments can also positively impact your career and improve your financial outlook, while helping you to avoid future costly procedures.

Consult with the best cosmetic dentist in Scarborough to find out how we can support your oral health efforts. Please call 416-291-3117 or click here to schedule an appointment today.

A crown or dental cap is a type of dental restoration that completely encompasses a tooth or dental implant. These can be manufactured from various materials, including metals such as gold or another alloy, porcelain, resin, or ceramic. At Havenview Dental Centre we commonly recommend high-quality, porcelain dental crowns for Scarborough patients, for several very important reasons.

Reason #1: To protect an endangered tooth

We only grow one set of permanent teeth in a lifetime, and once a tooth is damaged it could be compromised forever. If you have any teeth that are weakened from decay, cracked, chipped, or at any other risk of breaking or getting worse, a crown can stop the problem from progressing further. The patient’s age doesn’t matter when it comes to fitting dental crowns, which makes it a viable option for teens, adults, and seniors alike.

Reason #2: To restore an already-damaged tooth

A tooth that is already broken can be restored, if you get dental treatment early enough. In cases where a tooth is cracked right through, provided all parts are still secured in the gum a dental crown might be able to save it by holding the sections of tooth together. Nobody will ever know your tooth was in danger of being lost completely and that it’s a simple restoration that looks so good. Dental crowns for front teeth are especially popular, because their visibility plays a big role in your life.

Reason #3: To cover and support the remains of a tooth

If you’ve lost part of a tooth, whether through the development of a large cavity, a mouth injury, or simply crunching on your favourite hard foods, your best option is to get the remaining piece built up with dental material and then covered with a shiny, new crown. Our dentists can insert a large section of filling material that functions like a natural tooth, but it won’t be as good as new. By covering it with a dental crown, however, you not only make it look as good as it should, but you provide it with the support necessary for lasting strength.

Reason #4: To provide support for a dental bridge

A dental bridge is a common way to restore two or more missing teeth, but it needs to be supported by teeth at either end. If the teeth on each side of the gap are weak, loose, or damaged, they might not be strong enough to support a dental bridge. Our dentists in Scarborough might recommend dental crowns for covering one or both of the supporting teeth, which will not only strengthen the tooth but protect it from becoming worn by the bridge.

Reason #5: To cover unsightly or discoloured teeth

One of the most common and highly noticeable defects in any smile is a single ugly or stained tooth. Nobody wants to extract an ugly tooth while it’s healthy, though, so the ideal solution is to cover it with a dental crown. In cases of misshapen teeth, our dentists will remove some of the tooth material during preparation. After that, a dental crown is mounted on top of it using dental cement, to make it match the appearance of your other teeth.

Reason #6: To cover a dental implant

Dental implants are a popular way to restore lost teeth. The implant is a metal post or abutment that’s inserted into your jawbone in the same location as the missing tooth. Once the gum tissue has healed over around the post, a dental crown is cemented onto the post to resemble the tooth that originally stood there. Although the crown isn’t actually part of the implant, it’s an important part of the treatment because without it, the patient will still be without a tooth!

The most common porcelain dental crown procedure involves the dentist taking an impression of the tooth, then having the tooth fabricated outside of the mouth. The crown is then fitted during a second appointment.