What is Aesthetic and Cosmetic Dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry refers to a host of dental treatments designed to enhance the smile and correct chipped, cracked, discolored, and unevenly spaced teeth. From porcelain veneers to tooth-colored fillings, patients can choose from a variety of cosmetic dentistry solutions at our San Diego area office to restore the health and vitality of their smile.

But cosmetic dentistry does much more than improve smiles. It changes lives. In this video clip of his interview on The Wellness Hour, San Diego cosmetic dentist Dr. Gray showed actual cases with before and after photos where cosmetic dental procedures improved the lives of his patients. They received self-confidence and look and act like a new person.

It is amazing how in just a few hours of cosmetic dentistry, you can have a whole new outlook on life. If you are not confident with your smile or you feel your teeth are holding you back in life, do something about it sooner than later.

Cosmetic dentistry is powerful in transforming faces, smiles and lives. Typical cosmetic dental patients of Dr. Gray's La Mesa cosmetic dentistry practice are adults that are ready to make a difference in their lives.

There are many different cosmetic dental procedures available to make these life and smile transformations, as San Diego cosmetic dentist Dr. Gray explained in the same interview:

Read on to learn more about cosmetic dentistry treatment options:

Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

Cosmetic dentistry treatments can be performed to correct everything from minor flaws in the smile to severe tooth discoloration, missing teeth, and uneven spacing between teeth. The following is a list of common aesthetic dentistry options:

• Sedation Dentistry
  It allows you to comfortably undergo everything from a simple cleaning to extensive concerns.
  
  
• Porcelain Veneers
  Ceramic shells applied to the front of the teeth to conceal cracks and chips, overlay gaps, and create a whiter appearance to a person’s smile.
  
  
• Porcelain Crowns
  A cap used to repair badly decayed or damaged teeth. The crown is created from a mold of the original tooth, and then applied after the decay is removed and the tooth is prepared.
  
  
• Fresh Breath
  Most people think that bad breath is a result of what's going on in our stomachs. But that's not the whole story. The actual odor of halitosis is generated by bacteria that thrive in the mouth under the gums, and in the nooks and crannies on the teeth and the surface of the tongue.
  
  
• Tooth-Colored Fillings
  A composite resin material matched to the natural shade of your teeth. Tooth-colored "white" fillings are an attractive alternative to silver amalgam fillings.
  
  
  
• Teeth Whitening
  There are two methods for whitening teeth: laser teeth whitening (performed in the cosmetic dentist’s office) and at-home teeth bleaching (involving the use of take-home bleaching kits).
  
  
• Dental Bonding
  The application of tooth-colored composite to the teeth. The bonding material can then be polished and shaped to look like the rest of the teeth.
  
  
• No Shot Fillings
  The technology allows us to gently "spray away" the decay on your teeth, using a fine stream of microscopic abrasive particles.
  
  
• Instant Orthodontics
  Instant Orthodontics is a cosmetic dentistry procedure that can transform a crooked, uneven smile to one that's straight, even and white in only 2 to 3 visits, without the use of metal braces.
  
  
• Computer Imaging
  Through the magic of computer imaging and photography, we can show you what you'll look like with your new smile, BEFORE we do anything to your teeth.
  
  
  
• Porcelain Inlays/Onlays
  Durable and attractive restorations used to repair cracked or otherwise damaged teeth. Inlays and onlays require less tooth reduction than fillings or crowns.
  
  
• Invisalign® Invisible Braces
  A cosmetic dentistry solution for unevenly spaced, overlapping, or gapped teeth. Invisalign® is a popular teeth-straightening solution for adults who want to avoid orthodontic braces.
  
  
• Oral CDX
  A new tool called Oral CDX, has become available that can painlessly and easily check lesions and oral cancer.
  
  
• Laser Cavity Finder
  Although we still need x-rays to look between the teeth, a new technology was just released into the US that enables us to scan the tops of your teeth with a laser.
  
  
• Balanced Bites
  If you have noticed your teeth look worn down or short, you have headaches or jaw pain, you may be suffering from a "Bad Bite."