While there isnt an official area of expertise for cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics and prosthodontics both work closely with the cosmetic appearance of teeth, and most dentists will be able to make changes to your teeth to improve their appearance. The question is then, what kinds of cosmetic changes can be made to teeth?
If you are just beginning to change your teeths appearance, you will most likely start by seeing an orthodontist. While there are some people who are gifted with teeth that are perfectly straight naturally, many people have crooked or uneven teeth. An orthodontist will be able to fix almost all of these problems, usually with braces or other devices designed to adjust your jaw or teeth. Once your teeth are straight and (possibly) your bite has been corrected, the next stages of cosmetic dentistry Tacoma may be desired.
The types of additional cosmetic dentistry Tacoma cover a wide range of problems. Tooth reshaping, which may add to or take away from the size and shape of your tooth, can help some patients to have a more even or standard smile. Some people may have some teeth which are either larger or smaller than average, or have an unusual shape. This isnt always noticeable, but when it is, you may wish to have your teeth reshaped so that your smile appears more natural. Similar procedures can be done on the gums. Although, unlike the teeth, gum grafts which add to the gum tissue are much more common than procedures which remove gum tissue. If you are missing any teeth, a fake tooth can be placed between the remaining teeth and fused or otherwise sealed to the neighboring teeth.
The most common treatment in cosmetic dentistry Tacoma, however, may likely be teeth whitening. Many people feel that any discoloring in their teeth is unattractive, and pure white teeth are considered ideal. For this reason, tooth whitening in a dentists office is relatively common. On the other hand, there are also many kits and toothpastes that can be bought even in an ordinary grocery store that claim help you to whiten your teeth on your own. Many of these whitening kits can whiten your teeth over time, and they may cost less than whitening your teeth at a dentists office, but generally speaking, a dentist will be able to give you better, and often much more immediate, results.