Part of having a beautiful smile is having teeth that are all relatively the same size and shape. While your incisors will inevitably be a different size and shape than your molars, all your teeth should still be complementary to one another in their size and shape. Teeth that are mismatched in size or oddly shaped teeth can make your smile look uneven and less appealing. Not only that, but sometimes they can also be hard to keep clean, which can increase the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Luckily, oddly shaped or unevenly sized teeth can be easily remedied by visiting a cosmetic dentist. Although there are a variety of cosmetic dental treatments available, here are the top three cosmetic dental treatments for changing the size and shape of your teeth:
Crowns
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that are customized to fit over the top of an existing tooth. They can also be customized to be a particular size, shape, and color, which means they are an ideal choice for those looking to change the size and shape of their teeth. Dental crowns work especially well for those who have teeth that are too small for the rest of their mouth, severely damaged or decayed teeth, or oddly shaped teeth.
To place a dental crown, your natural tooth structure will first need to be reduced in size to make room for the crown. The amount of modification will depend on the initial size of your tooth, as well as the extent of damage or decay in some cases. Generally speaking, the tooth is reduced in size so that the crown can be placed over the top while remaining even with the surrounding teeth. After the tooth has been reduced, an oral scan or dental impression will be taken and a temporary crown will be placed. Once the dental lab has completed the permanent crown, the temporary crown will be replaced with the permanent restoration.
Veneers
Veneers are thin porcelain shells that are cemented to the front side of the teeth in order to improve their appearance. Like dental crowns, they are customized to be a particular size, shape, and color. They work well for individuals who want to improve the appearance of their visual teeth without the need for extensive tooth modifications. While veneers are highly popular in the front teeth, they are not recommended for use towards the back of the mouth.
While placing veneers does require some enamel modification, the preparation process for veneers requires significantly less modification than that for dental crowns. This is because veneers only cover one side of the tooth and only require a thin layer of enamel to be removed from this side. Removing a thin layer of enamel ensures that the veneers will stick in place and look natural.
Cosmetic Bonding
Cosmetic dental bonding is a minimally-invasive cosmetic dental procedure that bonds composite resin directly to the natural tooth surface in order to improve its appearance. Cosmetic bonding is commonly used by individuals who want to make minor cosmetic adjustments to their smile without making any permanent alterations. Additionally, cosmetic bonding can be used to fabricate composite veneers that don’t require the removal of enamel.
Cosmetic bonding can easily be completed during a single dental appointment. First, your dentist will remove the decayed tissue and place the softened composite resin into the affected area. The composite resin will then be hardened in layers, only layer at a time. For natural appearances, the final layer will be sculpted and polished to resemble the surrounding teeth.
