Cosmetic Dentistry

Q. I want better shaped teeth, what are my options?

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A. If you don't like the shape of your teeth or perhaps you have small chips missing then you have three options:

1. Dental bonding for minor alterations. This is done directly onto your tooth by the dentist whilst you sit in the dental chair. Dental bonding is the application of a small amount of tooth coloured composite material directly onto your tooth, similar in texture to putty. Often requiring no injection it is the quickest and often cheapest option.
   
   
2. Dental veneers. These are made of high strength dental ceramic and cover the entire front surface of your two, they will take approximately 2 weeks to make by a dental technician. They can correct more severe problems than bonding but often require an injection and may be more expensive.
   
   
3. Dental crowns. these cover the whole of your tooth and will almost always require a dental injection as a larger amount of tooth structure will be removed. A dental crown is able to restore a severely broken down tooth but because of its more complex nature may be the most expensive option.

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Q. I want whiter teeth, what are my options?

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A. Whiter teeth can be corrected in 3 different ways, each of them increasing in their ability to whiten teeth more:

1. Whitening toothpaste. These often achieve a very minimal result but you should notice your teeth look a little whiter after use.
   
   
2. Home teeth whitening. This is where you will be provided with a bleaching gel which you place inside a custom fitting bleaching tray over your teeth. I'm teeth whitening can whiten teeth with mild to moderate darkening.
   
   
3. Dental veneers. As described above these are coverings which fit over the front surface of your tooth. Because dental veneers can be made to cover up the underlying tooth they are capable of whitening moderate to extreme dark teeth. At the same time they can also change the shape of the team which is sometimes an advantage.

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Q. I want straighter teeth, what are my options?

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A. The most conservative way to straighten teeth is to use orthodontics. This is the process by which braces are used to move your teeth. These braces come in a variety of forms including invisible, rapid and conventional.

Many dentists offer orthodontics themselves whilst other dentists prefer to refer to specialists for their orthodontic treatments.

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Q. I want to replace missing teeth, what are my options?

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A. If you have missing teeth and want to replace them you have 3 options:

1. Dentures. These are removable appliances made from a combination of acrylic resin and/or chrome cobalt metal. Modern dentures can be extremely aesthetic and acceptable if they are well made and well fitting.
   
   
2. Dental bridges. These bridge the gap between two teeth with a space in between. The teeth either side of the gap will be reduced to accept an abutment tooth, this supports the missing tooth, known as a pontic.
   
   
3. Dental Implants. These are effectively a complete replacement for a missing tooth and do not require the reduction of teeth either side of the gap. An implant is a titanium root on top of which a dental crown is placed.
   

Online Leaflets Want general information on a condition or treatment? Visit the British Dental Health Foundation where they have over 40 online leaflets.
Online Resource Want to find out about dental treatment? Want to know how to look after your teeth better? Visit the new BDA Smile web site.
3D Education Want to learn about dental anatomy, conditions, treatments and good oral health? Visit the BDA's cutting edge 3D Educational web site.

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