PUBLISHED IN TCI WEEKLY
28th February 2015
Having watched the Academy Awards last night, do you ever wonder how the actors and actresses achieve such beautiful and perfect smiles? I can guarantee that the vast majority will not have been blessed with naturally straight, white, even teeth and will have had various types of treatment to achieve these gorgeous smiles. Below I have outlined a few of the more common treatments that are available to help you create that Oscar-winning smile!
Crowns (Caps) & Veneers
These are used when the natural crown of a tooth is compromised either through decay, trauma or aesthetic reasons. A veneer is a thin porcelain cover designed to go on the outside surface of a tooth. Veneers are only used on front teeth and are generally used for cosmetic purposes, for example to restore chipped or broken teeth, or to change the colour, size or shape of teeth. The teeth generally require only a small amount of preparation for veneers.
A more robust solution than a veneer is a crown. A crown covers the whole tooth above the gum and is suitable for both front and back teeth. Crowns involve a greater reduction of the natural tooth’s surface than a veneer but the result is greater strength. Crowns are used both for cosmetic and clinical reasons, for example when a tooth is badly decayed but the root is still intact. Crowns can be made from a variety of materials designed for difference circumstances, including all porcelain or porcelain with a strengthened core such as zirconium or metal.
In all these cases only the tooth-coloured porcelain is visible and, when completed, the teeth should look indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
Dental Whitening
Dental whitening uses bleach to (safely) permeate the tooth enamel and lighten the dentine inside the tooth, thus creating noticeably whiter and brighter teeth.
Bridges, Implants
If crowns are indicated but there are also missing teeth then a bridge may be a good option. A bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth and is permanently fixed in place. A bridge is attached to adjacent teeth (either natural teeth or implants) and carries one or more artificial crowns to fill the gap of the missing teeth.
As an alternative to bridges, implants can be used to replace missing teeth and can be used in combination with natural teeth or crowns to recreate your smile. A dental implant is a titanium fixture that is implanted into your jaw to act as the root of the tooth. A crown or bridge is then screwed to the fixture. Titanium has a unique quality in that bone will attach to it, so that once the implant is placed it becomes firmly secured naturally by the bone growing around it.
Orthodontics
Orthodontics aims to improve the appearance, position and function of crooked or abnormally arranged teeth. Orthodontic treatment may be performed for clinical (medical) or for cosmetic purposes such as straightening teeth or closing gaps. Orthodontics can be done with the use of braces- brackets and wires- or Invisalign Orthodontics.
