Dental Makeover / Extreme Makeover

Ifflashing a big smile or conversing in social situations makes you uncomfortableor embarrassed, chances are your teeth are the root of the problem. People ofall walks of life and in all types of social circles desire a perfect smile. Luckily,dentistry has come a long way from simple cavity fillings and root canals.Today’s cosmetic dentists perform dental makeovers,sometimes extreme, to help their patients achieve picture perfect grins. Andwith a mouth full of straight, pearly whites usually comes enhancedself-esteem.

What imperfectionscan a dental makeover fix?

Dentalmakeovers can range from simply correcting one visibly damaged tooth tocovering or replacing entire rows of teeth. The transformations can radicallychange a person’s entire face for the better, adding a new brightness andsparkle to the person’s whole demeanor.

Dentalmakeover procedures can replace or cover teeth that are:

• Missing
• Broken
• Chipped
• Short
• Long
• Thin
• Crooked
• Overlapped
• Widely spaced

Proceduresare also available to:

• Shrink large gums that interfere with a person’s smile
• Whiten and brighten discolored or stained teeth
• Correct overbites, underbites or crossbites
• Replace missing jaw bone to anchor substitute teeth

What types ofprocedures do cosmetic dentists use?

Dependingon the severity of the patient’s dental issues, a cosmetic dentist may need toimplement only one procedure or a combination of procedures to achieve thedesired outcome. Some of the most popular dental makeover procedures include:

• Veneers: These thin porcelain shells help mask cosmetic problems, such as cracked or slightly crooked teeth or gaps between teeth. The shells are placed over the front of the teeth to provide a beautiful smile.
• Crowns: Teeth that are too damaged for a filling can be essentially covered with porcelain composite material, making them durable and aesthetically pleasing.
• Porcelain fillings: An alternative to metal amalgam, these durable tooth-colored fillings allow patients to open their mouths without flashing embarrassing dark-colored fillings.
• Implants: Missing teeth also lack tooth roots. Artificial dental implants act as root replacements to anchor new porcelain teeth or help stabilize dentures.
• Whitening: Different whitening options include professional, customized at-home trays; in-office treatments with special light sources; and bonding or veneers.
• Gum contouring: These gum procedures minimize gum tissue via lasers to achieve perfect gum/tooth alignment.
• Dentures or partials: Full or partial dentures are removable, functional teeth that replace missing teeth and provide a cosmetically pleasing smile.

Cosmeticdentists with training from the LasVegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI) are especiallyqualified to perform dental makeover procedures. Not just concerned with theaesthetic outcome, LVI-trained dentists also work to help preserve theirpatient’s existing teeth and gums.