Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry: Enhancing Your Smile

Cosmetic dentistry is a focus of dental care that aims to enhance your smile while maintaining oral health. Where general dentistry focuses primarily on your oral health and preventative and restorative dental care, like cleanings and fillings, cosmetic dentistry focuses on smile improvements aesthetically.

Smile Design

Smile enhancement starts with smile design and treatment planning. Your cosmetic dentist reviews your overall health and dental history, examines your teeth and profile, and collaborates with you to come up with smile solutions based on your individual goals, lifestyle, and budget.

Next, they may perform X-rays to diagnose dental or structural concerns, take impressions, and perform 3D scans. Clinics with modern technology generate digital scans and impressions, making the process much more comfortable and convenient for you.

Once your dentist has these images, the next step is to plan your treatment. Depending on the procedure, they may use digital design software to identify and modify your adjustments.  

Aesthetic Treatments for Smile Enhancement or Smile Makeovers

With assessments and plans complete, the next step is treatment. Cosmetic dentistry has many options, but the best treatments are tailored to your health and needs. These may range from teeth whitening and veneers to same-day crowns, dental bonding, and many other cosmetic solutions.

Teeth Whitening

Some medications and dark-colored foods or drinks, such as berries, tea, or coffee, can stain or discolor your teeth over time. Teeth whitening removes these stains, lightens the shade of your teeth, and brightens your smile for a fresh, clean look.

Cosmetic teeth whitening with your dentist is a short in-office treatment that dramatically changes your smile. Dr. Samuels uses a technology called AirFlow® involving water, fine powder, and compressed air to remove stains and plaque from your teeth.  

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are coverings that fit over the surface of your tooth. Your dentist may suggest veneers to address issues like:

• Cracked teeth

• Discoloration that doesn’t get better after whitening

• Misshapen teeth

• Gaps in your teeth

Porcelain veneers are typically a permanent procedure completed over two appointments. A technician will take a mold of your teeth to create custom-fit veneers while the dentist prepares your teeth for bonding and removes a small amount of enamel. Your dentist will adjust your veneers and cement them in place at your second appointment.

Gum Contouring

Gum contouring reshapes your gum line and removes excess tissue. This procedure corrects a gummy smile that makes your teeth look short or an uneven gum line that is high in some areas and low in others. The goal is to create a more consistent appearance with an optimal gum and tooth ratio.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a more affordable alternative to veneers and involves placing an enamel-like material on the surface of your tooth. Your dentist adjusts the material to repair chips, reshape a tooth, fill in a gap, or hide discoloration. It involves less enamel removal than veneers and can be completed in one visit.  

Bethesda Cosmetic Services at Dr. Jay Samuels

When it comes to aesthetic treatments and smile enhancement, experience and expertise are paramount. Jay H. Samuels DDS, a cosmetic dentistry Bethesda provider, takes a comprehensive approach, combining art, science, and cutting-edge technology to design and deliver precision smiles. Book an appointment, and learn about the right solution for your smile journey.

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