Cosmetic Dental Procedures That can Give you the Smile You’ve Always Wanted

Dentistry has advanced quite a bit over the past century. 100 years ago, half of all adults in North America were toothless. Today, thanks to many advancements in dental care and awareness, less than 10 percent of adults over 65 have lost any teeth. And, even if they have lost a tooth, they can always have urgent care dental work done to replace it. So it’s no wonder that today, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, over 99 percent of all Americans think that a smile is an important social asset. Now that most people have their basic dental needs met, more and more people are starting to consider cosmetic dental work to give themselves beautiful smiles in addition to healthy teeth. Here are just a few of the things cosmetic dentistry procedures can do to enhance your smile.

While most people don’t lose teeth because of poor dental care these days, there are still plenty of times when a person requires urgent care dental work to replace or repair a missing tooth. Dental implants are one of the most successful and lifelike tooth replacements on the market today. They have a success rate up to 98 percent, and can last a lifetime if cared for properly.

Dental implants are the most authentic tooth replacement out there. They look and feel just like teeth, recreating the smile you had as if you’d never even lost a tooth. But the benefits of dental implants aren’t just cosmetic. In addition to looking and feeling just like the real thing, they also act like real teeth, restoring normal chewing and biting as well. And since they look, feel, and act just like real teeth, they usually feel much more comfortable in the mouth than other teeth replacement options.

But perhaps you have anxiety when going to the dentist, and you can’t imagine why anybody would have an elective dental procedure. Your only concern is when you need urgent care dental work. You might have Odontophobia, fear of dentists, which is classified as a phobia in the DSM-IV. But there is still a way in which you too can have a great smile. There are plenty of types of sedation dentistry that can be used to alleviate any anxiety about going to the dentist. A sedation dentist will use medication to help you feel calm and relaxed during the entire procedure, allowing you to get the smile you’ve always wanted without all the anxiety.

Another cosmetic dental procedure that you might choose if you’re really against surgery is teeth whitening. Teeth whitening is a relatively cheap and uninvolved procedure that can provide great cosmetic benefits for your smile. While Americans spend $1.4 billion on tooth whitening products every year, the procedures you can get from a good cosmetic dentist will go much further in giving you the bright white smile you want. More.