A cosmetic dentist is a dentist who focuses on improving the aesthetics of your teeth. While cosmetic dentistry is not a separate specialty recognized by the American Dental Association, many general dentists and prosthodontists have limited their practice to cosmetic treatments that usually include dental veneers, Invisalign treatment, porcelain crowns and bridges, cosmetic gum treatments, and tooth-colored restorations.
Cosmetic dentistry is an increasingly popular practice as more people choose to invest in their appearance and improve their self-confidence with a beautiful smile. While there are no official cosmetic dentistry residency programs, many dentists take short-term courses in different areas of cosmetic dentistry to improve their skills.
Types of cosmetic dental treatments
Porcelain veneers
Veneers or laminates are used to improve the color and shape of your front teeth. Veneers are thin shells that are fitted to your teeth and are an excellent treatment for reshaping your smile. The concept is similar to how a fake nail is bonded on the top of your fingernails. Veneers cover the front of your teeth and are custom-made to match the shape, size, and color of your teeth at their best.
Teeth whitening
To remove surface stains from your teeth, you can try teeth whitening treatments. Cosmetic dentists may have access to the latest technology for teeth whitening, including laser whitening. Specialists in aesthetic dentistry can whiten your teeth without damaging their structure and the gum tissue around them.
Dental implants
Dental implants are designed to replace missing teeth. Dental implants done by a cosmetic dentist may focus on improving the look of the implant by different techniques to ensure it is as natural and pleasing as possible.
Crowns and bridges
Regular crowns and bridges are made by a metal framework covered by porcelain in a lab. Cosmetic dentists, however, build crowns and bridges out of full porcelain blocks, often using a milling machine and digital scanners. These crowns and bridges may be slightly more brittle, but they look much more natural since they reflect the light more like a real tooth.
Cost of cosmetic dentistry
On average, treatments done by a cosmetic dentist cost somewhere between 50% to 100% of their equivalent done by a general dentist. For example, if a porcelain metal crown costs $800, a full porcelain crown done by a cosmetic dentist may cost around $1600.
Finding a cosmetic dentist
The criteria you use to find any doctor or dentist can also be used to find a cosmetic dentist. But, since your main goal is to achieve a superior aesthetic result, it is crucial to ensure this doctor has specific experience in the type of treatment you need. Make sure you can see before and after images of past patients. If you see these images on their website, specifically ask if they are from their patients. A lot of dentists use stock images for their smile gallery pages. So you may want to make sure you judge them based on their work.
