Our smile is one of our most important assets. We use it to express our emotions, make friends, find love, and even get jobs. While we would all like to have a beautiful perfect white smile, the truth is that, unfortunately, not all of us do. Despite our best efforts, as we age our teeth lose their whiteness, and we can sometimes even lose teeth. This can lead to a great deal of social anxiety and embarrassment. Fortunately, your family dentist can help. Thanks to cosmetic and restorative dentistry, your family dentist can restore your teeth to their former glory and give you the smile you have always dreamed of.
For those who are more or less satisfied with their smile, but would maybe like to bring a little whiteness back, there are porcelain veneers. Veneers consist of a thin layer of porcelain that is fixed on to a tooth. This layer adds whiteness to the tooth, but also protects the tooth from damage. Veneers will typically last between five to 10 years. Porcelain veneers cost anywhere from $500 to $1,300 per tooth. Insurance does not generally cover the cost of porcelain veneers. Despite the cost, the demand for veneers has grown in recent years.
If you are missing teeth, then you may want to consider dental implants. In the past the only option for those wanting to replace missing teeth was to wear dentures. This could be uncomfortable, and also expensive. Dental implants, however, are a much better solution to the problem of missing teeth and have a 98% success rate, and need little maintenance. Dental implants begin with a dentist inserting a titanium screw into the socket of the missing tooth. Next, the jaw bone heals around the screw over the next several weeks, keeping it securely fixed. Finally, the dentist will attach a tooth like crown made of porcelain on to the screw. This will give you a near perfect replacement for your missing tooth that is indistinguishable from the real thing. To find out more about how dentistry can help you, talk to your family dentist.