Your teeth do a lot for how you look to others. A nice set of straight, white teeth can greatly enhance your appearance and confidence, while a set of less than perfect and less than white teeth can have the opposite effect. Because of the increased importance placed on beauty in our society, many people are visiting a cosmetic dentist to have various procedures performed.

Below are the top five services a cosmetic dentist can do for you:

1. Teeth Whitening.
   The enamel - or the outer most layer of your teeth - is often discolored due to various reasons such as aging, stains from food or drink, or other chemical degradation. A cosmetic dentist can whiten your teeth for you by removing the brown or yellow staining that has occurred. There are in fact several different procedures by which you can get your teeth whitened: chemical whitening, mild acid whitening, abrasive teeth whitening and laser teeth whitening. These procedures can range from just a few hundred to several thousand dollars and may require just one or multiple visits to have the procedure completed.



2. Cosmetic Gum Surgery.
   Your gum is the frame on which all of your teeth are placed in. Often, due to lack of proper care and hygiene, the gum might be infected or the actual gum tissue in between the teeth might become weak. Moreover, you might even have a 'gummy' smile - one that exposes a lot of gum in contrast to the teeth. Cosmetic gum surgery can fix this problem along with any other problem that might arise due to your gums.



3. Dental Implants.
   A dental implant is a fixture of titanium, which is fixed in surgically on to your jawbone, such that it becomes an anchor for a natural looking false tooth or a set of false teeth. The titanium fixtures that are used in the implants are inserted into the jawbone and very successful in fusing with the bone (osseointegration). There are again three different types of dental implant (your cosmetic dentist will discuss these with you in great detail) - root form implant, plate form implant, and subperiosteal implant. Typically, if you are missing a tooth and have enough bone left in that place to support the fixture then you can go for a dental implant.



4. Contouring and Reshaping.
   Dental contouring and tooth reshaping are again two popular procedures that go hand-in-hand. These procedures can correct some of the most common problems that people have with their teeth - such as crooked teeth, chipped teeth, cracked teeth, and overlapping teeth.



5. Tooth Bonding.
   This is a procedure in which a composite resin filling is placed in your teeth, used typically in the restoration of decayed teeth, making cosmetic improvements and changing the color of your teeth as well. The entire procedure can be used to lighten stains, correct crooked teeth, and fill up gaps in between the teeth.

Your cosmetic dentist can do all this and more. No longer do folks have to simply deal with the teeth and gums they have naturally, but through the help of a qualified cosmetic dentist, they can correct almost anything involving their mouth to achieve the perfect smile they have always wanted.