Why Cosmetic Dentistry Is Rising in Popularity

Cosmetic dentistry is growing in popularity. As aesthetics become more important to society, this industry grows with more people entering the field and more patients requesting services. According to Zippia, the cosmetic dentistry industry is projected to grow 7% between 2018 and 2028. Why are more people going to see a cosmetic dentist? Keep reading to see some of the reasons!

They Can Help People Retain Teeth

The medical field has greatly improved over the decades, meaning that people are living a lot longer. They are also keeping their teeth, and a cosmetic dentist can help them maintain a youthful-looking smile with veneers and other procedures.

People Have More Disposable Income

The overall population has more money than in the past and they like investing it in their smile since it’s the first thing that people see. Also, regular people can see a cosmetic dentist now — the clients are not only celebrities now, which was the case in the past.

Improving Their Smile Can Be Seen as a Business Investment

Being confident in your smile can go a very long way. If you’re not open to smiling around others, especially at work, it can give the impression that you’re not friendly. Also, people might judge if they think that you don’t take care of your teeth, even if it’s due to being passed down through your family. So, investing in a visit to a cosmetic dentist can benefit their chances of getting a promotion, a raise, or even getting hired for a dream job. That’s because the person will show more confidence and a willingness to smile, which will likely result in others warming up to them. Getting a raise will likely cover the cost of the cosmetic dental procedure you receive.

People Can Benefit Socially as Well

Having a great smile to show off to people outside of work can also work in one’s favor. You will be seen as being more outgoing, which can then lead to more people wanting to talk with you. Your social circle can grow and so will your connections. Having a great smile is a great networking technique.

It can help you romantically, too. You won’t be as shy as you were before – people like seeing smiles, since it makes you look more warm and inviting than a tight-lipped grin would. So you could see your social calendar fill up a lot more than before.

It Can Make People Look Younger

When people have a full set of natural-looking teeth, it can take years off of their appearance. That can give them a confidence boost as well. Feeling old is a state of mind and a great smile can make you feel young again.

It Is Less Invasive Than Other Options

While something like a dental implant might require some work to be done, the vast majority of these cosmetic dental options are not invasive. That means that they can be done quickly and you’ll be able to go out and enjoy yourself with your family and friends with little to no recovery time needed. This seems more inviting than having to have extensive work done with braces.

There Are a Lot Of Different Choices

When people visit a cosmetic dentist, they can pick from various paths to get the smile that they’ve always wanted. There isn’t “one size fits all.” They can base the decision on anything ranging from the amount of time spent in the dental office to the cost. Depending on whatever path they choose, they could be finished in as little as an hour or two, or they could wait weeks to months to achieve the final result. We’ll go from the shortest to the longest option in terms of the amount of time needed for the dentist to do the procedure.

Teeth Whitening

The first one is teeth whitening for people who have disclosed teeth. While there are products that you can buy in pharmacies, like whitening toothpaste, mouthwash, or whitening strips, those have a lower amount of hydrogen peroxide, which is the main bleaching agent, and it can take a while to get results. The gels that the dentists use have the highest concentration of peroxide and it can turn one’s teeth a noticeably lighter shade of white with one visit.

When it comes to professional teeth whitening, you can either have it done in the office or the cosmetic dentist will give you trays, which are mouthguards filled with gel, and you can wear them at home until you get the desired result. You can also try LED technology, which uses light to get stains out. See which one fits your budget the best. You can expect the results to last anywhere from 1-3 years before having to have it done again. This depends on what you eat and drink. There are plenty of foods and beverages that can stain your teeth. Talk with your dentist about which ones to avoid so that you can enjoy showing off your white teeth for as long as you possibly can.

Dental Bonding

You won’t have to spend much time in the cosmetic dentist’s office for the next option: dental bonding. It only takes 60 minutes per tooth. It’s a fairly simple procedure where the dentist puts resin on top of cracks and then smooths it over to make it look like a natural tooth. It can also be done to cover up the gap between your teeth or make them look longer. This is one of the most common dental procedures and the bonding lasts between 3-10 years before you need any touch-ups done. This depends on how well you care for your teeth in between.

Dental Crowns

Do you have a cracked or damaged tooth or a cavity that is too large for a filling? You could get a crown to cover your tooth and protect it. They can be made of different materials depending on your budget and where the crown is being placed. If you need a second crown at any point, the crown will have levels of durability due to the materials it is made from because different parts of your jaw have different bite strengths. Your cosmetic dentist can ensure that the crown will be the same color as the rest of your teeth. Like the veneers, they will put on a temporary crown while the final one is being made. It can be durable, but you should avoid eating foods like hard candy or crunching ice since that could crack the dental crown.

Veneers

The next option is to get veneers. This consists of getting a thin piece of porcelain bonded to the front of a tooth that is chipped or damaged. It involves the dentist shaving a bit of enamel to make room for the veneer.

You will likely see the cosmetic dentist at least three times when it comes to veneers. The first one will be a consultation where you will go over the options and get an idea of what your teeth will look like with the veneers. The second visit will be when you have the enamel shaved off and a temporary veneer put on. The third visit will be when you get the permanent veneer bonded to your tooth. This cannot be reversed due to the enamel being removed.

While the veneers are stain-resistant, you should consider avoiding certain drinks that could leave their mark. If you have to, you could drink it with a straw so that the liquid doesn’t touch the front of your teeth. Also, avoid certain crunchy foods to keep your veneers intact. Veneers need to be replaced every 10-20 years.

Invisalign

If you want to straighten your teeth and not have to wear braces, you can always elect to get Invisalign. These clear aligners allow you to wear them and not have everyone know, especially when you have photos taken. You can also take the aligners off to eat and drink, which is something you can’t do when you have braces on. Also, you need to be responsible and not lose the aligner, otherwise, you could wind up setting back your progress while you have to wait for the replacement one to be sent to you.

While there are some options where you can do the whole process by mail, it’s better to work with your cosmetic dentist or orthodontist. As a qualified professional, they can make sure the impression mold they take of your mouth is done correctly. That mold is then sent to Invisalign and the dentist will work with Invisalign to determine the proper order of the aligners. With Invisalign, you will be switching the aligner you use every two weeks or even every week, depending on how aggressive your plan is, so responsibility is key.

How long will you use Invisalign? It will change from person to person, but it usually takes about a year, with some taking a bit longer and others finishing sooner. Your cosmetic dentist will discuss the time frame with you before starting anything.

Dental Implants

Are you missing a tooth or several teeth? You need to fill up that area as soon as you can. This is because your remaining teeth will shift in your mouth and make talking or chewing harder. If left untreated, this problem can spread to create infections in your teeth, gums, or jaw, as well as potentially causing digestive problems. People tend to pick dental implants over dentures to do this, since the implants act like natural teeth and don’t need to be taken out every night to be brushed and soaked.

The dental implant process is done in several stages. First, the cosmetic dentist will clean the whole area around the missing tooth or teeth and then they will insert a titanium screw into your jaw. After they do that, they will let that screw fuse with your jawbone. This process is called osseointegration and can take several weeks to finish, depending on how well you heal. Avoid smoking since that can slow down your healing.

The next step is putting an abutment over the screw and then a dental crown over the abutment. You treat the dental implant like a regular tooth. You can brush and floss like you normally do and can largely eat and drink the same things you did before. People often won’t even know that you have got a dental implant unless you tell them.

Another reason why people usually prefer dental implants instead of dentures is that they last a lot longer. Dentures last up to 10 years, while dental implants last twice as long as that and possibly even longer. You will get your money’s worth very early on with your dental implants.

Things to Consider About Cosmetic Dentistry

Like everything else, there are some potential downsides or obstacles to getting the cosmetic dental procedure that you want. There might be things that you can do, though. Since dental insurance tends to view cosmetic dental work as unnecessary procedures, they may not cover it or may only cover a small portion of the cost. That means you will likely have to pay for the bulk of it out of pocket. However, a lot of dental offices offer financing, meaning you can pay for it over several months or more.

If there’s any surgery involved, like with dental implants, then that carries some risk with it, however minimal. Be sure that you talk to our dentists before starting your treatment and don’t hesitate to contact our team if you feel any lingering pain afterward. That way, you can make sure that you don’t have any potentially serious infections that can wind up causing you to have a lot more dental work done.

As you can see, the cosmetic dentistry field has a lot to offer people. You can regain confidence and feel and look younger. If this is something you need, then it is worth looking into. Then you will have something to smile about. Are you looking for a cosmetic dentist? Contact Railroad Dental Associates today! We have Spanish-speaking staff.