Cosmetic Dentistry today can be described as a mix between cosmetic surgery and dentistry. It is that science of dentistry that is meant to help people with stained or damaged teeth. The art or science of cosmetic dentistry has become popular today due to increased public awareness about white teeth, as many TV personalities and actors are appearing on television with perfect white teeth. The other advantage about cosmetic dentistry is that it is safe, effective, and painless.

There are three types of cosmetic dentistry, whitening - which deals with the whiteness of ones teeth, implants and bonding, which is the science of replacing teeth or portions of broken or missing teeth with dental implants and lastly veneers - that is focused on changing the appearance of ones front teeth. The difference between cosmetic dentistry and normal dentistry is that the former focuses on improving the appearance and look of a person’teeth, mouth and smile, while the latter helps in maintaining oral hygiene and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral disease.

Why does a person need whitening? As we grow older our teeth loose their whiteness due to habits such as drinking coffee, smoking and eating foods that stain. There are several kinds of whitening procedures that one can undergo. There is surface whitening that focuses on removing coffee and cigarette stains and is found on chewing gum and toothpastes. People today want bright white smiles and over time these smiles dwindle due to people’s habits. Other whitening techniques that are available in the market are chemical whitening, mild acid whitening, abrasive teeth brightening, and laser teeth whitening.

There are three different types of whitening techniques that a person uses. There is the in office bleaching technique, where the patient goes to the dentist’s office and gets their teeth whitened or bleached. The dentist will apply a whitening agent that contains Hydrogen Peroxide on the patient’s teeth. Next the dentist will activate the Hydrogen Peroxide by using a light or laser source, which when activated breaks down into water and the radical agent. The agent attaches itself to the stain molecules and makes them weak. People can also use home bleaching kids and/or whitening toothpastes to keep their teeth white.

Cosmetic dentists can also do dental fillings; this is where porcelain and resin materials are used to fill cavities that will provide a tooth like appearance. Bonding is another technique that is used by cosmetic dentists to repair chipped or broken teeth. A composite material that has the look of enamel is applied to the tooth’s surface and is shaped and polished to make the gap disappear.