Cosmetic dentistry?

ok so i know what it is but i was wondering how they do it and how long it takes. I've seen people who have had big gaps in their teeth and everything and they have came out with a million dollar smile. so how do they do it!?

Cosmetic dentistry?
Good answer from Redz. I would only add a few comments--


If you're closing gaps, they can be closed completely using either resin bonding OR laminate veneers. But if the spaces are really big this will make the teeth look way too wide, so sometimes compromise is necessary between eliminating the space and tooth size. This will be true for either bonding resin OR veneers. For this reason sometimes orthodontic treatment is combined with these cosmetic techniques.


Usually some thinning of the tooth is advisable when using laminate veneers. Some labs advertise as "no grinding required" but if you are looking to use a lighter shade than your natural tooth color then a veneer that is too thin will have to be opaque, and this looks phony.


Porcelain veneers can stain, but the stain is on the surface and can generally be polished off. Resin actually absorbs stain. This is a bigger factor if you smoke, or if you drink a lot of coffee, tea or fruit juices.





Steve Bornfeld, DDS
Reply:This can be fixed in two ways, bonding or veneers. Bonding is where they take a thick liquid like material and put it on the side of each tooth where the gap is. The material is then cured with an ultraviolet light and it gets very very hard, like a tooth. They do this on both of the fornt teeth untill the gap is closed. The two front teath are still separated but the gap is not large. The only thing about this is that the two front teeth may end up looking very large and wide depending on how big the gap is to begin with.


Veneers are similar to a lee press on nail. It is a thin material that is bonded to the front of each individual tooth. It is fabricated in a dental lab specifically for your tooth. It can be made into any shaped size and color, so it can be made large enough to fill gaps. People usually get veneers put on the front 10 teeth on the top and sometimes the bottom, it all depends on which teeth show when you smile. When you get a full set of veneers, you can totally change the look of someones teeth... drastically. You can also have them made in the brightest white there is called hollywood white. Veneers also never stain so they will always stay white (you still have to brush them to get the crud off!).


I think bonding can be done in an hour or so, but good quality veneers take about 2 or 3 visits because measurements have to be taken along with pictures so they can be made at the lab. then they have to be 'installed'. The dentist office that I worked at charged $1000 per tooth which inclued everything.