The quality of your smile has a tremendous impact on your confidence and social interactions. If your teeth or gums are looking less than optimal, all hope isn’t lost. New Year’s Day is a time for personal reflection and self-improvement, and a cosmetic dental procedure might be the perfect addition to your resolution list.
Cosmetic dental procedures can help improve the appearance of your smile by helping to straighten your teeth, resolve excess gingival display, and fill in any gaps caused by missing teeth. There are many different types of cosmetic procedures that can resolve just about any issue. However, always be sure to seek treatment from a qualified periodontist. Here are some of the ways Ormond Beach Perio can help you restore your smile with cosmetic dental procedures.
Accelerated Ortho
Braces have long been regarded as the go-to solution to resolve crooked or misaligned teeth. They’re highly effective when it comes to straightening your teeth and correcting your bite. However, they’re also a serious commitment. Braces require frequent office visits over the course of several months or years. They’re also visible on your smile, which can lead some people to feel self-conscious — especially older adults. Not to mention they can be uncomfortable.
Accelerated Ortho is a procedure that can help to reduce the amount of time a patient needs to wear braces. While it doesn’t replace the need for braces, it can speed up the process.
There are a couple of different ways to deploy Accelerated Ortho. One form, known as PROPEL, involves reshaping the bone in a way that allows teeth to slide into their desired position more easily. A much less invasive form, known as Acceledent, relies on micro pulses to stimulate bone growth and movement.
In both cases, Accelerated Ortho can significantly reduce the amount of time a patient needs to wear braces. Braces are usually needed for 18 to 24 months, but Accelerated Ortho can shorten that time to three to eight months on average.
Crown Lengthening
Some patients experience a condition known as excessive gingival display, which is more commonly known as a “gummy smile”. This happens when an excessive amount of gum tissue is visible, which reduces the size of the exposed teeth. While having a “gummy smile” isn’t a health concern, patients with excessive gingival display can feel self-conscious about their smile.
The issue can be corrected with a cosmetic treatment known as crown lengthening. This is a cosmetic oral procedure performed by a dentist or periodontist, which involves removing some excess gum tissue in order to lengthen the crowns of your teeth and make them appear larger.
While crown lengthening can be done for cosmetic purposes, sometimes it’s necessary after a crown breaks and before it can be replaced.
A local anesthetic will be applied prior to crown lengthening surgery and sedation dentistry options may be available to help eliminate anxiety. As a result, you should expect minimal pain or discomfort during the procedure; however, considerable soreness might be experienced in the first few days following the surgery. During this time, you’ll need to limit chewing and heating or drinking hot or spicy foods so that your gums have plenty of time to heal. Your provider may also recommend adjustments to your oral hygiene routine in order to limit brushing around the impacted gums. You may also notice bleeding or swelling, but it should subside after 48 hours.
After a couple of weeks, your gums will heal, and you’ll have a brand-new confident smile.
Dental Implants
Missing teeth can be devastating for your self-confidence. A gap in your smile can impact your speaking, chewing, and interactions with others. If left untreated, missing teeth can even lead to jawbone atrophy down the road. Fixing the problem as quickly as possible is imperative to your long-term physical and mental health.
Dental implants are considered the best option for missing teeth. They look and feel exactly like real teeth, so they’re truly the best way to get your smile back. Dental implants aren’t just cosmetic, they also function exactly like real teeth.
Implants are set over a series of appointments. They consist of a titanium screw which is secured to the jaw, an abutment, and a crown. Pain is managed during the procedures with a variety of options, and a bit of soreness may persist afterward. However, most patients find the benefits of having their smile and bite back outweigh any side effects.
If you’re finally ready to fix your smile and restore your confidence this year, call Ormond Beach Perio to schedule your appointment today.