A trip to the dentist isn’t just about a bi-annual cleaning or filling a cavity. These days many dentists offer a number of services designed to improve your smile. Whether you are looking to replace that unsightly silver filling or want to improve the look of all your teeth, there are a number of cosmetic dentistry services available to meet your needs.

“Available aesthetic improvements range from color to contour changes to extensive reconstruction,” said Dr Steven Sadowsky, who owns a dental practice in Poulsbo.

Whitening

Tooth whitening, or bleaching, is a popular service that dentists provide. Although the range of over-the-counter whitening devices seems ever-widening, most dentists will maintain that whitening services provided by your dentist will be more effective and last longer.

Bleaching trays are one of the more common whitening techniques. The dentist will take an impression of the patient’s mouth to make trays that are custom fitted. These trays are used to hold the whitening solution — usually a hydrogen peroxide formula. The patient wears the trays for a certain time period each day over the course of several weeks.

Various one-hour bleaching techniques, such as the Sapphire one-hour bleaching offered by Costa and Dageenakis Family Dentistry in Port Orchard, are also available. The whitening process takes place at the dentist’s office and is a good solution for patients who don’t want to wait to see results, or who are not likely to use the bleaching trays consistently. The Sapphire technique involves applying whitening material to the teeth and then exposing the teeth to a special light.

Teeth that are more seriously stained may benefit from chemical abrasion techniques. Dr Sadowsky offers a chemical abrasion treatment that combines a 17 percent hydrochloric acid solution with flour of pumice.

Even fillings can be made to match your tooth color. While existing silver fillings can’t be bleached, they can normally be replaced with tooth-colored material. A tooth with a significant filling and little natural tooth material left can be covered with a crown.

Veneers

Veneers are thin, custom-made shells that are designed to cover the front of teeth. Made of tooth-colored materials, such as porcelain, veneers can be used to repair a multitude of tooth sins. Patients with severe tooth staining, such as tetracycline stains, benefit from veneers, as other whitening methods often are not sufficient to remove these stains.

Veneers can also be used to repair spaces between the teeth, or repair minor chips or signs of tooth wear. To apply veneers dentists normally remove a portion of the tooth surface and then bond the veneer to the tooth.

Crowns

Teeth that are seriously damaged or worn sometimes require a complete crown restoration. Crowns are made from porcelain or porcelain fused to a metal base and are normally built on top of the existing tooth structure.

Implants and Bridges

Teeth that are missing completely or that are so damaged they need to be removed can be replaced, if necessary, with a bridge or a complete implant. A bridge is normally created by adding a crown to the tooth in front of and in back of the missing tooth area, and then attaching a false tooth in the middle. An implant involves surgically inserting a titanium screw into the jaw, and then creating a crown that actually screws into your mouth. While implants are a much more time-consuming process, there are some advantages to the procedure.

“The tooth gives the underlying bone a purpose to be there,” said Dr Marta Costa of Costa and Dageenakis Family Dentistry. “Without the tooth the patient will eventually lose the bone, which can cause problems with the jaw structure.” Implants “replace” the tooth in the jaw, thereby protecting the bone.

Reconstructions

Partial or full-mouth reconstructions can literally re-build your smile. Because patients who require reconstruction often have teeth that are too worn to support crowns as they are, mouth reconstructions often include several different techniques, including crown lengthening, where a small amount of bone is removed from around the tooth and then the gums are surgically “lifted” to expose more of the natural tooth; or a gingivectomy, where gum tissue is actually taken away. Once enough of the tooth stock is exposed, crowns can be added.

The techniques discussed here are ones that many dentists offer. More extensive changes, such as significant changes to the jaw structure, palette expansion, and so on, frequently require an oral or cosmetic surgeon. And, like other types of cosmetic medical treatments, don’t count on your insurance company covering these treatments.