Cosmetic Dentist in Dallas Gives You Five Ways to Upgrade Your Smile

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Two women smile widely after visiting a cosmetic dentist in Dallas, TX

Is your New Year’s resolution to get a brighter, straighter, or healthier smile? Cosmetic dentistry treatments with our cosmetic dentist in Dallas can help you get your dream smile, even before the New Year begins!

There’s no time like the present to get your perfect smile. So, start your journey at Lakewood Dental Group in Dallas, TX, today. Patients can request appointments here, or they may call our helpful team at (214) 827-1885 for more information and booking. 

Our patients can choose from a long list of safe, effective, and affordable cosmetic dental treatments. In this blog post, our cosmetic dentist in Dallas outlines six ways that we can upgrade your smile to totally transform your appearance.

1. Cosmetic Gum Shaping

The dimensions of our smiles play a major role in our overall aesthetics. This means that the size and shape of our teeth can directly impact how others perceive our smiles. But, our smiles are about much more than the size and shape of our teeth. 

Our gum tissue plays an equally important role in the appearance of our grins. Having too much gum tissue can give our smiles a ‘gummy’ appearance. And, too much gum tissue can make our teeth look too short or stubby for our facial structures.

In fact, it only takes a remarkably small amount of excess gum tissue for others to consider our smiles gummy. One study finds that even three to four millimeters of exposed tissue is viewed as less desirable than zero to two millimeters of exposed tissue.

Our cosmetic dentist in Dallas can help you treat a gummy smile with cosmetic gum shaping. This procedure safely removes a small amount of gingival tissue to improve the appearance of your gums for a more uniform smile.

2. Tooth Contouring

In some cases, our teeth may look too long, crowded, or rough. Tooth contouring addresses these issues by smoothing textured teeth, shortening long teeth, and improving minor dental crowding.

But, how exactly does our cosmetic dentist in Dallas contour teeth? By safely removing a tiny bit of tooth enamel.

Tooth enamel is the mineral-dense coating that protects our teeth. Typically, we want to keep our enamel intact to prevent cavities and other dental issues. But, a trusted and skilled dentist can safely remove enough enamel to reshape teeth without leaving them vulnerable to damage and decay.

Many patients choose to pair cosmetic tooth contouring with dental bonding for a completely tailor-made smile.

3. Dental Bonding

Have you ever had a cavity filled? If so, then you may remember the tooth-colored material that the dentist used to fill your tooth after cavity removal. This tooth-colored material has a name: composite resin dental bonding.

Dental bonding is a cost-effective, long-lasting, and highly versatile restorative and cosmetic solution. As such, it is an ideal way to address:

  • Cavities
  • Whitening-resistant dental stains or white spots on the teeth
  • Short or irregularly-shaped teeth
  • Large diastemas (gaps) between the teeth
  • Dental damage, like chips or fractures
  • Textural irregularities, like grooves or pits in the teeth 

Most patients are suitable candidates for dental bonding. However, patients who grind or clench their teeth while sleeping (called sleep bruxism) should address this condition before getting dental bonding.

4. Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are a permanent solution to address:

  • Stubborn dental stains and fluoride-related white spots on the teeth
  • Worn tooth enamel
  • Irregularly-shaped teeth
  • Minor dental misalignments
  • Chips, cracks, and craze lines
  • Gaps in the teeth

You may have noticed that dental veneers and dental bonding accomplish approximately the same results. So, what’s the main difference between dental veneers vs. dental bonding?

Well, dental bonding is reversible, while veneers are a lifelong commitment. This means that once you get veneers, you must repair or replace them when necessary. Luckily, this study suggests that many patients can comfortably enjoy their veneers for well over two decades (with the proper care, of course!).

5. Gum Disease Treatment

We’ve already mentioned that extra gingival tissue can affect the appearance of your smile. But, that’s not the only gum condition that can affect your smile.

Gum disease is a smile-destroying condition that affects roughly half of all people over the age of 30. It causes gum inflammation, which can lead to red, swollen, or bloody gums. Clearly, these aren’t exactly the markers of an attractive smile.

Our cosmetic dentist in Dallas can help you treat gum disease and improve the appearance of your smile with non-surgical gum disease treatment. Non-surgical solutions may include:

  • Scaling: This is the systematic removal of excessively built-up plaque.
  • Root planing: After scaling, root planing smooths the tooth’s root to prevent future plaque formation.
  • Antibiotics: In some cases, our cosmetic dentist in Dallas may prescribe antibiotics to help you fight infections and heal faster.

How Our Cosmetic Dentist in Dallas Transforms Smiles

It takes a lot of planning and effort to repair and enhance smiles. At Lakewood Dental Group, our dentists simplify and streamline cosmetic dental treatments by conducting Smile Analyses.

Analyzing your smile with digital x-rays, intraoral cameras, and digital scanners allows our team to strategize minor adjustments for maximal impact. This means that a Smile Analysis with our cosmetic dentist in Dallas is the best way to create a treatment plan that meets your aesthetic goals without blowing your budget.

Schedule a Consultation with Our Cosmetic Dentist in Dallas, TX

This year, let us help you kick off your New Year’s resolutions with a Smile Analysis for cosmetic dental treatments. All patients can request appointments here, or they may call our team at Lakewood Dental Group directly at (214) 827-1885 for information, booking, and more.