The idea of spending more time in a dentist’s chair might make your jaw tense, but the latest technologies and treatments make it easier to get the picture-perfect smile. If you dread the visibility of braces, rest assured that newer options don’t require months of donning metal in your mouth. And with teeth whitening and other cosmetic enhancements, you can address a variety of concerns in just one appointment.
When it comes to smile makeovers, Donald T. Bond, DDS, at White Clay Dental Associates in Newark, recommends starting with the most conservative adjustments. To brighten their smile, sometimes all a patient needs is a whitening treatment, which can be done in the dentist’s chair for day-of results, or with an at-home kit containing custom-fitted trays that bleach teeth over about two weeks.
Permanent fixtures are for more-problematic issues. “If a person has greater needs because, say, the front teeth are broken down and worn, and they’re just not pretty teeth, then that’s when we go into some other options, such as bonding or porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns,” Bond explains.
Better Bonding
Direct bonding is a process used to fill cavities, repair chipped or cracked teeth, fix misshapen teeth, improve color, and even fill gaps in a smile. A dentist carefully applies a composite resin that forms a tight seal with your enamel, then they polish it off so that it matches the rest of your teeth. Maintenance is the same as it is for natural teeth: Floss and rinse with mouthwash daily, brush twice a day, and continue routine checkups every six months. Depending on your habits, a bonded tooth lasts three years to a decade.
Bonding materials have improved in recent years, with companies producing longer-lasting biocompatible materials like ACTIVA BioACTIVE, a resin that prevents future decay by releasing calcium, phosphate, and fluoride ions. Candace Gaull, DDS, of Steward & Gaull dental practice in Milford, says this advanced material strengthens the area around the bonded tooth with a flawless finish. “They’re highly aesthetic materials, so you won’t even be able to tell the difference between the filling material and the tooth structure,” she says. “There are some materials that we’ve had that absorb fluoride if you use fluoride toothpaste or drink fluoride. …These leak [calcium, phosphate, and fluoride] into the tooth and make [it] stronger.”
For a lasting makeover, opt for porcelain veneers, a popular choice among Hollywood celebrities that can fix multiple issues at once by covering teeth with thin, custom-crafted shells. With proper care, they should last up to 20 years, Bond says. During the process, your dentist will remove a thin layer of enamel so that the veneers fit just right in your mouth, which isn’t typically required for direct bonding. Expect a higher price tag and more time to complete the process, as veneer bonding requires at least two appointments.
“[Direct] bonding is done without incurring any laboratory expense because it’s all done the same day,” continues Bond, whose name aptly suits his profession. “We shape it and mold it right in the mouth to fill in spaces or to fill gaps between the teeth, or just to put a fresh coating of white on top of the tooth. The downside of the bonding is that it’s much more porous. The porcelain veneer is made in a laboratory, so it’s a much denser material…[that] doesn’t have as much tendency to pick up stains. It’s going to look nicer for a longer period of time.”
Digital Perks
Delaware dentists are also using “digital smile design” tools like 3D scanning to help patients visualize proposed changes to their teeth. “In any cosmetic dentistry situation or cosmetic surgery, you want to have realistic expectations,” says Norman S. Steward, DDS, of Steward & Gaull.
Both Steward & Gaull and White Clay employ the iTero scanner to create digital models in minutes, as opposed to the goopy material used in the past to create oral impressions. Rather than biting down on what feels like a giant wad of gum, patients can relax while the iTero wand uses radiation-free laser technology to make a smile rendering. Gaull compares it to the ever-evolving iPhone, in that iTero regularly updates its software and technology to be more compact, more accurate, and faster year after year.
When Teeth Align
These digital tools are useful for many dental treatments, including orthodontic procedures. “We all know of Invisalign as the hallmark name for clear orthodontic liners,” Steward says. “There [are] many companies that make them now; some orthodontists and general dentists can actually print these aligners right in their own office using 3D printing. The materials have also improved, so they’re constantly coming up with better materials that are more resilient.”
White Clay’s Timothy D. Ganfield, DDS, says he’s seeing more adults embrace orthodontics, thanks to Invisalign, which can straighten a smile in less than two years. “You don’t have to wear traditional braces. You now have these invisible aligners to move your teeth, so that’s become very popular in the last 10 years,” he says. “Not a new invention, necessarily—but the technology has gotten so good that now we can do it very predictably.”
Related: This Therapy Treatment Can Help With Hormone Imbalances
