Cosmetic dentistry can fix a host of problems, both minor and major. If you have a gummy smile or teeth that are stained, damaged, decayed, or missing, you can turn to cosmetic dentistry for a solution. Even if you have a host of complex dental issues that need to be treated, cosmetic dentistry can give your smile a completely new appearance and renewed functionality. Additionally, crowding can impede at home dental care. Cosmetic dentistry can help alleviate and combat crowding – preventing future dental issues from ever occurring.

Some cosmetic dentistry treatments, such as teeth whitening, only have cosmetic benefits, but plenty of other treatments have real benefits to your oral health. When you lose a tooth, your remaining teeth tend to shift into the gap left by the missing tooth, making chewing more difficult and putting your teeth at risk for decay and gum disease. By filling that gap, bridges and implants keep your teeth where they belong and protect them. Implants work double duty, stimulating your jawbone to prevent the bone loss that is caused by losing a tooth. Even veneers, which are commonly applied to patients’ teeth for cosmetic purposes, can work to protect teeth where they have cracked, chipped, or the enamel has worn thin. While all cosmetic treatments do improve or restore the appearance of your smile, many of them also improve, restore, and protect its function as well.

Unfortunately, there are stains that professional teeth whitening treatments can’t fix. Often, these stains are acquired in early childhood or result from certain antibiotics, an injury to the tooth during its development, or too much fluoride exposure. Other stains acquired during adulthood, such as dark brown stains, may not respond well to teeth whitening treatments.

In such cases, dental veneers  are the best way to rid yourself of the stain. Veneers are a thin layer of porcelain that is adhered to your natural teeth; you can get a single veneer to cover up one stained tooth, or you can transform your smile with multiple veneers. Since they are completely customizable, you’re able to choose their shape and size, and they are matched to your natural teeth in gloss and color, making them indistinguishable from the surrounding teeth.

Teeth whitening will not lighten your crowns or veneers. If you aren’t happy with the shade of your teeth, it’s important to get a professional whitening treatment before you get a crown, veneer, or similar treatment. When you’re getting a crown, for example, the porcelain material is matched to the current color of your teeth, allowing it to blend in and look natural. If you whiten your teeth after it’s been installed, the crown will stand out against your whiter natural teeth.

Whether or not your dental insurance covers a treatment depends upon what treatment you’re getting and what your individual company’s policy is. Most companies will help pay for a dental crown, for example, as the procedure is considered restorative, but many won’t help pay for an implant, a whitening treatment, or sometimes other cosmetic dentistry treatments. Again, amounts and coverage is dependent upon your individual policy and provider. So please be sure to reference your policy before discussing treatment.