Cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving the appearance of your teeth, gums, and bite while restoring your smile to optimal health and function. With the help of a cosmetic dentist, you don’t need to be embarrassed about your smile. And don’t worry, you aren’t vain for wanting cosmetic dentistry. After all, a beautiful smile means healthy teeth, gums, and bite.

attractive woman in big, pink, fluffy turtleneck sweater
  1. Cracked or chipped teeth: You might not think that having a cracked or chipped tooth is a big deal and it might not even hurt…at first. Teeth that are cracked or chipped only tend to worsen, eventually exposing the nerve. That’s when you start to feel the pain. A tooth that is cracked or chipped allows bacteria where it shouldn’t be which can cause infection. Your chipped or cracked tooth may have come from an injury, teeth grinding (bruxism), chewing foods that are too hard or non-food items, too large of fillings, or age. Whatever the cause is, your cracked or chipped tooth not only looks unsightly, but it’s not healthy or functional either.
  2. Discolored teeth: Discolored teeth are a complaint that many people have and there are numerous causes for discoloration. From poor oral hygiene to certain drinks, smoking, aging, and the environment, your discoloration is preventing you from smiling with confidence. Not only that, but it could be a sign that you aren’t taking care of your teeth as well as you should be. When you fail to brush your teeth regularly, your teeth begin to yellow AND you’re at a higher risk for gum disease.
  3. Missing teeth: Maybe you had a tooth extraction or your tooth was knocked out in an accident, but you haven’t seen fit to get it replaced yet. Whether this tooth is front and center or tucked in the back, your mouth doesn’t function properly when you have missing teeth. Without a tooth root to stimulate your jawbone, it will begin to lose mass, and ultimately your face could begin to shrink inward making you look older than you are. This will also cause your bite to change. Your remaining teeth will have to bear bite force differently, straining the muscles in your jaw.
  4. Worn teeth: Worn teeth are usually due to grinding or bruxism which could be a result of TMJ disorder. Worn teeth tend to look short and are painful to the tooth’s nerve and jaw muscles.
  5. Small or misshapen teeth: Short or misshapen teeth aren’t the most attractive. Like the other cosmetic concerns on this list, they have unintended consequences, too, like trouble chewing and speaking.
  6. Mental Health: It has been shown that smiling makes you happier. Just like closing your eyes and pretending to sleep will help you fall asleep, smiling when you aren’t happy can dramatically change your mood. Studies have also pointed to optimism reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and declines in lung capacity and function. Being happy can help you live longer! When you are self-conscious about your smile, you hide it by not smiling and not engaging in social activities where you would need to show your teeth. This takes a toll on your mental health and can lead to anxiety and depression. Changing your smile can change your life.

Services That Can Help

Whitening: Teeth whitening can help to correct your discolored teeth. At Signature Dentistry of Rochester, we use KÖR Deep Bleaching. KÖR Deep Bleaching is a take-home teeth whitening system that will produce bright white smiles.

Dental Implants: Dental implants can replace your missing teeth. The implants themselves will keep your jaw healthy and the restoration will look and feel just like your natural teeth. With the tooth replacement option of dental implants, there is no reason not to have a full smile.

Porcelain Veneers: Porcelain veneers are a popular option to correct many different flaws in your teeth. They are thin shields of porcelain that cover the front of your teeth to protect them from further damage and change the way they look. Porcelain veneers can be used to fix discoloration, chips, gaps, misshapen, small, and crooked teeth.

Dental Bonding: Dental bonding or contouring is another popular option. Dental bonding can correct minor chips and minor misshapen teeth. Your cosmetic dentist, Dr. Matthew Wolfe, will use composite material to reshape your teeth.

Crown Lengthening: You can get a bigger and brighter smile with crown lengthening. Crown lengthening will remove excess gum tissue around your teeth so more of your crown (the white part) shows. This can correct short teeth but only when there is enough tooth below the gumline to uncover. If your teeth are truly short in length instead of just covered by excess gum tissue, Dr. Wolfe may recommend dental bonding, porcelain veneers, or crown work.

Laser Gum Contouring: Your teeth could be straight but still look crooked due to an uneven gum line. With laser gum contouring, you correct the appearance of crooked teeth.

Smile Makeover: Do you have more than one concern with your teeth? A smile makeover could be an option for you. A smile makeover is when we combine two or more treatments to give you a beautiful, full, and bright smile. Your cosmetic dentist will create a custom smile makeover plan to best suit your needs. Some treatments may take longer than others, but after it’s all said and done, you’ll be smiling with confidence.

Ready to Give Cosmetic Dentistry a Shot?

Making even one small change to the appearance of your smile could benefit your oral, overall, and mental health in Rochester Hills, MI. It’s never too late to take the first step in changing your life. Contact Dr. Wolfe today at (248) 651-0897 or request an appointment online to get started.