Can Cosmetic Dentist Help You Get Straighter Smile?

A cosmetic dentist can help improve all aspects of a smile's appearance, including alignment. They can offer a few treatments to straighten the teeth or make them appear straighter. If you are considering seeing a cosmetic dentist about your smile alignment, here is more about their services.

Overview of a cosmetic dentist

Before discussing how a cosmetic dentist straightens teeth, it is important to understand their focus. Cosmetic dentistry refers to an area of dentistry concerned with the smile's appearance. Because it is not an official specialty, any dentist can claim they are a "cosmetic dentist." Therefore, finding a cosmetic dentist who has purposefully and consistently dedicated time and resources to this area is important. We suggest seeking a dentist who has additional professional training, experience, and certifications in cosmetic dentistry.

Cosmetic treatments for a straighter smile

There are three main ways a cosmetic dentist usually goes about teeth straightening. Here is a closer look at these three treatments.

Braces and clear aligners

A cosmetic dentist may recommend that patients consider braces or clear aligners, especially for more moderate straightening needs. Braces are the metal brackets and wires most people are familiar with when it comes to teeth straightening. However, a cosmetic dentist may recommend a much shorter treatment time than an orthodontist would recommend. Clear aligners, a series of clear plastic trays, are popular treatments because they can accomplish moderate teeth straightening more discreetly. These are the only cosmetic straightening treatments that change the position of teeth.

Dental veneers

This procedure will not change the actual position of the teeth, but it can make them appear straightened when completed. Dental veneers are usually thin porcelain or composite resin shells that cover the fronts of the teeth, which are visible when someone smiles. This process involves filing down the natural teeth to accommodate the veneers and ensure they adhere properly. Once the veneers are in place, the teeth appear more aligned and uniform in size, shape, and color. This procedure can be expensive but does not involve the time commitment involved with braces or clear aligners.

Dental bonding and enamel shaping

These two procedures are often combined to reshape teeth, so they appear straighter. Enamel shaping removes a bit of enamel from teeth to give them a more appealing shape. Dental bonding adds composite resin material to the teeth to change their shape, add volume, and cover discolorations. With dental bonding, the cosmetic dentist places the composite resin on the tooth, shapes it, and then hardens it with a special light. These procedures tend to be the most economical way to make teeth appear straighter. However, these treatments are usually only an option for teeth with minor alignment issues.