How to Reshape Your Smile, Literally

Your smile doesn’t take up much surface area on your face, but it’s still one of your most dominant facial features (next to your eyes). Because of the limited space, cosmetic dental techniques focus on achieving maximum results with minimal need to alter healthy tooth structure. If the size or shape of one or more of your teeth is at odds with your smile’s harmony, then Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas might recommend tooth bonding and/or contouring, which can change the appearance of your teeth without drastically changing their structure.

The Highlights of Dental Bonding & Contouring

Tooth bonding and tooth contouring are like adding and subtracting from your tooth, respectively. If your tooth is severely stained, chipped, spaced too far from another tooth, or shorter than the teeth around it, then Dr. Loukas can bond tooth-colored composite resin to it and conceal its flaws. The resin is carefully tinted to match your tooth’s exact color, and after it’s carefully bonded to your tooth, Dr. Loukas will sculpt it to the ideal shape and polish it for a lifelike shine.

By contrast, if your tooth overlaps another, has a jagged or pointy edge, or appears longer than those around it, then tooth contouring can help bring it down to size and smooth the tooth’s outline. Tooth contouring is a conservative procedure that involves carefully sculpting the tooth to match the rest of your smile.

The Restorative Arm of Tooth Bonding

As a cosmetic enhancement, tooth-colored resin can provide a significant improvement in little time. As a restorative treatment, resin is quickly becoming a popular to more conventional metal dental fillings. Though strong and highly-effective, metal fillings can fail if they change shape due to extreme temperatures, or if bacteria slips between the metal and your tooth’s surface. Composite resin offers a discreet alternative to conspicuous metal, and since they can be bonded to your tooth, white fillings are also more effective at preventing reinfection.

About Your Park Ridge Dentists:

We can rebuild your smile if it’s compromised by cosmetic issues, or by cavities, gum disease, or tooth loss, but preventing such issues with improved dental hygiene can help you avoid the need for complex treatment later. Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas are highly-skilled cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentists serving the Park Ridge and surrounding Chicago communities. To schedule an appointment, call Loukas General Dentistry today at (847) 696-1919.