Cosmetic Dentistry in Washington

Veneers Cover Chips, Gaps, and Broad Shape Changes

You might like the color of your teeth but wish several looked more even. Veneers can address shape, size, color, and small gaps as part of a broader change. Each veneer is a custom-made porcelain shell bonded over the front of a tooth. The process typically takes two visits, since the veneers are made to fit your teeth rather than shaped directly on them during one appointment.

Veneers may be worth asking about if you’re noticing:

Several front teeth that look uneven in shape or size

Small gaps you’d like to make less noticeable

Chips or color differences across more than one tooth

The number of teeth involved matters, that’s often the clearest place to start the conversation. Veneers are a custom option for a broader smile change, while cosmetic bonding is a same-visit option for smaller flaws. If a tooth has more than a cosmetic concern, we’ll need to look at that before deciding whether veneers fit. To see what the process involves, read about Veneers in Washington.

Cosmetic Bonding Repairs Small Chips and Gaps in One Visit

Cosmetic bonding focuses on a small area of a tooth. If you have a minor chip, a narrow gap, or a spot of discoloration, we can talk about whether bonding fits. Tooth-colored composite resin is applied directly to the tooth and shaped to blend with it. Cosmetic bonding can often be done in one visit because it doesn’t need a custom-made shell.

This is a narrower fix than veneers. Bonding is a conservative, same-visit choice for a small flaw. Veneers are custom-made and better suited to someone considering a more complete change across several teeth. We’d rather help you name the concern first than assume you need the broader option. If the tooth is badly broken or has decay, that’s a dental care question before it’s a cosmetic one.

At your visit in Washington, you can point to the exact edge, gap, or mark that bothers you. We can look at the tooth and explain what cosmetic bonding can address. For a closer look at the treatment, visit Cosmetic Bonding in Washington.

Teeth Whitening Brightens Natural Tooth Color

Is color the only thing you’d like to change? Teeth whitening may be the simplest option to discuss. In-office teeth whitening lightens natural enamel without changing the shape of your teeth. It won’t close a gap or repair a chip. Those concerns call for a look at cosmetic bonding or veneers instead.

Before choosing teeth whitening, it helps to sort out what you’re seeing:

Natural teeth that look darker than you’d like

A chip or gap that will still be there after whitening

Older bonding or fillings that may not lighten like natural enamel

That last point can be easy to miss. Teeth whitening works on natural tooth color, not the color of existing dental materials. If one tooth looks different because of older work, whitening alone may not give you the even look you have in mind. We can take a look and help you set a clear goal for your visit. Read more about Teeth Whitening in Washington.

Ready to learn more about veneers? Read about Veneers in Washington.

Call Associates in Dentistry at 300 Peoria St, Washington, IL, to schedule a cosmetic dentistry consultation.