In the past,
dental fillings and other
tooth restorations were made of
gold, amalgam, and other
metals -- some of which were
veneered with
porcelain. Now, dental work
can be made entirely of
porcelain or composite materials
that more closely mimic the
appearance of natural tooth
structure. These tooth colored
materials are bonded to the
underlying tooth structure with
resin adhesives.
Today's common cosmetic
dental treatment options
include:
Whitening - Bleaching
is the most commonly prescribed
cosmetic dental procedure. While
many whitening options are now
available, dentist-supervised
treatments remain the
recommended procedures for
lightening discolored teeth.
Enamel shaping -
Enamel shaping removes parts of
the contouring enamel to improve
the appearance of the tooth.[1]
It may be used to correct a very
small chip.[2]
The removed enamel is
irreplaceable. It is also known
as enamelplasty, odontoplasty,
recontouring, reshaping,
slenderizing, and stripping.
Bonding - Bonding is
an option for chipped or cracked
teeth. It is a process in which
an enamel-like
dental composite material is
applied to a tooth's surface,
sculpted into shape, hardened,
and then polished.[3]
Veneers - An
increasingly popular procedure,
veneers are ultra-thin,
custom-made laminates that are
affixed directly to the teeth.
They are an option for closing
gaps or disguising discolored
teeth that did not respond well
to whitening procedures.
References
Teeth Whitening Reference
![[1]](http://www.paperandpaperless.com/ADA/FinalEnamelShapingP2.jpg){kind=link}