Teeth contouring is a cosmetic procedure that helps patients improve their smile’s appearance significantly. However, it is not always the right treatment because it involves the removal of some of your tooth enamel. There are several factors to consider before deciding whether contouring is the cosmetic treatment that you actually need.
Minor Issues Only
Teeth contouring is only effective and safe to perform when the cosmetic changes are minor. The enamel of your teeth cannot be regrown, so removing any amount of it is a permanent change to your smile’s health. Removing too much enamel affects your dental health significantly.
When deciding between contouring and other procedures, you must consider how drastic of a change you want to have. If the ideal image of your smile is vastly different from its current state, a porcelain veneer can provide the desired level of treatment more safely.
Gentle Enamel Care
Your enamel can be worn down by a variety of factors, from the food you eat to how aggressive your teeth brushing regimen is. When you have some enamel removed for teeth contouring, you may have to change your habits to better protect your remaining enamel. Not only will further enamel loss risk the health of your teeth, but the benefits of your contouring procedure might be reversed as well. To prevent both oral health issues or reaching for the same aesthetic goal twice, do not undergo teeth contouring treatments until you have eliminated the risk factors that will wear down your enamel.
Differing Size Needs
It is one thing to narrow or shorten a tooth, but it is another to narrow a tooth while lengthening it or to shorten a tooth while widening it.
Teeth contouring may not be for you if you want your teeth to be smaller in one dimension and larger in another. For example, teeth that are too long and too skinny can only have their height treated with contouring, which leaves undesired gaps untreated. If you need to make multiple changes to the appearance of the teeth, composite bonding or a porcelain veneer might be a more effective treatment for you.
Contact Us Today for Cosmetic Dental Care
Arlington Comfort Dental provides cosmetic dentistry in Arlington Heights, Palatine, and Buffalo Grove. We provide teeth contouring if it is the procedure that best meets your needs, and our practice can offer other cosmetic dental procedures if contouring is not the right answer for your specific needs. For more information about how we can enhance your smile’s appearance, call us and schedule your next appointment today!