If you’re unsatisfied with your smile, cosmetic dentistry is an excellent way to achieve the look you want. From veneers to bonding to teeth whitening treatments, there are several ways your cosmetic dentist can give your pearly whites an upgrade. As helpful as cosmetic dentistry is with fixing smile imperfections, it’s unwise to move forward with treatment if you have unaddressed oral health issues. Read on to learn why you need to have good oral health before you get work done by your cosmetic dentist.
Why Good Oral Health is Needed for Cosmetic Dentistry
If you have oral health issues like cavities, covering them up with cosmetic dental treatments isn’t the same as fixing them. It’s important to work with your dentist to come up with a treatment plan to keep the issue from spreading and to make your cosmetic procedure more likely to succeed. Before you undergo any cosmetic procedures, your dentist will do a thorough examination of the oral cavity to see if there are any issues that need to be addressed. If so, they will administer the necessary treatment. If not, they will likely give you the okay to move forward with your desired cosmetic procedure.
Problems That Require Treatment Before You Get Cosmetic Dentistry
Now that you know why it’s important to have oral health problems fixed before you get cosmetic dentistry, what kinds of issues require treatment? a few common ones include:
- Gum Disease This is an infection of the gums that can spread quickly and cause elective treatments to fail. In it’s early stages, gum disease is fairly easy to treat, and the damage can even be reversed.
- Tooth decay – Untreated cavities can damage the integrity of the tooth. Treatments like veneers may fail if the decay isn’t treated, and teeth whitening can irritate the tooth further.
- Bad Habits – If you don’t brush twice and floss once per day, you shouldn’t get cosmetic dentistry until you start maintaining good oral hygiene. Bad habits like this can causes cavities to form and keep teeth whitening results from lasting as long.
The thought of getting cosmetic dentistry to fix aesthetic issues with your pearly whites may be exciting, but make sure not to get ahead of yourself. By having any existing oral health issues treated before your cosmetic dentist beautifies your smile, you’ll be able to enjoy long-lasting results and a healthy, happy smile!
About the Author
When you see your smile in the mirror, do you like what you see? If not, Dr. Maria Maiorino and her talented, compassionate, and accommodating team at Columbus Dental Arts can help. They offer various cosmetic dental treatments that can cover up cracks, gaps, chips, discoloration, and more. Additionally, if you have oral health issues that need correcting, they can administer the care you need to get your smile back on track. To make an appointment or to learn more about the importance of having good oral health before you undergo cosmetic dentistry, call (609) 324-9500 or visit their website.