Your smile is your most valuable social asset. Research by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry shows that people who have perfectly aligned, pearly-white teeth, and a beautiful smile are often perceived as successful, confident, and attractive. While some people are naturally gifted with a charming smile, others are not that lucky. If you have crooked, chipped or missing teeth affecting your smile and self-confidence, then there is no need to worry. Thanks to modern cosmetic dentistry, your dentist can fix even the most complicated and complex aesthetic problems.
But how do dentists fix damaged teeth? You might ask. The answer is that they use various cosmetic restorations and tooth replacements, also known as “false teeth” to restore cosmetic tooth defects. This article explains how tooth restorations, or false teeth, can help you get rid of your cosmetic facial flaws, and enjoy a youthful, healthy, and attractive smile.
What Are Fake Teeth Called?
As the name implies, fake teeth are called such because they are not the real teeth. However, apart from that, modern tooth replacement and restoration options are made from such high-quality materials that they are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth in terms of their appearance.
- Veneers and Crowns – If you have a chipped or a crooked tooth, your dentist will cosmetically restore it by placing tooth coloured veneer or crown over it. A veneer is a thin shell made of porcelain attached to the teeth’ front surface to mask cosmetic and structural defects. On the other hand, a crown is a tooth-coloured restoration that sits on the entire visible surface of a tooth and is used for masking tooth stains, reinforcing damaged teeth, and aesthetically correcting minor tooth misalignments.
- Dentures and Bridges – If your cosmetic issue is your missing natural teeth, your dentist can use various options to replace them – such as the removable dentures, bridges, and implants. A denture is a removable appliance which contains the false teeth and sits over soft tissues overlying the gap created by a missing tooth. A partial denture is used to replace a few missing teeth while a complete denture is used to replace a full set of missing teeth. On the other hand, a bridge is a fixed appliance that gains support from the healthy teeth on either side to replace the missing teeth.
- Dental Implants – Currently, the most popular option for replacing missing teeth is dental implants. An implant is a screw-shaped, metallic fixture that your dentist will insert into the jawbone, and it serves as a replacement root. The implants have a unique capability to form intimate contact with the neighbouring jaw bone, thereby serving as a firm foundation for any tooth replacement attached to it. Among all the tooth replacement options currently available, the dental implants are the most durable, reliable, and aesthetically pleasant options. Whether you need a single, multiple or complete tooth replacement, you can benefit from dental implants.
How Do Fake Teeth Stay In?
Your dentist will use various options to restore cosmetically flawed teeth. If you have one or two crooked teeth, your dentist may choose to fix them using porcelain veneers. The veneers can simply be bonded to the prepared teeth using an adhesive – which offers an excellent bond strength, allowing the veneers to remain attached to the teeth for many years, even decades. Even if the veneers fall off, your dentist may rebond it back to the tooth.
Another cosmetic option is snap-on veneers. These veneers are custom-made, removable veneers which you can remove at your own will. The snap-on veneers fit your teeth perfectly, as they are designed carefully after making impressions of your teeth and mouth. Despite being very thin, the snap-on veneers are quite durable, and they won’t affect your speech capability. Most importantly, they will blend in perfectly with your teeth and give you a naturally beautiful smile.
Why Are Fake Teeth Made Of Porcelain?
There are 3 primary reasons that fake teeth made of porcelain:
- Porcelain is convenient as dental technicians can use different types and shades of porcelains to match your teeth’ appearance.
- Dental porcelains have a shine or “translucence” which is similar to the natural teeth.
- The dental restorations made from porcelain can easily bond to the prepared tooth structure.
The ultimate result is a restoration that is virtually indistinguishable from your teeth.
Do Fake Teeth Feel Different?
Thanks to modern cosmetic dentistry, artificial teeth, especially the implant-supported teeth, look, feel, and function just like the natural ones. Of course, the material used for making the artificial teeth and restorations is different from what teeth are composed. You may have a slightly different “feel” with them initially. However, you will soon get used to them, and they will become a part of your oral cavity.
What Are Permanent Fake Teeth Called?
There are different forms and types of permanent fake teeth. Some of these include:
- Bonding – bonding refers to a cosmetic treatment option in which your dentist restores a damaged tooth using tooth-coloured filling materials – the resin composites. In addition to possessing the capability to bond directly to the tooth, their colour and the shade can be precisely matched with the natural teeth. As a result, they restore tooth function as well as aesthetics.
- Veneers – these are very thin shells of porcelain which can be bonded directly to the prepared teeth. Dentists use veneers for correcting minor cosmetic defects. They are also used for masking teeth stains and cosmetically correcting slight tooth misalignments.
- Crowns – a crown is a restoration that rests over the entire visible portion of the tooth. It is used to reinforce a grossly damaged toot, and mask moderate to severe cosmetic defects such as fractures tooth chipping. Crowns are also used to restore genetically misshaped teeth.
When it comes to giving you the smile of your dreams, your dentist has many tools under his or her belt. Did you know that you there is a cosmetic procedure, the cosmetic smile design, which you can actually see – even before your treatment begins -how your teeth and smile will look like after your treatment? How convenient would that be? Before investing your time and money on cosmetic treatment, you have the option to visualise your future smile and be able to virtually design it the way you want it to be?
For the residents of Didcot and Oxford, The Oxford Smile Clinics now offer you a free smile design consultation. So, what are you waiting for? Book an appointment with us today and be the creator of your smile.