Cosmetic Dentistry Services: Look & Feel Your Best
Your smile works hard to help you look and feel your best, but when your smile isn’t looking its best, you may be less inclined to show it off. If you’re struggling to feel confident in your smile due to issues such as cracks, chips, and discoloration, don’t worry. Bakersfield cosmetic dentist, Dr. Jonathan Garger, and the rest of the staff at Gentle Family Dentistry can help you feel confident in your smile again.
If you have further questions about our cosmetic services, don’t hesitate to call our Kern County dental practice by dialing (661) 664-9900 to learn more.
What Are Cosmetic Dentistry Services?
Cosmetic dentistry services are dental treatments focused on improving the aesthetics of your smile by restoring, repairing, and replacing damaged, lost, discolored, and misaligned teeth. Cosmetic dentists play a crucial role in planning and performing these treatments to enhance the appearance of your smile.
Cosmetic dentistry can refer to a wide array of services and often crosses lines with other types of dentistry, especially restorative dentistry methods like dental implants and dental crowns. Many of these treatments involve custom-made solutions created in a dental laboratory, ensuring a perfect fit and natural look. While some cosmetic dentistry services, such as veneers and whitening, are almost purely aesthetic, many cosmetic dentistry services can also improve your oral health.
Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry Services
Enhanced Smile Aesthetics
Cosmetic dentistry can address various dental imperfections, including discoloration, gaps, chips, and misalignment, resulting in a more attractive and symmetrical smile. Professional teeth whitening can effectively remove stains, leaving you with a brighter, more youthful appearance.
Youthful Appearance
Many cosmetic procedures, such as whitening and veneers, can help you achieve a more youthful look. By extending short or worn teeth using crowns, veneers, or bonding, you can appear several years younger.
Increased Self-Confidence
A beautiful smile can significantly boost your self-esteem, making you feel more confident in social and professional settings. This newfound confidence can lead to improved social interactions and potentially better opportunities in various aspects of life.
Improved Mental Well-being
When you’re no longer self-conscious about your smile, you can fully engage in the present moment without worrying about hiding your teeth. This can lead to reduced anxiety and increased happiness.
Enhanced Dental Health
Many cosmetic procedures contribute to better oral health. Procedures like tooth contouring are designed to enhance your smile while preserving as much of the natural tooth structure as possible. For example, straightening misaligned teeth can make them easier to clean, reducing the risk of decay and gum disease.
Bite Correction
Some cosmetic treatments, like Invisalign, can correct bite issues. Addressing these problems can alleviate symptoms such as recurring headaches, jaw pain, and uneven tooth wear.
Prevention of Future Issues
Certain cosmetic procedures, such as bonding, can repair minor damage before it becomes a more significant problem. This proactive approach can save you from more extensive and costly treatments in the future.
Improved Chewing and Speaking
Cosmetic dentistry can address issues that affect your ability to chew properly or speak clearly. For instance, replacing missing teeth with implants or bridges can restore full functionality to your mouth.
Long-Lasting Results
Many cosmetic dentistry treatments offer durable results. With proper care, some procedures can keep your smile looking great for a decade or longer without the need for retreatment.
Minimally Invasive Options
Advances in dental technology have made it possible to achieve remarkable results with minimally invasive procedures, reducing discomfort and recovery time.
Improved Health
By addressing dental issues, cosmetic dentistry can contribute to better health. For example, correcting misaligned teeth can improve digestion by enhancing chewing efficiency.
Our Cosmetic Dental Treatments
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is the process of removing stains and discoloration from your teeth to reveal a brighter, whiter smile. While there are many forms of teeth whitening and whitening products out there, Gentle Family Dentistry offers in-office whitening with ZOOM! and at-home whitening with take-home whitening trays. Our professional whitening treatments are tailor-made to your unique dental needs, helping to ensure safety and effectiveness no matter which option you choose.
Veneers
Veneers are thin, tooth-shaped shells adhered to the fronts of your teeth. They immediately improve your smile by concealing the look of cosmetic dental flaws such as cracks, chips, and discoloration.
At Gentle Family Dentistry, we offer long-lasting porcelain veneers as well as Lumineers®, which don’t require enamel removal to install. With veneers, Dr. Garger can quickly and effectively improve your smile, using just one treatment.
Crowns
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped, cap-like restorations that have restorative as well as cosmetic benefits. They’re placed over your teeth to fully restore the look and function of your smile. Crowns are versatile restorations, often used to protect a tooth after root canal therapy or to top off a dental implant.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are considered the gold standard in tooth replacement. These lifelike dental prostheses replace the entirety of a missing tooth from root to crown, offering a stable foundation for the restoration.
Not only will dental implants not shift around or fall out, but they’ll also help prevent tooth-loss-related health issues such as loss of jawbone density (resorption) and gum disease. Even better, dental implants can last twenty years to a lifetime with proper dental hygiene and regular dental exams.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Tooth-colored fillings are alternatives to traditional fillings, which repair your teeth while blending in seamlessly with your natural smile. Not only do tooth-colored fillings match the surrounding tooth material, but they also don’t come with many of the problems often caused by traditional fillings.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are restorations made of a row of false teeth called pontics, designed to complete your smile after tooth loss. Dental bridges are often used as an alternative to dental implants because they’re held in place by dental crowns secured over the healthy teeth adjacent to the gap in your smile. With dental bridges, patients can more quickly and easily restore their smiles after tooth loss.
Dentures
Full and partial dentures are simple, affordable, and effective ways to restore your smile. Dentures can be designed to work seamlessly with your remaining natural teeth, providing a cohesive and functional smile. Today’s dentures are better made than ever, allowing patients to replace a few teeth or entire arches of teeth with restorations that blend seamlessly into their smile. Dentures are highly accessible with many patients being able to afford them and wear them without much issue.
Orthodontics
Orthodontic treatments are designed to straighten your teeth, resulting in a more attractive, healthier smile. Gentle Family Dentistry offers alternatives to traditional metal braces, including Invisalign® and SureSmile®. These methods allow patients to enjoy an orthodontic treatment that’s faster, more comfortable, and far more discreet than metal braces.
Smile Makeovers
A smile makeover is a comprehensive cosmetic dentistry treatment that aims to transform the appearance of your smile. It involves a combination of cosmetic dental procedures tailored to address your unique needs and goals. A smile makeover can correct a range of issues, including crooked or misaligned teeth, tooth decay, damaged teeth, and missing teeth.
During a smile makeover, your cosmetic dentist will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific concerns. This may involve teeth whitening, dental bonding, porcelain veneers, dental implants, or other cosmetic dentistry procedures. The goal of a smile makeover is to create a more balanced, symmetrical, and aesthetically pleasing smile that enhances your appearance and confidence.
Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist in Bakersfield, CA
Choosing the right cosmetic dentist in Bakersfield, CA, is crucial to achieving the smile of your dreams. Here are some tips to help you find a qualified and experienced cosmetic dentist:
- Check credentials: Look for a cosmetic dentist who is certified by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) or the American Dental Association (ADA).
- Experience: Choose a cosmetic dentist with extensive experience in performing the procedures you’re interested in.
- Portfolio: Review the dentist’s portfolio to see examples of their work and the results they’ve achieved for other patients.
- Technology: Ensure the dentist uses the latest technology and equipment to ensure accurate diagnoses and effective treatments.
- Communication: Choose a cosmetic dentist who listens to your concerns and communicates clearly about your treatment options and expectations.
- Reviews: Check online reviews from other patients to get an idea of the dentist’s reputation and level of care.
By following these tips, you can find a qualified and experienced cosmetic dentist in Bakersfield, CA, who can help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exact cost of your cosmetic dentistry service will depend on numerous factors including which services you want, the extent of the problems you want to treat, and your insurance. Dr. Garger and the rest of the team at Gentle Family Dentistry encourage you to call your insurance provider beforehand and ask them which costs they can cover. Gentle Family Dentistry accepts many different forms of insurance and we also offer financing options, including CareCredit.
Many cosmetic dentistry services are completely painless. Some cosmetic dentistry procedures, such as implant placement and placing tooth-colored fillings, will require the use of an anesthetic. If you have dental sensitivity and experience pain during what should be a painless cosmetic dentistry procedure, we can also use an anesthetic to help make you more comfortable.
Some cosmetic dentistry services will only impact the look of your smile, but oftentimes a service will benefit your oral health as well. For example, porcelain veneers can help replace lost or damaged enamel, reducing dental sensitivity. Dr. Garger can tell you more about your cosmetic dentistry service during your initial consultation.
Cosmetic dentistry services are designed to address the problems that make our smiles look less appealing. Common cosmetic issues cosmetic dentistry can solve include:
- Crooked Teeth
- Cracks
- Misshapen Teeth
- Gaps
- Discoloration
- Missing teeth
Call Gentle Family Dentistry For Cosmetic Dentistry Services
At Gentle Family Dentistry, Dr. Garger and our staff can help you look and feel your best by improving the look of your smile. Dr. Garger offers his decades of dental expertise and cosmetic dentistry services to patients from Bakersfield, and surrounding areas such as Gosford, Alameda, and Lakeview, CA.
If you’re ready to enjoy the benefits of a better smile, contact Gentle Family Dentistry by dialing (661) 664-9900. You can also fill out the contact form at the bottom of the page and a friendly team member will get back to you shortly.