Do you avoid smiling because you have damaged or missing teeth? If so, you should know that you do not have to avoid smiling forever. If you want to have a great smile again, a cosmetic dentist can help. Depending on the type of damage or the number of missing teeth you have, a cosmetic dentist will provide you with some options to help restore your smile.

Here are three cosmetic dentistry options for damaged or missing teeth.

1. Dental Implants

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that gets placed in the jawbone. Once the implant is in place, a crown gets placed on the abutment of a dental implant to make it look like a real tooth. Besides serving as a replacement for damaged or missing teeth, dental implants provide the following benefits:

• Prevent the bone from deteriorating
• Offer more comfort than partial dentures
• Restores natural chewing abilities
• Keeps the gum line intact

One more benefit of dental implants is that you can once again eat all your favorite foods.

2. Tooth Bonding

If your teeth are discolored, cracked, or chipped, tooth bonding is a good option to restore the appearance of your teeth. Tooth bonding provides an alternative to amalgam fillings, plus they can fill in gaps between the teeth and change the shape of the teeth. During the tooth bonding process, a cosmetic dentist applies a composite resin to the surface of the tooth. The cosmetic dentist uses the shade of resin that most closely matches your tooth.

Tooth bonding is a minimally invasive procedure that does not require anesthesia. Compared to other types of cosmetic dentistry, tooth bonding is also inexpensive and can be done quickly. The procedure usually only takes up to one hour per tooth.

3. Indirect Fillings

Also called inlays and onlays, indirect fillings are often used as an alternative to crowns. Indirect fillings are made from either porcelain or composite materials and are used to restore the appearance of teeth that are damaged or decayed. Unlike other types of cosmetic dentistry, indirect fillings can last a lifetime and the procedure will never need to be repeated.

Indirect fillings also provide the following benefits:

• Provide a more natural color for your teeth
• Help to protect your teeth from future damage and decay
• Make your teeth stronger

Since indirect fillings get cemented directly to the tooth, there is no room for bacteria to get inside the crevices of the teeth or gums. This means you will have an increased chance of optimal oral health.

For more information, contact a cosmetic dentist in your area.