Cosmetic dentistry is a phrase we hear a lot of in the media and in advertisements. But, what does it really refer to? And, who is qualified to do these procedures?   Cosmetic dentistry is not a specialty and is something that all dentists should strive to perfect in their lifelong professional quest to create a healthful, functional, and esthetically pleasing smile. In general, we all agree that a symmetrical and even line of teeth is attractive. And, white teeth that are naturally uniform in shape and color can be a beautiful feature. After all, your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you: and, as we all know, you often only have one chance to make a good first impression. Unfortunately, sometimes nature throws a curveball and a person’s teeth may be mal-aligned, discolored, or ravaged by disease, or a traumatic accident. For all of these cases dentistry can offer patient’s various ways to restore a healthy, natural and radiant smile.One of the many ways that we can restore a bright smile is tooth whitening. This is often called bleaching the teeth. There are many different techniques and brand names that all vie for dominance in the market place and for peoples’ attention. However, all of the techniques are very much the same and involve using peroxide based bleach that needs to be in contact with the tooth to lighten its color. Some marketing claims purport to be superior to others; however, all the systems offer similar results. There are three basic ways to bleach the teeth. 1) In-office systems, 2) doctor supplied take-home systems, and 3) over-the-counter products that you can purchase in retail stores. In-office systems cost more; however, they offer faster results and allow the patient access to their doctor if they develop any temporary side effects due to the process. Temporary side effects are mainly limited to cold sensitivity and sometimes spontaneous sensitivity. In all cases, this is reversible, and easily applied fluoride treatments speed the recovery greatly. Doctor supplied take-home treatments require the fabrication of a model of your mouth from a dental impression. Then, a soft custom tray is made that fits over your teeth. It is usually very soft and well tolerated by the patient. A peroxide bleaching gel that is weaker than the in-office solution is placed in the bleaching tray and worn for a prescribed amount of time. Over-the-counter products come in various forms, but the most popular are clear, thin adhesive strips that stick onto the teeth. They are worn for a prescribed amount of time until the desired effect is achieved. All of the methods can be effective; it is often just a matter of patient preference. In-office treatments offer instant gratification.
 
Common questions related to bleaching are about damage to the tooth structure and if the results are permanent. Bleaching has been around for a long time and all of the side effects are transient. The procedure does not harm the tooth enamel and damage it in any way. The results are permanent in that the color of the tooth is changed physically. However, as we continue to age and, depending on our dietary intake, the teeth will continue to darken naturally. This is a natural phenomenon that takes place over years, not months.
 
One note of caution: if a person has previously placed white fillings or crowns in their mouth, these will not bleach with the natural teeth. Therefore, these crowns and fillings that are in the front of the mouth may need to be changed after bleaching is completed. And, different teeth respond to the process differently. This applies to the degree of side effects and the speed at which the teeth lighten. Some teeth are very resistant to the process and require much more time to bleach than others.
 
Another procedure which is very effective in designing a beautiful smile is porcelain veneers. This procedure allows the dentist to change many aspects of the esthetics of the teeth that go way beyond just lightening the color. Tooth size, shape, and misalignment are just some of the things that can also be corrected by laminates.  This procedure requires the dentist to prepare the enamel surface of the tooth by sometimes reducing from 0.3-1.5mm on the front surface. A dental impression is taken to fabricate models on which the laminates are made. The laminates are thin wafers of porcelain that are bonded to the tooth. Because the laminates are thin they can transmit light through them like natural enamel, this makes them look and feel like natural teeth.
 
In order for your doctor to know what type of tooth shape and color is appropriate, a thorough consultation and diagnostic work-up should be done. This will often include pre-treatment models that are used to create a wax replica of the planned treatment. The dentist can share this with you and get your response the proposed result; it may even be possible to due a pre-treatment try-in directly in your mouth. Ask you dentist about it.Finally, it is important to stress that all cosmetic procedures are only as good as the foundation upon which they are built. This means that you should always seek to have a complete examination that will assess the health of all your teeth and the surrounding gums and bone before starting a course of cosmetic dentistry. This may require x-rays of the teeth and various procedures to clean the teeth, as well. Despite the effort, it will be an enhancement of one of your greatest assets, your smile.

People develop various types of edible habits during the fast paced modern lifestyle. To escape from the heavy mental stress, they often foam diverse habits like constant smoking, consumption of alcohol, chewing a mixture of tobacco and lime, edible intake of colored sweetening agents. As a result they spoil their teeth very badly and they start developing inferior complex within them while interacting with others or laughing. The person is ashamed of his badly stained or yellow teeth and he tries various to keep it sparkling white and clean but it is hard to get desired result. The best way to get the expected teeth whitening is to consult a reputed dentist; he would first examine your teeth and offer you the best solution for your teeth. The medicated treatments are safe against any side effect or causing any damages on the teeth and gums as they are proven and tested methods for the dental care. With the ever developing medical science, it has contributed a lot in the field of dentistry. The modern dentistry is well equipped with the quick remedies of every dental related solution.Brisbane in Australia is highly benefitted with the novel dental treatment. Brisbane dentist is highly renowned for unique dental services. They offer diverse types of dental related service inclusive of cosmetic dentistry. Brisbane Cosmetic dentistry is highly useful for unevenly grown, shapeless or broken teeth. Cosmetic dentistry is mainly used in uprooting the shapeless or bent teeth and plant with a new teeth made from toughened material of ceramic or porcelain. Cosmetic dentistry is really a blessing for the complete dental treatment and care.There are many teeth whitening Brisbane systems are into to the field of modern dentistry and Brisbane is highly renowned for its revolutionary zoom whitening Brisbane dental treatment. Zoom whitening is also known as laser whitening system. A mixture of rich whitening and bleaching agents is applied on the teeth and being activated with the help of laser beam. The beam moves the reacted mixture from teeth to teeth. The teeth whitening system offers complete cleaning of the treatment, removing the bad odors from the mouth and provides a sparkling whiteness to the teeth removing all the bad stains and yellow tint on the teeth. This is the most safe and fastest teeth whitening system does not create any side effect.The other popular teeth whitening systems are known as over the counter teeth whitening system, loaded tray teeth whitening systems etc. Over the counter teeth whitening system is easy to be used even at home by following the printed instructions mentioned by the manufacturers of the teeth whitening products. The procedure takes around 4 – 5 months to offer the result but the desired result is not guaranteed. Loaded tray system is inclusive of a tray fixed into the gum, loaded with some carbamide gel mixed with some other bleaching agents. When the saliva mixes with the mixture, the mixture of the chemicals activates and releases hydrogen peroxide to clean the system. The system takes 3 – 4 weeks but offers the expected outcome.

Sedation allows dentists to create a state of relaxation and thus manage the fear and pain patients may experience during dental procedures. There are several different types of sedation in dentistry.Local anesthesia is administered by injecting medication into tissue or by applying a medication topically to an area to eliminate sensation.Minimal sedation is used most frequently in dentistry and usually involves taking medications orally. All bodily functions remain normal and the person is able to breathe on his or her own. The patient may respond normally to verbal commands and may experience some degree of amnesia about what happened during their dental appointment. Nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” may be used to achieve minimal sedation and in combination with a recommended dosage of oral medication.Moderate sedation is achieved by using medications that can be taken orally or intravenously (IV). Patients who undergo moderate sedation are awake and respond to touch and/or verbal commands. All bodily functions remain normal, and the patient does not need assistance breathing.What are the advantages and disadvantages of sedation in dentistry?Minimal and moderate sedation reduce anxiety that is typically associated with dentistry and allow the patient to relax. The amnesia usually associated with these methods also is a plus for many patients. However, sedation in dentistry does have disadvantages. Minimal sedation usually cannot be administered to patients with respiratory problems like emphysema or asthma or those who are sensitive to the class of drugs used for minimal sedation. With moderate sedation, the level of sedation cannot be adjusted without administering additional medications and sensitivity to certain medications can be a factor. Also, the patient should be prepared for supervision after the dental visit until the effects of the medications have passed. This applies to sedation administered both orally and intravenously. With intravenous deep sedation, a needle has to be put in the arm or hand, so it may not be the most relaxing method if you are afraid of needles. It is possible to experience complications, such as hematoma (a localized swelling filled with blood) at the site where the needle entered. In addition, recovery from IV-administered or oral medications may not be complete at the end of dental treatment, so the patient should be prepared to be escorted home by a responsible adult.Is it safe?Sedation is safe although you should talk to your dentist and/or the specialist and gain a thorough understanding of how it works and what is expected of you before the procedure. Your medical history will be examined comprehensively to ensure safe sedation and your vital signs will be monitored throughout the entire procedure to confirm that your blood pressure, pulse rate, and blood oxygen levels are normal.