If you feel unhappy with your smile, teeth contouring can be a highly effective way to alter the appearance of your teeth. While the individual changes are minuscule, the operation as a whole can add up to give you a far brighter smile holistically, and one which reflects how you really feel. However, before you put your name down for the operation there are a few things it is best to know first.
What is teeth contouring most effective for?
Teeth contouring is very effective for dealing with teeth which slightly overlap. This can be a major advantage in some cases as it can bypass the need for braces, avoiding a long painstaking experience which can potentially disrupt your life while you are adjusting to them. Teeth contouring is thus a popular, affordable option for adults with minor overlapping in their teeth who do not want to deal with the whole experience of getting braces.
Teeth contouring will normally involve the removal of mere millimetres of enamel. The fact that it is the enamel being removed, and not anything deeper, is a bonus because it means that the surgery does not come near any sensitive nerve endings. Subsequently, the whole surgery can be performed both painlessly and efficiently. While this has a very small area of noticeable effect, when people are certain they know what part of their smile they want to be changed, a millimetre can make all the difference in transforming a smile.
What is involved in teeth contouring?
Teeth contouring, also called tooth reshaping, can be the perfect process for solving some teeth troubles, although it should be considered carefully before being pursued. The dentist will first x-ray your teeth, ensuring they are healthy and it is safe for the procedure to go ahead, and then mark the areas that are to be contoured with a pen. The areas are then contoured with an intricate sanding machine, which disposes of the areas of enamel marked for removal before the teeth are given a final smooth and polish as a finishing touch.
The process is cosmetic and therefore not available to have done on the NHS, as it is not an essential matter of oral health. However, it can be carried out more cheaply per tooth than full cosmetic surgery.
What can the disadvantages of teeth contouring be?
Teeth contouring is certainly both a cheap and convenient process, and it can be easy to find a specialist who will perform it to the highest level. However, the small scale of the resulting changes means that for some people, who want to significantly alter the appearance of their teeth, there is too little difference for the operation to be worthwhile.
People in this situation may be better off with other cosmetic options such as veneers or aligners. The fact that the work is done on the enamel can also raise issues worth discussing with your dentist. If too much enamel is taken off it carries the risk that the enamel will become thin and you will be left with sensitive teeth. If too much enamel is removed there can even be the risk of a break.
This is very rare, but be certain to always check with your dentist, and find the best professionals you can for the job.
