Cosmetic dentistry is generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance (though not necessarily the function) of a person's teeth, gums and/or bite.

Teeth Whitening (Dental Bleaching):

Tooth whitening lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discoloration. Whitening is among the most popular cosmetic dental procedures because it can greatly improve how your teeth look. Most dentists perform tooth whitening.

Whitening is not a one-time procedure. It will need to be repeated from time to time if you want to maintain the brighter color.

Dental Bonding :

Dental bonding is a dental procedure in which a dentist applies a tooth-colored resin material (a durable plastic material) and cures it with visible, blue light. This ultimately "bonds" the material to the tooth and improves the overall appearance of teeth.

Tooth bonding techniques have various clinical applications including operative dentistry and preventive dentistry as well as cosmeticand pediatric dentistry, prosthodontics, and orthodontics.

Discoloration of a Tooth :

Your teeth can become discolored by stains on the surface or by changes in the tooth material. There are three main types of tooth discoloration:

1. Extrinsic discoloration — This occurs when the outer layer of the tooth (the enamel) is stained. Coffee, wine, cola or other drinks or foods can stain teeth. Smoking also causes extrinsic stains.

2. Intrinsic discoloration — This is when the inner structure of the tooth (the dentin) darkens or gets a yellow tint. You can get this type of discoloration if:

- You had too much exposure to fluoride during early childhood.

- Your mother used tetracycline antibiotics during the second half of pregnancy.

- You used tetracycline antibiotics when you were 8 years old or younger.

- You had trauma that affected a tooth when you were a young child. A fall, for example, may damage the developing permanent tooth.

- You had trauma in a permanent tooth, and internal bleeding discolored the tooth.

- You were born with a rare condition called dentinogenesis imperfecta. This causes gray, amber or purple discolorations.

3. Age-related discoloration — This is a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Dentin naturally yellows over time. The enamel that covers the teeth gets thinner with age, which allows the dentin to show through. Foods and smoking also can stain teeth as people get older. Finally, chips or other injuries can discolor a tooth, especially when the pulp has been damaged.

Cosmetic Gum Surgery : Your gum tissue is like a frame that provides form and shape to the top of your tooth. A less than attractive smile results when the integrity of the gum is compromised or the actual gum between your teeth becomes weak. Usually due to poor hygiene (gum disease), you actually begin to lose gum tissue. Cosmetic dentistry provides many cosmetic solutions such as composite resin bonding, crowns, and veneers to create a great smile. These solutions are usually part of an overall strategy which may involve cosmetic gum surgery. Used to correct a 'gummy smile' (a significant portion of your gum is exposed when you smile), cosmetic gum surgery is the procedure of lengthening your teeth from the neck of the tooth upwards. Your teeth then appear to be longer and much less gum is seen when you smile.

The "Gummy Smile" - This is a problem where your teeth appear to be too short. Gum sculpting is often the solution. To solve this, a dentist uses a laser to remove the excess tissue of your "gummy" smile, which then exposes more of your tooth.

Diastema Closure : A diastema is a space between front teeth. Diastemas are closed by orthodontics or restoration. A highly successful technique is addition of composite. A space which is too large and closed with composite results in teeth that are esthetically too wide and orthodontics is recommended. Space closure requires placement of composite two adjacent teeth. Placement of composite onto one tooth can be done it proper tooth dimensions allow it.

Dental Implant :

Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth! Since dental implants integrate into the structure of your bone, they prevent the bone loss and gum recession that often accompany bridgework and dentures. No one will ever know that you have a replacement tooth.

Implants are not only used to replace one tooth, but rather people missing most, if not all, of their teeth benefit greatly as well. Implants are increasingly being used to replace certain types of bridges and removable partial dentures.