With proper brushing, flossing and rinsing the adult teeth should last for a lifetime. However, it can be harder to keep the routine going than many people realize. One reason for this is the busy lifestyle that many folks live. All it takes is forgetting to brush the teeth a few times or reducing that cleaning to once a day and carries will form. Carries are the beginnings of cavities and cavities are severe decay of the enamel and soft dentin of the tooth. This can be a huge issue because once the decay begins, it is almost impossible to stop it. In fact, experts in dentistry will need to clear away any damaged enamel and dentin and then fill in the void with an inert material. In the case of severe damage, the dentist may need to perform a root canal and crown the remainder of the tooth.
One of the most common reasons that people seek out a dentist is for cosmetic improvements. For instance, many people prefer the look of freshly whitened teeth. Teeth whitening is the most commonly performed routine in cosmetic dentistry and it is a very simple process. The dentist will apply a layer of carbamide peroxide over the teeth and place a small amount of water over it. The water starts a chemical reaction that converts the carbamide into hydrogen peroxide and pushes it into the upper layers of the teeth. Whitening the teeth only takes about half an hour and the final appearance should be visible within a week to ten days.
There are a few minor issues that the dentist can fix with a minimum of effort including severe stains, chipped teeth, crooked teeth and uneven teeth. Cosmetic dentists can create a custom veneer that fits over the front of the teeth and conceals these imperfections. Technically, this is not an actual repair, but a lot of folks find this option much easier than other methods. If there are missing teeth, then the dentist can use an artificial replacement known as dental implants. An implant uses an inert metal such as titanium as a replacement root and once the root insertion has healed, they cover the stud with a crown.
