Everyone wants the perfect smile; however, not everyone is born with one. If you are weighing cosmetic dentistry in Honolulu to see what treatment is right for you, here are some of the most popular and common cosmetic dental procedures Ken Yasuhara, DDS performs:

 

 

For those with minor chips, cracks or small gaps between teeth, this conservative treatment might be enough to get the smile you want. Dental bonding uses the same special resin that is used to fill cavities. Your Honolulu dentist will shape the resin to hide your minor imperfections and close up dental gaps. Bonding is not meant for major smile restorations, however.

 

 

If commercial whitening products are falling flat you may want to turn to professional teeth whitening. In under an hour your smile will be significantly brighter (for some patients, they can leave our office with smiles up to ten shades whiter) and you won’t have to worry about messy trays or fighting with whitening strips to get the whiter smile you crave. Those with yellow stains will benefit the most from teeth whitening, while stains that are gray, blue or brown may be harder to remove. Also remember that any dental work you have (e.g. fillings; crowns) will not respond to bleaching agents.

 

 

Are you dealing with gaps or overcrowding? Are your front teeth chipped, cracked or misshapen? If so, veneers could eliminate all of these dental woes. During this procedure we will shave down about ½ millimeter of your tooth’s enamel to accommodate the veneers, which are tooth-colored porcelain shells that are designed to go over the front of your teeth. Once the minimal tooth preparation is complete, we will use a special cement to adhere the veneers to your natural teeth and then a laser beam will cure the cement to permanently attach the veneers. Since some of your tooth’s enamel will need to be removed for this procedure, veneers are not considered reversible.

 

 

When you are dealing with severe decay or a broken tooth, you may need to replace the tooth altogether in order to restore its function and aesthetics. In this case, a dental crown is recommended. Dental crowns are tooth-shaped covers that go over the crown of your tooth to hide damage and to create a stronger smile. Dental crowns make it easier to speak to friends and enjoy your favorite meals.

 

 

If you are suffering with tooth loss you may be fed up with fragile dentures. If you’re looking for a long-term solution to replace a missing tooth, dental implants could hold the key to your new smile. A dental implant consists of a small metal post that is implanted into the jawbone. Over the course of a few months, the gums and bones will begin to fuse and grow around the implant, making it a permanent structure in your mouth. After this is complete, a dental crown will be placed over the implant to complete your smile. While this is a more expensive cosmetic treatment, it is durable and meant to last a lifetime.

 

To find out more about how cosmetic dentistry in Honolulu could give you the smile you want, call Ken Yasuhara, DDS to schedule your consultation. We would be happy to see which cosmetic option would best fit your needs.