For many people wanting to improve their general appearance, the process starts with their smile.  Crooked or chipped teeth can spoil a beaming smile, and because our teeth are one of the first things people notice about us, having bad teeth can make us very self-conscious.  This is where a cosmetic dentist can help.

Most people think of dentists in terms of someone who specializes in the health of teeth rather than their appearance.  However, cosmetic dentistry does both with the ultimate goal of improving their appearance.  For this reason, it’s now very popular albeit often expensive.  Costa Rica, with world-class dental facilities, highly trained cosmetic dentists, and affordable procedures, offers an attractive alternative.

What is typically done in cosmetic dentistry procedures?

Cosmetic dentistry takes in quite a few different procedures but amongst the most common are veneers, dental bonding, dental implants, gum lifts, tooth colored fillings and teeth whitening.

Dental Veneers

Veneers are a very common cosmetic dental procedure.  Very few of us have perfect teeth.  They may be crooked, cracked, broken, or badly stained.  Veneers are intended to fix these problems.  The dentist will resize and reshape each tooth, or a damaged tooth, before creating a mold of it.  This mold is used to make a custom veneer, which is then bonded to your tooth.  Veneers are an affordable way to get a set of perfectly shaped teeth.

Cosmetic Dental Bonding

Very similar to veneers is the technique of bonding.  Both are intended to correct chipped, crooked, misshaped, or discoloured teeth.  The difference lies in the process by which this is done.  Bonding involves applying a dental material such as composite resin directly to the tooth before shaping and polishing it to match the rest of your teeth.  It’s one of the cheapest ways to make minor repairs to teeth.  Both bonding and veneers can be used to correct a single tooth, or a mouthful of teeth.

Gum Lifts

Sometimes your teeth aren’t problem but rather your gums are.  If they’re uneven, or excessive, they’ll give the appearance of uneven or crooked teeth.  If this is the case, the cosmetic dentist will recommend what’s called a gum lift.  This cosmetic surgical procedure removes some of your excess gum to restore an even shape to your teeth.  And your smile!

Dental Implants

Dental implants are a process used to replace missing teeth.  Where dentures may be recommended in the case of multiple missing teeth or unhealthy teeth, dental implants are more practical when only one or two teeth are missing in an otherwise healthy mouth.  An artificial tooth that matches the rest of your teeth in appearance is anchored to your jawbone or gums.

Cavities And Tooth Colored Fillings

Cosmetic dentists can also treat cavities.  The difference though is that they prefer to use tooth colored fillings rather than the standard metal you may get if you go to a regular dentist. 

In addition to these cosmetic surgical procedures, cosmetic dentists perform a range of other dental services all designed to both improve the health of your teeth and their appearance.  Tooth whitening for example is a very popular cosmetic dental service.  Teeth are very easily stained by smoking, coffee, and even just aging.  Imagine having a set of truly white teeth to show the world!

When it comes to world-class affordable and effective cosmetic dental procedures such as implants, veneers and cosmetic dental bonding Costa Rica is a world leader.  Their highly trained cosmetic dentists and state of the art dental facilities make this a preferred destination for cosmetic dental work.

Author's Bio: 

Marina Pal is a renowned author and social media enthusiast.