The Differences of Orthodontics and Aesthetic Dentistry

Both orthodontics and aesthetic dentistry are meant to achieve an attractive smile, but they do so by different means and there are pros and cons to each method.

At first glance orthodontics appears to be more difficult and time consuming. It involves physically moving teeth with the use of Glendale braces and orthodontic appliances. Most often small brackets and flexible arch wire are attached to the teeth and as the wire is adjusted every few months it exerts gentle pressure on the teeth to reposition them within the bone.

While the drawbacks of wearing North Phoenix braces include some slight discomfort and the need to wear them for about six to eighteen months, the benefits can far outweigh these drawbacks. Cosmetic methods can hide some issues, but braces actually correct the issues, and leave you with perfectly placed teeth and a healthy bite meant to last a lifetime. Furthermore, some problems cannot be helped by aesthetic dentistry alone. For these reasons braces are usually the best treatment for children and adolescents. Because of this many dental insurance policies cover orthodontic treatment for children.

Aesthetic dentistry is appealing because it’s a quick fix. The most common method of cosmetic teeth straightening involves the use of porcelain veneers. These are thin porcelain covers applied to the front of the tooth.

Porcelain veneers can fill in gaps between teeth, and can be combined with the use of bonding material to build up recessed or rotated teeth and then the front can be covered with porcelain veneers to give the appearance of straight teeth. Porcelain crowns can be used similarly, and are most often used on decayed or broken teeth, or when more serious tooth reshaping is required.

Aesthetic dentistry is most often chosen by adults since it doesn’t actually correct a problem, it simply covers it up. It is often combined with other cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth whitening to produce a smile makeover. Although aesthetic dentistry can leave you with a more attractive smile some of the drawbacks include that it can still leave you with overlapping teeth that are challenging to clean and a bad bite that causes extreme wear on tooth enamel and may eventually lead to TMJ pain. In addition, aesthetic dentistry can be expensive and is not covered by dental insurance.

Another consideration in the use of aesthetic dentistry is that these procedures are irreversible. The use of porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns involves removing some of the tooth structure, so there can be no going back.

As you can see there are advantages and disadvantages involved with each treatment, and there are no set rules. Sometimes patients think cosmetic dentistry is for adults and braces are for children. This is no longer true, and it’s estimated that up to 30% of patients wearing braces, today are adults. These people have chosen to permanently correct their bite in order to preserve the long term health of their teeth and jaw. On the other hand, sometimes a teenager has a healthy bite with only a cosmetic gap between two front teeth. In this case Porcelain veneers may be a suitable solution.

If you have been told that you have a malocclusion (bad bite), or if you have crooked, chipped or cracked teeth, you should schedule an appointment for a consultation with a Glendale dentist who can perform an oral exam and recommend the best treatment plan for you.

The experienced staff at Aesthetic Dentistry of Arrowhead stay abreast of the latest treatments and techniques. Dr. Ceyhan can provide braces, aesthetic dentistry, or a combination of both, depending on your needs. When a course of treatment has been determined, the financial aspects will be explained to you. Payment plans are available if needed, so there is no reason to put off achieving a healthy bite and an attractive smile.