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Two Cosmetic Dental Services That Can Make Your Short Tooth Longer

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If you have one front tooth that's noticeably shorter than your other teeth, talk to a cosmetic dentist about how the problem can be fixed. Two cosmetic dental services to consider include bonding and veneers. Each can make your short tooth longer, but they work in different ways. Here's a look at how these cosmetic dental services compare.

1. Bonding Is Less Expensive

When the cosmetic dentist bonds your tooth, they apply resin to it and shape the resin to make your tooth longer. Bonding is a fairly quick dental procedure that doesn't usually require an anesthetic shot, and the whole process can be completed in a single visit. Resin is less expensive than a porcelain veneer, so bonding might be the right choice for you if the cost is the determining factor.

When the dentist prepares the resin, they are careful to use a color chart to find a very close match to your other teeth. This helps your bonded tooth look natural. You'll care for the tooth the same way you care for your other teeth by daily brushing and flossing. You can eat normally, but you should be careful about crunching on hard foods or you could chip the bonded area off.

2. Veneers Look More Natural

Even though a veneer would cost more, you might prefer one because porcelain looks so much like natural enamel. Resin has a flat appearance while porcelain has translucence like a natural tooth. The color of the porcelain is matched to your other teeth, and that also helps the veneer blend right in so the dental work looks like a natural tooth.

It usually takes a couple of dental visits to get a veneer. During the first visit, the dentist makes an impression of the tooth so a veneer can be custom-made to fit right in your mouth. The tooth the veneer will go on needs to be shaved down just a little bit so the veneer will fit in your mouth without sticking out.

After your first dental visit, you'll go home with a temporary veneer. This will be replaced with a permanent one a few weeks later. The dentist bonds the veneer to your tooth and makes your short tooth even with the rest of your teeth so you feel more comfortable about your smile.

These two cosmetic dental services may only be suitable if your tooth is in good health. If it has a cavity, the dentist will probably need to fill it first. If a veneer or bonding can't be applied because of the filling, your dentist might recommend capping the tooth with a crown to give it a new shape.


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