Cosmetic dentistry still gets a bad rap, and it doesn’t deserve it.
It’s true that from the middle to near the end of the last century, cosmetic dental treatment was viewed as reserved for movie stars and not for “regular” people. There was a perception that cosmetic dentistry was too expensive, too time-consuming, and basically only for women.
If those things were ever true, they certainly aren’t today.

Cosmetic Dentistry Is An Investment, Not An Indulgence

There’s considerable research that shows a beautiful smile is an asset in several areas of life. From social success to career success, people rate a great smile as making people more desirable and more trustworthy. Of course, the reverse of that is true – people who don’t smile freely as viewed as less desirable, less friendly, and less worthy of trust.
There’s also a large body of “happiness research” showing that people who smile more have more fulfilling relationships, better self-esteem, and are generally happier.
Far from being an “ego thing,” having a great smile in an investment in yourself, your career, your relationships, and your future.
And that. “Cosmetic dentistry is just for women” thing? 60 percent of cosmetic dentistry patients are women. 40 percent, or 4 out of 10 cosmetic dentistry patients, are men.

But Isn’t Cosmetic Dentistry Expensive?

When most people think about cosmetic dentistry, the picture they have in mind is an entire set of perfect, gleaming white teeth that required extensive and expensive work to create. There’s no denying that taking a mouthful of decayed, stained, and even missing teeth and creating that kind of smile is a very involved undertaking. But most people don’t need such extensive work, and for those people, cosmetic dentistry can do a lot to beautify their smiles, and restore the health of their mouths, for less than you might think.
In fact, a large number of cosmetic dentistry techniques are within almost everyone’s means. Dentistry has progressed a long way since the middle of the 20th century. Today’s cosmetic dentistry has found faster, more effective, and more affordable means to achieve the same results that use to cost tens of thousands of dollars.

What Cosmetic Dentistry Can Do For Your Smile

Minor Imperfections
You don’t have to live with chipped, cracked, irregular, heavily stained, or discolored teeth. There are a number of affordable options to correct minor flaws quickly, including teeth whitening, cosmetic reshaping, dental bonding, and dental veneers.

Ugly Fillings

Nobody likes a mouthful of silver amalgam, the traditional dental filling material. Today’s composite fillings are metal- and mercury-free, so you needn’t have any concerns about mercury leaching out and posing a risk to your health. Best of all, composite material can be matched to the shade of the tooth, making the filling nearly undetectable.

Dental Crowns

There are limits to the size of a dental filling. For teeth that need more than a filling can provide, dental crowns are the answer. A dental crown essentially covers and protects the tooth against further damage while restoring its strength and function. When created by our dental lab, your new crown will appear identical to your existing teeth. We’ve had patients who completely forgot that a particular tooth was covered by a crown!

Dental Bridges and Implants

Replacing missing teeth with a bridge or dental implants is generally considered more in the area of restorative dentistry than cosmetic dentistry. True, bridges and implants restore your ability to eat. Beyond that, though, replacement teeth are a part of your smile. You deserve bridgework and implant restorations that appear completely natural. That’s not always the case from dentists who don’t have the artistic eye and the ability to create perfectly lifelike dental restorations.

Cosmetic Dentistry Improves Lives

The bottom line is that cosmetic and restorative dentistry make life better for hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. every year. Throw off the old myths and discover what cosmetic dentistry can do for your smile. You can realize improved self-esteem, regain the ability to eat the foods you love comfortably, and achieve success in relationships and in work.
You don’t have to live with the embarrassment and inconvenience of flawed or missing teeth. Call Cosmetic Dental Associates at 210-951-4444 (Medical Center) 210-942-5047 (Alamo Ranch) to arrange your consultation. You can also use our easy online form. Are you visiting from outside the San Antonio area? Call us, and we’ll discuss how we can best accommodate your needs.