There are several different options available to change the shape of your teeth. You can choose to make your teeth look longer, close spaces between your teeth or repair a chipped or cracked tooth. Among the options are bonding, crowns, veneers, and re-contouring.
Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin material (a durable plastic material) is applied to the tooth surface and hardened with a special light, which ultimately “bonds” the material to the tooth.
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped “caps” that are placed over teeth. The crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.
Veneers (also called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials that are designed to cover the front surface of teeth. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth.
Re-contouring or reshaping of the teeth (also called odontoplasty, enameloplasty, stripping, or slenderizing) is a procedure in which small amounts of tooth enamel are removed to change a tooth’s length, shape or surface.
Each option differs with regard to cost, durability, and “chair time” necessary to complete the procedure and the best cosmetic approach to resolving your specific problem. We would be glad to discuss which one is right for you.