Cosmetic Dentistry on Long Island, NY

Cosmetic dentistry is the term given to a set of services specifically dedicated to enhancing the teeth’s appearance, as well as improving its function. While a general dentist ensures your teeth are healthy and strong, a cosmetic dentist’s goal is to make sure your teeth are always ready for the camera. The procedures a cosmetic dentist does will make you feel more confident about your smile.

A good cosmetic dentist is someone who has had extra training in order to provide quality oral enhancements. Aside from having technical knowledge, they also have real-world experience, and an artistic touch to boot.

It is possible that you will notice some pricing differences from one dentist to another and not just between general and cosmetic dentists. Often times, both types of dentists can perform some of the same procedures.

For instance, both general and cosmetic dentists have been trained to fill a cavity, but since cosmetic dentists are more focused on the appearance of a patient’s teeth, they will most likely use composite fillings, which can match the color of the patient’s teeth. Since composite fillings are more expensive than other variants like amalgam fillings, the cost of filling a cavity is going to be higher.

Cosmetic dentistry gives you the ability to transform your smile and make a lasting impact on your overall look. Your teeth are essential for framing your facial features and enhancing overall beauty. Cosmetic dentistry can help you achieve that confident smile by allowing you to make aesthetic improvements, such as brightening up yellowed teeth or filling in gaps between them.

A genuine smile is a powerful tool that can engage and positively affect those around you. However, many individuals feel inhibited or embarrassed by the appearance of their teeth when it comes time to flash one of these simple yet effective expression. Cosmetic dentistry can be crucial in boosting self-esteem, enabling people to make meaningful connections with others without hesitation and enjoy life.

A Long Island cosmetic dentist can help you discover suitable and constructive cosmetic dentistry options across Long Island NY to improve the aesthetics of your smile. Given the fact that your smile is one of the most eminent features of your face and personality, having discolored, damaged, and crooked teeth affect the image you project about yourself to others. 

In addition, an impaired smile due to chipped or damaged teeth may further reduce your ability to carry out basic life functions like speaking or eating. This further results in overall diminished quality of life whereby you are unable to enjoy life to its fullest potential.

Through advanced cosmetic dental techniques, surgery, treatments, and procedures, an esthetic dental practitioner can improve your overall smile in the following ways:

8 Common Problems That Cosmetic Dentistry Can Address

1. Replacing missing teeth

Beyond the physical appearance of your smile, your teeth are also crucial to your maintenance of good overall health. As a result, a missing tooth or missing multiple teeth can diminish your ability to perform daily life functions such as chewing food or speaking.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research suggests that around 92% of people between the ages of 20 and 64 have had dental caries. Thankfully, modern advancements in dental treatments allow top cosmetic dentists on Long Island NY to offer patients several tooth replacement options. 

2. Restoring damaged teeth

If you notice cracked, chipped, broken, or damaged teeth, you should consult your dentist right away to ensure you avoid aggravating the condition. Chipped or damaged teeth comprise the bulk of dental injuries. Symptoms range from chronic tooth pain when biting or chewing food or sudden bursts of pain in highly hot or cold temperatures. 

Chipped or cracked teeth are repaired by restoring the damaged part of the tooth enamel. Most Long Island NY cosmetic dentists will use cosmetic dental procedures like dental bonding or porcelain veneers to repair the damage and restore the appearance of your teeth. The quicker your diagnosis and treatment, the better the results.

3. Teeth reshaping

Minor flaws and blemishes like slightly intersecting or unevenly shaped teeth or overly pointed cuspids are usually treated with a little tooth reshaping.

Tooth reshaping and dental bonding are complementary dental procedures that create a more beautiful smile. Also known as dental contouring, the tooth reshaping procedure involves carefully removing small amounts of enamel, while dental bonding utilizes tooth-colored composite resin to sculpt and shape teeth for desired results. Together they work harmoniously toward creating a perfect set of pearly whites.

Tooth reshaping and dental contouring performed by Long Island cosmetic dentists are ideal for individuals requiring minor modifications or repairs to improve the appearance of their smile. The treatment is simple and painless. However, dental reshaping and contouring are not ideal for those patients with more complex and aggravated dental conditions like tooth decay, requiring root canals, or unhealthy gums.

4. Professional teeth whitening for discolorations

Are you unhappy with your smile and wish that your smile had more sparkle to it? Then you are not the only one who feels as such. Thousands of New Yorkers and people from around the world get their teeth professionally whitened every year.

Stains on your teeth are inescapable. Whether through medication, poor hygiene, smoking, or other lifestyle and food choices, tooth discoloration is normal as the stains gradually build up over the years. At our Long Island dental clinic, we offer Zoom teeth whitening in a single 45-minute session. With our professional teeth whitening services on Long Island, New York, you get longer-lasting results with minimal risks as you are under the supervision of a specialized Long Island cosmetic dentist who will keep a close eye on potential side effects.

5. Straightening out-of-alignment and asymmetrical or crooked teeth

Asymmetrical teeth are not merely an image issue, but can also pose serious health issues. It is more difficult to brush and floss crooked teeth. In time, this leads to the decay of your teeth and various forms of gum disease. Many people believe orthodontists to be the only ones in the world of dental treatments who can fix crooked teeth. But did you know that our Long Island cosmetic dentists can also straighten misaligned and crooked teeth?

Depending on the degree of crookedness and your overall smile image goals, you can achieve a perfect smile in one or more treatments. Our cosmetic dental expert on Long Island offers Invisalign, porcelain veneers, and full smile makeovers to help you fix and straighten crooked teeth.

6. Closing gaps in teeth

You may have taken great care of your teeth over the years. You’ve brushed and flossed, keeping them clean and white, and for the most part, you’re proud of your smile. The only problem is, there is a gradually widening void right in the middle of your smile: in the middle of your two front incisors. Luckily, such inconsistency doesn’t have to be permanent. We have aesthetic dental treatments available for “gapped teeth” and setting them back together carries both cosmetic and health benefits for your smile.

Such a space between any of your teeth is formally known as a “diastema”. Depending on the extent of these “gaps” in your teeth, there are several options available for patients looking to bridge such gaps. At our Long Island dental office, we offer services like dental bonding and veneers to help you close gaps in your teeth.

While not an exhaustive and comprehensive list, the above points are a general overview of what top cosmetic dentists on Long Island NY do to help their patients achieve the smile they desire.

7. Overlapping teeth

Some patients experience a more severe version of crooked teeth: overlapping teeth. If your teeth have overgrown one another, never fear! Cosmetic dentistry has the answer.

In some cases, interventions like Invisalign still work to correct the crowding. In other instances, however, veneers are necessary to help cover up a crooked smile.

8. Abnormalities in the enamel

Dentists make a big deal out of tooth enamel, but what is it exactly? Enamel is the hard, protective covering on the outside of your teeth. With fluoride treatments, daily hygiene, and routine checkups, your enamel will maintain its protective qualities for years. Enamel is, however, subject to a lot of wear and tear from daily use.

Sometimes, little divots and indentations will form in your enamel over time, giving your teeth a rough look. Cosmetic interventions such as veneers can help restore your smile to 100%.

There are a large number of different pros and cons of cosmetic dentistry, all of which you need to be aware of.

Pros

• The primary benefits associated with cosmetic dentistry include the fact that these treatments can whiten, brighten, and straighten your teeth, which makes for a much more appealing smile.
• The improvements in your smile should provide a boost to your confidence levels.
• This type of dentistry is also designed to assist with a variety of gum problems, which includes receding gums.
• Lastly, any stains, breaks, or chips of your teeth can be effectively treated with the various cosmetic dentistry services available to you.

Cons

• One of the main issues with cosmetic dentistry is that these services can be costly, which is why you should be certain that you need this type of treatment.
• It’s also likely that you will experience small amounts of pain with the treatment, most of which should be mitigated by anesthesia.
• In the future, it’s possible that you will need to remove some foods and beverages from your diet that can cause staining to your teeth, which can be difficult to do.
• In order to obtain the best results from your cosmetic treatment of choice, it’s important that you choose a good cosmetic dentist who you can be confident in. As long as you do, it’s likely that the quality of the treatment will outweigh any of the issues that can occur with these services.

Now that you’re aware of the pros and cons of cosmetic dentistry, you can choose the treatment that best suits your needs.

If you are seeking a good Long Island cosmetic dentist, you must take the time to do your research to ensure you find a credible fit who will help you get the best results that meet your expectations. You need to weigh several factors in discovering the true fit that will work best for you. This includes (but is not limited to) inquiring about your trusted sources for cosmetic dentist referrals on Long Island NY, checking the practitioners’ online reputation and testimonials on sites like Google, Yelp, and Zocdoc, and verifying their professional dental accreditations and affiliations (like with AACD). 

Once you are satisfied with your initial due diligence and have managed to zero in on a few Long Island cosmetic dentists who you sense to be a good fit, ultimately, it is crucial you schedule consultations with them. Speak to your cosmetic dentist about your smile vision, specify what you want and we hope that you will eventually find the clarity and internal validation required to select someone ideal to serve your needs.

We have over 900 positive patient reviews and testimonials across Zocdoc, Google, and Yelp. If you want to schedule a consultation to explore a mutual fit, you can schedule one here. 

While there are several yardsticks upon which you can pick your preferred Long Island cosmetic dentist, for many patients it boils down to convenience and cost. You must take caution while choosing cosmetic dentists offering the cheapest services. A cosmetic dental procedure is like fine art. It requires time and skill and generally costs more than general dental procedures. We will be happy to work with you to find the best cosmetic dental treatment options in your budget and present financing options where needed.

Dr. Brayman received advanced training in cosmetic dentistry, with a specialization in porcelain veneers and dental implants. Her training combined with her years of experience add up to a well-qualified cosmetic dentist you can rely on to deliver the smile you want.

Our Long Island dental office is equipped with the latest dental technology, which is important for the best results. But technology alone won’t do the job. To get the appearance you desire, you need a dental expert with an artistic bent. Dr. Brayman has a genuine artist’s eye thanks to years spent as an avid painter.

Dr. Brayman goes out of her way to relieve any stress you might have about dental procedures. From the soothing environment to more tangible services like massage dental chairs and painless computerized injections, every aspect of your visit focuses on your comfort.