woman hiding her smile

All About Cosmetic Dentistry

added on: October 17, 2018

We want you to be proud enough of your smile to show it off to the world. After all, it should make you feel confident, proud, and happy. But we understand that not everyone is born with a naturally straight, white smile. We also know that accidents, age, and some habits can change your grin over time. At our dental office in Boerne, we offer various forms of cosmetic dentistry that can transform your smile into one you love.

Professional Smile Whitening

Perhaps the most common cosmetic dentistry treatment we get asked about is tooth whitening. Tooth whitening can be done by your dentist in Boerne or we can provide you with a professional strength whitening gel and custom-made molds that you can use to whiten in the comfort of your own home. If you’re looking to whiten or brighten your smile, professional tooth whitening can certainly do the trick.

Porcelain Veneers

While professional smile whitening can be really successful, there are some stains that won’t be fixed by whitening alone. If this is the case, dental veneers may be the right option for you. Veneers are thin slices of custom-created porcelain that are permanently bonded to the tooth’s surface. Their shape and color are designed to blend with other teeth in your mouth to appear incredibly natural. Besides covering up stains, porcelain veneers can also help fill gaps, fix crooked teeth, and repair chipped teeth. Since the veneers usually allow a lot of the natural tooth to remain intact, they may be preferred over a dental crown.

Porcelain Crowns

Like veneers, crowns can help fix chips, cracks, and broken teeth. However, crowns are usually reserved for areas that have more damage. Crowns are also custom-created to compliment the size, shape, and color of neighboring teeth but cover more of a tooth than a veneer. Dental crowns may also be used following a root canal or after removing large areas of decay to restore a tooth’s strength and function.  

Cosmetic Bonding

Another option to fix a broken or chipped tooth is cosmetic bonding. Reserved for smaller chips, dental bonding can easily restore a tooth’s appearance by rebuilding the injured area. Again, the bonding material is mixed to just the right color so that it blends in with the rest of the tooth. Bonding can also be used to help repair a tooth that has been worn down from clenching or grinding.

Our Boerne dental office is here to not only keep our neighbors’ smiles healthy but to also make sure they love the way their smiles look too. Schedule an appointment with us today to see how we can transform your smile into one you’re proud to show off.

About The Author
Dr. Kurt Mackie

After graduating from college, Dr. Kurt Mackie served as Captain in the United States Public Health Service (USPHS), becoming the dental director of Su Clinica Familiar. He later established a private practice in Harlingen after his service at the USPHS. Dr. Mackie completed postgraduate training at the L.D. Pankey Institute, earned Mastership at the Academy of General Dentistry, and co-founded the Seattle Study Club of the Rio Grande Valley.