Long ago, a lot of dental work involved a mixture of metals called an amalgam. Gold, silver, and even small amounts of mercury were mixed together. Dentists would use this for fillings and even dental crowns. While it worked to repair the damaged tooth, it didn’t look very good. Whenever you talked or smiled, you showed off a mouth full of metal. Very few people were proud of that, but there wasn’t much they could do.
Thankfully, things are different these days. At our Los Angeles, CA dental office, you can get restorative treatments that repair damage and get your teeth back — but are almost impossible to notice. A restored smile that looks natural, who wouldn’t want that? Here are the treatments that fix teeth without being noticeable.
- Composite resin fillings: Metal amalgam fillings work. It’s not like they are bad for your teeth. They are also more affordable, will not shrink over time, and last a long time. But they stick out whenever you smile or even talk, showing everyone that you had cavities and work done. If you are looking for a treatment that’s more discrete but still repairs tooth decay damage, composite resin fillings are for you. They are durable and last a while, but they are colored to match the tooth it repairs. When you smile, people will only see teeth.
- Sealants: The biting surface of your teeth, especially your molars, is not smooth. It has lots of grooves and nooks. Food particles can get trapped there, which is a dinner bell for harmful bacteria. They thrive on that food, secrete acid, and cause tooth decay. Dental sealants fill in those grooves. Not only does this make it harder for bacteria to find food, it makes it easier for you to clean teeth using your toothbrush. Sealants are made from composite resin color-matched to your teeth. Less tooth decay but a natural look is a powerful combination.
- Dental crowns: When a cavity is too big for a composite resin filling, or if a tooth is in danger of fracturing, a dental crown is a great way to repair the damage. It’s a cap that fits snugly over your tooth. This seals up any damaged areas and holds the tooth tightly together so it won’t fracture. Plus, It’s made to look like a healthy version of the tooth it covers, including the shape and color. If you need a crown on an incisor, it will look like a healthy incisor. That means when people see you smile, they won’t notice a thing.
- Dental bridges: If you’re missing a tooth, you have a couple of options that will restore your smile in a very discrete way. A more affordable option is the dental bridge. You get a replacement tooth held in place by a pair of dental crowns, one on each tooth next to the gap. The crowns and replacement are made to fit your mouth in particular. That means they will have the right size, shape, and color to blend in with the rest of your smile.
- Dental implants: This option to replace a missing tooth should last a lot longer than a dental bridge. At our Los Angeles, CA dental office, we start by surgically implanting an artificial root. Then we attach a replacement tooth just like with a dental bridge. Because this treatment uses a root like a normal tooth, it has better strength and durability. The replacement tooth is still made for your smile in particular, so people will never know you lost a tooth.
- Invisalign: Crooked, uneven smiles simply look embarrassing. Wearing metal braces for 2-3 years to fix it can be even more embarrassing. That’s why we offer Invisalign. These “invisible braces” are made from clear plastic and fit over your teeth like a mouthguard. In much less time than braces, it will gently guide your teeth where they belong. Because these aligners are made from clear plastic, they are almost invisible when worn. You can get orthodontic treatment without people knowing it.
Any dental treatment should be chosen because it fixes the problem. That’s why you need a treatment in the first place. But if you can get dental work done in a way that’s discreet and hard to notice, then that’s an added bonus.
We want you to have full set of working teeth, but we also want you to have a beautiful smile. That’s why so many of our treatments are so hard to notice, they’re practically a secret.
Call us at 310-208-4084, or fill out our easy online questionnaire, today for your next appointment.
