If you’re looking to beautify your smile, you might think any dentist could help. After all, aren’t they equipped for any tooth-related issue? Couldn’t you just visit the closest dental practice and get what you need? Well, not quite. In truth, you’ll want to make sure you see a cosmetic dentist rather than a general one. If you don’t, you probably won’t achieve your desired results. Luckily, it isn’t too hard to spot how the two professions differ. Read on to learn the difference between a general and cosmetic dentist.
A General Dentist Treats Your Smile’s Health
General dentists look after your oral health and address pain, discomfort, and dental hygiene issues. You see them for things like six-month checkups, root canals, tooth extractions, and dental fillings. You can thus rely on them for healthy teeth and gums.
That said, most can perform a few cosmetic procedures — usually teeth whitening and dental bonding.
A Cosmetic Dentist Treats Your Smile’s Looks
Rather than preventive work, cosmetic dentists focus more on your smile’s appearance. Therefore, they offer ways to make teeth whiter, shinier, and better-looking. They not only perform treatments like teeth whitening and bonding, but also porcelain veneers, tooth-colored fillings, dental implants, and smile makeovers.
Granted, there are times when general and cosmetic dentistry overlap. For instance, you might need to follow up a tooth extraction (i.e., the former) with dental implants (i.e., the latter).
Tips for Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist
Given the differences above, you must get aesthetic work from a qualified cosmetic dentist. To make sure that happens, follow these tips for finding the right one for you:
- Ask for Referrals: If any friends or members of your family have had good cosmetic dental treatment, ask them for a referral. You can then check out the doctor’s website, talk to the office, or even visit for a preliminary consultation.
- Examine the Dentist’s Work: Most cosmetic dentists document their work with before-and-after photos. Try viewing these pictures online or in an album at the dentist’s office.
- Check the Credentials: Before settling on a dentist, check online to see where they went to school, which continuing education courses they completed, and their past and present professional organizations.
- Make a List: Before treatment, list the smile flaws you want to address. When you compare it to the dentist’s proposals at your consultation, you can see whether they’d meet your needs.
As you can see, not just any dentist can transform your smile for the better. Remember the tips above so you can get treatment from the best one possible.
About the Author
Dr. Nelson Howard is a cosmetic dentist based in San Diego, CA, having earned his DDS from the UCLA School of Dentistry. He also takes great pride in being an Accredited Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. The man even serves as an Editorial Review Board Member of the Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Howard currently practices at his self-titled clinic and can be reached at his website or by phone at (858)-451-0550.