If you’ve found yourself looking in the mirror or zooming in on your smile in photos to check your teeth for a defect that only you can see, teeth contouring and reshaping could be for you. Dental reshaping is a cosmetic technique for fixing minor imperfections like irregularly shaped teeth, slight overlap, excessively pointy cuspids, and tiny chips.
Why Contouring & Reshaping?
Irregularly shaped teeth can often affect oral health. For example, overlapping teeth can accumulate plaque and tartar in areas where regular cleaning techniques can’t reach, leading to further dental issues like tooth decay. Besides the health implications that come with irregularly shaped teeth, they also impact aesthetics and even functionality in some cases, causing bite issues and misalignment of teeth.
Tooth contouring is a great solution for some minor issues. However, we will need to evaluate a patient to see if they are a good candidate for the procedure as it does require that you have generally healthy teeth.
How Does It Work?
Abrasion techniques and dental instruments are used to perform the procedure of tooth contouring and reshaping.
The steps include:
- X-rays — The first step is to take X-rays of the patient’s teeth to evaluate the size and location of the pulp, to see if they are healthy, and to make sure that there’s enough bone between the teeth to support them.
- Marking — The dentist then uses a pen or pencil to mark the areas that need sculpting.
- Shaping and polishing — The dentist use different tools like laser or drill to remove small amounts of surface enamel, minimizing superficial imperfections and misshapen areas. After this, the bite is checked for proper alignment before moving on to polishing. Finally sanding instruments are used to polish and smooth the sides.
The enamel is the superficial layer that protects the vessels or nerves underneath it and is mostly made up of minerals. There is no feeling on this surface, and numbing agents or pain medications are not necessary during the procedure.
Benefits of Tooth Contouring & Shaping
- Improves the appearance of the teeth quickly and discreetly
- Little to no recovery time
- Lowers the risk of gum disease and tooth decay, and improves the health of teeth
- Boosts confidence and positively impacts self-esteem
- In some cases, can be a substitute for braces
Details can make a big difference, contouring even a few millimeters or shaping in the right spots can really improve the appearance of teeth. Many of our Canton, MS patients have taken the opportunity to get that tiny adjustment made to look and feel better. If you have any further questions or would like more information, please call our office to schedule a consultation.