Cosmetic touch-ups after orthodontic treatment

Teen dentistry San Diego

Many people pursue orthodontic treatment for functional reasons (to ensure that they have a healthy and well-aligned bite). Of course, it’s also common to want your smile to look great at the end of your treatment. When you begin orthodontic treatment, you might expect to have a perfect, glowing smile when your braces come off or final Invisalign tray is completed.

However, in some cases, there might be one more step. Some people benefit from having a cosmetic touch-up by a dentist at the end of their treatment. What kinds of treatment do we do during this visit? How can we help to perfect your smile?

Teeth reshaping

In some cases, after the teeth have been aligned properly, it becomes clear that a few of the teeth aren’t quite the right shape for their new position. In some cases, one or more teeth may be a little too large. In this case, Dr. Carpenter may be able to carefully file away a bit of enamel from the tooth, in order to create the perfect shape for that position in the mouth. Of course, this has to be done very carefully, in order not to damage the tooth.

Bonding

In other cases, one or more teeth is a little too small. In this case, Dr. Carpenter can use bonding to correct this issue. For this procedure, he uses the same tooth-colored resin that’s used in fillings. The difference is that there’s no drilling at all; he simply adds the resin wherever necessary to create the desired appearance of the tooth. This can also be used on a chipped tooth to fix the defect.

Whitening

Once the teeth are well-aligned, people may notice that their smile isn’t as bright as they’d like. Professional teeth whitening, which can be performed in-office or at home using take-home trays that we provide, may help to remove stains caused by foods and beverages, brightening up your new smile.

Do you or your teen desire a cosmetic touch-up after orthodontic treatment? Teen dentistry San Diego

If you or your teen has recently completed orthodontic treatment, congratulations! We know how great it feels to finally be finished with your treatment. If there are still some issues bothering you, such as one or a few teeth that aren’t shaped quite right or a dullness or discoloration of the teeth, please contact our office to come in for a consultation. With a simple touch-up, Dr. Carpenter can help to put the finishing touches on the smile of your dreams.