What is “cosmetic dentistry”? It’s a term that is being used almost in every dental office these days—meaning, it’s the focus on the cosmetic aspect of the work we do. Every dentist, to some extent, practices cosmetic dentistry—it’s just whether they’re good at it or not. What I mean by that is, if you got to get a crown put on your front tooth, filling in your back—there’s cosmetic dentistry that even goes into that filling in the back. Does the white match closely to the white that your tooth shows naturally?

The tooth that we put say, half a crown on or a veneer—does that match the other tooth and does it look cosmetically appealing? So, you can’t practice dentistry without the mindset of cosmetic, but some people focus on cosmetic as their primary approach.

 

Would You Like To Give Yourself A Better Smile?

More and more patients that visit a Houston dentist regularly are inquiring about how to improve the aesthetics of their smile. They are realizing just how much of an impact a bright and healthy smile can have on how they see themselves as well as how people receive them in public. 

If you need proof of this “awakening” of sorts, just turn on the shopping channel on your local cable service and see how many teeth whitening products and other smile enhancements such as invisible braces are being marketed on a daily basis.

Houston dentists also offer many services that can improve and even re-shape how your smile looks through cosmetic dentistry procedures. Actually, when you think about it there is cosmetic dentistry woven into just about every dental procedure from whitening, to adjusting the color of a filling or cap to match the tooth.

What Can Cosmetic Dentistry Do For You?

When most people think of cosmetic dentistry, they seem to immediately mention teeth whitening, but cosmetic dentistry is so much more than that. It can also help correct cosmetic issues such as:

When seeking cosmetic dentistry in Houston, typically, you may find one practice that offers a full array of different services to treat each type of issue. 

For example, if you suffer from stained teeth due to smoking, coffee stains or another superficial staining— teeth whitening can be performed using powerful, yet gentle products that can restore the original color of your teeth. Results may vary due to each unique situation but it definitely can improve the color of your teeth drastically.

If your teeth are slightly misshapen or too long, enamel shaping and contouring procedures using a procedure similar to a filling can reshape your teeth.

Other Common Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

Veneers are a great solution when you have multiple issues such as permanent tooth stains, misshapen teeth, or other cosmetic issues. Veneers are simply a thin layer of composite or ceramic material that is tooth colored and shaped perfectly to enhance your smile.

Bonding is a procedure that uses a tooth-colored composite material that is applied to your tooth to even out the shape.

Tooth-Colored Fillings are also made from composite resin and can help improve the shape, size, and color of your teeth, especially with cavities.

Invisalign is a revolutionary alternative to braces when minor alignment issues are present and straightens teeth using a progressive system of transparent aligners that are subtle in appearance. 

Choosing The Right Cosmetic Dentistry Practice

As already discussed, cosmetic dentistry offers a variety of procedures that can greatly improve the appearance of your smile. However, as with any service that requires skilled professionals—you have to make sure you are getting quality care from a good practice. The problem is, if you don’t know much about cosmetic dentistry in Houston—how will you know what to look for in a quality practice?

Take a look at this quick four-point guide to better position yourself for a successful procedure that will improve your smile not damage it.

1. Are The Advertising Photos Real Or “Stock Photos?”

Look at the practice website and marketing material. Do the photos look authentic client’s or more like stock photos? Some photos may be hard to tell, especially if the practice did a professional photo shoot. Some sites will list the patient’s name or make a disclaimer that indicates the photo is one of an actual patient of the practicing dentist.

If you’re not sure, simply call their office and ask if they are real patients or if they are stock photos. Any cosmetic dentist in Houston that is reputable will be eager to showcase their work in their marketing material and not use stock photos. 

If you’re not sure about the photos you are seeing on a website or in advertising, ask your prospective dentist if the photographs are of “actual” patients or they are purchased stock photos.

The Comprehensive Dental Group of Houston uses images of our actual patients in advertising, on our website, and our social media channels.

2. AACD Accreditation & AACD Membership

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) is the world’s leading authority on cosmetic dentistry. Dentists travel from destinations all over the world just to attend the AACD’s annual conference due to the wealth of knowledge disbursed at this event.

It’s important that the cosmetic dentist you choose maintains this membership and furthermore is an accredited member at that.

The AACD accreditation process is recognized worldwide as the standard in cosmetic dentistry credentialing programs. The accreditation process takes at least five years to complete and is comprised of a deep written exam, required seminar hours, peer review of at least five cases, and a very thorough oral exam. Any dentist that has earned this accreditation is a leader in their field and an exceptional practitioner. 

Dr. Raouf Hanna is an accredited member of the AACD.

3. Quality Materials

All too often, patients will choose cosmetic dentistry in Houston from the least expensive option, assuming that all cosmetic dentists are the same. This couldn’t be further from the truth as often, dentists with the lowest prices tend to have the least experience and use subpar materials and inferior labs.

The reason they can charge patients less is that they have less overhead as they have not invested hundreds of thousands into their training, materials, and labs to deliver the best product possible. They then pass on those savings to the patients with one huge caveat—they also pass on the low quality.

The Comprehensive Dental Group of Houston uses only state-of-the-art materials and collaborates with only the most accomplished, AACD-accredited cosmetic dental ceramists.

4. Are The Results Aesthetic Only Or Functional As Well?

Anyone seeking to improve their smile appreciates a gorgeous set of teeth. All cosmetic dentists promise a beautiful new smile, but are they proficient and creating one that is also functional?

What is a functional smile? A functional smile is one that looks beautiful but also works beautifully. An experienced dentist with real talent will create a beautiful new smile for you that is as comfortable and functional as it is beautiful. The two characteristics go hand in hand.

For example, you can be given a gorgeous new smile that looks perfect, but if it isn’t correctly aligned, it will be worn down and damaged due to wear and tear that would not be an issue had it been aligned properly. So, in the end, you save upfront, sure—but you end up spending more to fix the “bargain” smile.

Dr. Hanna and the CDGH team undergo extensive and ongoing continuing education to stay at the forefront of cosmetic dentistry. With over 12,000 successful procedures, Dr. Hanna is an exceptional dentist that not only restores the beauty of your smile but it’s true function as well.

Where Is The Best Place For Cosmetic Dentistry In Houston?

When getting cosmetic dentistry procedures, or any dental work done for that matter—you always want to make sure you go to someone who has a proven track record in the field as well as the proper certifications and facilities.

At The Comprehensive Dental Group Of Houston—Dr. Hanna, one of the leading dental implant specialists in the country, and his staff have earned the reputation as one of the top practices in Houston for cosmetic and restorative dentistry.

With facilities that create a spa-like environment and state of the art labs on site, we can give your smile a new life and your confidence a huge boost. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!