Most people wonder what the difference between a regular and a cosmetic dentist. The simple answer is that there is little difference between the two. Both can offer general dentistry and elective options and both can help your smile look more radiant and beautiful. The main difference between the two is the procedures they do and why they are elective.
Missing Teeth
If you have gum disease, cavities or an accident and lose one or more teeth, you are likely to need a dental appointment to have the problem fixed. The empty space will likely be difficult to get used to and may make your appearance look bad. This is considered the elective side of the problem. However, functionality can also be affected, including chewing, eating, speaking and biting. This is considered a required procedure.
Also, missing teeth can change the shape of the jaw and can force your other teeth to move over time so that your alignment is off. All of these problems mean that the missing tooth or teeth should be replaced immediately.
Both cosmetic and traditional methods can be used to do so, which is why elective options can be done for real problems. However, many times, the insurance company won’t pay for elective options when traditional ones are available. This means that some elective options, such as dental bridges and implants aren’t paid for, but regular dentures will be, even though you really do need to replace that missing tooth.
Completely Elective
However, sometimes, procedures are completely elective and have no restorative reasons for being done. Two of those include teeth whitening and snap-on smiles. Teeth whitening has no real benefit other than making your teeth whiter. White teeth don’t necessarily mean you have a healthy mouth; it just makes your teeth look better for photographs.
Many people believe that they need this to look younger or to get ahead with their careers, but there is no restorative reason to have the procedure.
The same is true with snap-on smiles. Thin dental plates are created to fit your teeth perfectly and are worn over the teeth to give the appearance of whiter teeth. They may be similar to aligners used with braces to straighten teeth, but won’t do anything other than make the teeth look better.
