Cosmetic dentistry

January 27, 2023

Cosmetic Dentistry in Mexico: All you Need to Know

Cosmetic Dentistry
in Mexico

Even the smallest changes can increase someone’s confidence and self-esteem, and we know for sure a person’s smile has a power of its own. It’s normal for the human condition to wish to change part of their looks, and this very often includes the smile. Even with healthy teeth, people often desire a more aesthetic look and their confidence depends on it.

Cosmetic dentistry is the branch of dentistry that focuses on improving the appearance of a patient’s smile. Treatments for cosmetic dentistry can include teeth whitening, dental bonding, and veneers.

Whether you hide your smile in photographs or when you laugh with friends, or you’re in a job or partner search but lack confidence because of your smile, cosmetic dentistry might be the solution, and no better place than Guadalajara, Mexico to get advanced dental procedures.

Cosmetic dentistry treatments can help restore your smile (and confidence), treating everything from misaligned to stained teeth. However, these treatments can be expensive in the United States. Luckily, just a few miles south there’s Mexico, where cosmetic dentistry will not cost an arm.

In order for you to be more informed on the subject and find a good and experienced cosmetic dentist in Mexico that you can trust, here’s some important information about the top dental restorative procedures and some tips you might want to know:

Setting Apart Cosmetic Dentistry from General Dentistry:

General Dentistry

General dentists are primary dental CARE providers.

They offer preventive care and most of the treatments they offer are for restoring not only appearance but also health and function.

(teeth cleanings, dental fillings, crowns, bridges, etc.)

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry focuses on beautifying your smile.
They offer treatments aimed at improving the appearance of your teeth and gums.

	General or Restorative Dentistry	Cosmetic Dentistry
Treatment Motivation	Essential	Elective
Purpose	Restore function/ CARE	Aesthetical
Dental restoration materials	Durable and affordable. May or may not be aesthetically pleasing.	Durable and aesthetically pleasing
Common issues fixed	Missing teeth, broken teeth, cavities	Chipped or yellowing teeth
Common Treatments	Crowns, implants, fillings, root canal, bridges, or dentures	Teeth whitening, bonding, implants, veneers, crowns, braces/aligners, bridgework, inlays/onlays

Cosmetic dentistry is any procedure that restores the aesthetic appearance of your teeth or gums. Although this kind of dentistry is typically nonessential, some procedures can also have restorative benefits. It would include teeth whitening and placing crowns or veneers, Invisalign, dental bonding, and gum contouring, among others.

Who Should Get a Cosmetic Dentistry Procedure?

Cosmetic dentistry might be an option if you have one of the following issues:

Misaligned teeth.
Chipped or cracked teeth.
Small gaps or spaces between your teeth.
Misshapen teeth.
Tooth discoloration and staining.

As long as the patient has healthy teeth and gums, cosmetic dental treatments can be possible.
Patients with extensive cavities or gum disease will need to address those conditions first.

Important Tips on
Cosmetic Dentistry:

The Importance of Good Molar Teeth

One of the major things you need to know is that you need good molar teeth and a functional bite to get any cosmetic dental work. If your molars are not able to support your biting forces, you may not be able to proceed with a cosmetic dental procedure. The same applies if you are missing major sections of your molars from previous extractions.

What happens if your molars don’t have a good functional bite and your teeth are not properly aligned? Dental crowns or veneers would eventually fail.
In these cases, what you may need is a full mouth restoration procedure, not just a simple smile makeover.

Dental Veneers vs Crowns

Veneers and Crowns are both dental restoration methods that can improve the function and look of your teeth, both with reasonable success rates, but they’re not the same.
These two restoration methods may be similar in physical appearance, but they serve different purposes: a veneer covers only the front of the tooth, used mostly for aesthetic purposes, whereas the crown covers the entire tooth and is used to restore the shape of the tooth and improve its strength.

A veneer is a thinner porcelain material that goes in front of your teeth. The advantage of a veneer is that it is not necessary to remove as much tooth structure as a dental crown. On the other hand, a veneer is not as strong as a crown as they are more prone to chipping or dislodging.

A crown is a porcelain or zirconia material that covers the entire tooth up to the gum line. The advantages of crowns are that they are stronger and last longer than veneers. However, dental crowns require the removal of more tooth structure compared to veneers.

Both cosmetic dental procedures have their advantages, Mexico Dental Implants will help you make the best decision.

The Importance of Color and Translucency

When the teeth hardly have any natural color or translucency after cosmetic dental work, it means the work is bad or cheap. Good dental work is typically 100% white with no natural shading or translucency. Cheap crowns will only give you odd, unnatural-looking white teeth.
When it comes to color, you will be able to choose the whiteness of your teeth. It’s important to look for actual samples.
Translucency is the ability of a tooth to let natural light pass through. Cheap and bad cosmetic dental work have no translucency.
There are great dentists in Mexico that use dental labs that create high-quality crowns and veneers that have natural translucency.
It is needless to say Cheap crowns or Veneers are not Worth it.

Find a Prosthodontist in Mexico

A prosthodontist specializes in treating complex dental and facial matters, including the restoration and replacement of missing or damaged teeth with artificial devices. They are highly trained in dental implants, crowns, bridges, dentures, jaw disorders, and more.
This is the go-to professional when you want to avoid new teeth that look too small or too big.

Examples of Cosmetic Dentistry

Teeth whitening

Over time, coffee, tea, berries, and other dark-colored foods and drinks can stain your teeth.
Professional teeth whitening can safely lighten the shade of your teeth and brighten your smile.
There are many dentists who offer two ways of teeth whitening: in-office and at-home: In-office whitening takes about one hour whereas at-home whitening usually takes a couple of weeks.
This is the most common cosmetic dental procedure. People can have noticeable improvements to their smiles without undergoing invasive treatments.

Dental bonding

Dental bonding involves the application of tooth-colored composite resin.
The dentist will use this material to cover up and conceal cracks, craze lines (hairline cracks), discoloration, and other cosmetic imperfections.
This treatment can even change the shape of a tooth to make it longer, wider, or more uniform.

Porcelain veneers

Like dental bonding, veneers can conceal a wide range of cosmetic flaws, including chips, cracks,
and discoloration.
Porcelain veneers are made of medical-grade ceramic and they are thin, strong shells that adhere to the front surfaces of the tooth.

Gum contouring

The excess of gum tissue, which some people are born with, can make the smile appear “gummy” or unbalanced. During gum contouring, the dentist removes excess gum tissue and reshapes the gum line for a more symmetrical, balanced appearance.

Tooth contouring

This treatment removes small amounts of enamel to change the shape of teeth.

Benefits of
Cosmetic Treatments

Enhance
your smile

Improve the shape
of your teeth

Bring balance
and symmetry
to your smile

Conceal chips
and cracks

Brighten dull,
stained teeth

Boost your
confidence

Confidence Booster:

You will want to show your smile to everyone.

Look
Upgrade:

Daily factors can stain or damage your teeth, and cosmetic dental work can restore your smile.

Custom Combinations:

You can combine multiple treatments like gum contouring and veneers so you can get the smile you’ve always wanted.

Here are possible treatment options for each scenario.
However, all options may not suit you. Your cosmetic dentist will know the right choice for you.

TEETH CONDITION	TREATMENT OPTION
Chipped	Bonding, composite, resin fillings
Crooked	Veneers, braces, aligners
Discolored	Composite, resin fillings, bleaching, veneers, crowns
Missing	Dentures, bridges, implants
Deformed	Composite, resin fillings, veneers, crowns

What is the Recovery Time
for Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments?

Recovery time depends on the type of cosmetic procedure and the number of teeth that need treatment.
Your dentist can tell you what kind of recovery timeline to expect.

What to Expect During A Cosmetic Dentistry Consultation?

The initial cosmetic consultation will evolve examinations in order for your dentist to learn about your oral health and your smile goals.

As a patient, you should two have some questions prepared in order to feel safe and comfortable:
Here are some examples of questions you can ask during your dentist consultation:

How many years of experience do you have with cosmetic dentistry?

What are the risks and benefits of the procedure I am considering?

How long is the recovery process?

Will my new smile need any special care?

Can I see before and after photos of patients treated for similar cosmetic dental work?