Most Americans care a great deal about the health and appearance of their teeth (and the teeth of their children, too). This is to be expected, since a mouth of healthy, attractive teeth make for a good smile and healthy teeth are less likely to suffer from painful and expensive medical problems. Many Americans routinely visit a dental clinic for dental implants, routine cleaning, tooth extraction, and more. Today, dentistry ranks in the top 10 most trusted and ethical professions in the entire United States, and many Americans have a dedicated dentist whom they visit.
And if a patient’s teeth are already in good health, they may be interested in visiting a cosmetic dental clinic for teeth whitening veneers and polishing. In other cases, cosmetic dentistry may involve straightening out crooked teeth or even replacing missing ones entirely. A person in the Washington, D.C. area can find these dentists when they look online. Search queries such as “cosmetic dentist washington dc” may be used to find local dental clinics, and the search can be made more specific such as “cosmetic dentist washington dc tooth whitening” or the like.
Find Good Dentists Near You
When someone is looking for cosmetic dentists in their area, they may have some personal references that they can rely on. If not, an online search, as mentioned above, may show a whole list of local dentists one can visit, such as “cosmetic dentist washington dc” and including the seeker’s ZIP code. A more specified search such as “cosmetic dentist washington dc offering Invisalign retainers” is also possible. Searches such as these will show a list of local cosmetic dentist’s offices, and the client may strike out offices that are deemed too far away or those with poor reviews. The client may then visit the rest of them in person.
When visiting these cosmetic dentists in person, the client may get an overall impression of the premises, which should be clean, professional, and welcoming. While there the client may consult the dentists and the dental assistants who work there, and get the full details of each employee’s work history and experience, educational background, awards or recognition, and more. Before or during the visit, the client may also check to ensure that their dental health insurance policies are accepted there. The client may visit several such cosmetic dental offices before they choose one to sign up for and visit for their dental needs. What can they expect from a quality cosmetic dentist?
Common Cosmetic Dental Work
Often, Americans may visit a cosmetic dentist because they want their teeth whitened. Human teeth (and indeed most animal teeth) have white enamel, and most people greatly prize white, dazzling enamel. Hence the nickname “pearly whites” for a set of attractive teeth. What discolors them? A person’s teeth may become discolored due to tobacco use (chewed or smoked), and nicotine stains them. A person may also suffer from discolored teeth if they allow too much tartar to build up on them. Bacteria on the teeth feed on sugars and create plaque, which is clear and easy to remove with tooth brushing. But if too much plaque builds up, it hardens into tartar, which is tough and unattractive to look at. Cosmetic dentists can help remove tartar and whiten the teeth as desired, and also show the patient tooth-whitening gels and toothpastes. One may note that celebrities and actors often have perfectly white teeth, and that’s not a coincidence.
There’s even more that a cosmetic dentist can do. Some teeth are cracked or worn down, making them inconvenient or even painful to chew with or speak with, so a cosmetic dentist can fit artificial crowns over them to keep them safe and restore the tooth’s shape and function. These crowns are usually molded after the patient’s other, real teeth and will look quite realistic.
Teeth can even be replaced. A missing tooth can be replaced with a replica tooth, a dental bridge, that is molded after the patient’ real teeth and looks realistic. This false tooth is held in place with covers that slip over the real teeth that flank the gap, keeping them secure. Dentures for elderly patients, meanwhile, can replace entire rows of teeth or even all of them at once.