If you’re interested in improving your smile with the help of cosmetic dentistry, you may be eager to get started. But not so fast! Your dentist will need to check your teeth and gums before proceeding to make sure you don’t have any undiagnosed dental problems first. Here’s why it’s so important to correct oral health issues before you get cosmetic dentistry!
It Can Ruin Your Results
Getting cosmetic dental work over an untreated issue can cause a lot of problems later. For example, if you were to get a veneer over a cavity, you would still have the cavity. Eventually, it would get worse, and to treat it, your dentist would need to remove it to access and repair the damage. Thus, you would then either need to replace the veneer entirely, or you’d have to have it re-cemented.
It’s Harder to Treat
Unfortunately, cosmetic dentistry modifications can sometimes make oral health problems like gum disease even harder to treat. It can also make any side effects of treatment worse. For example, having your teeth professionally whitened can make your gums hurt more if you have gum disease, and it can make teeth with cavities even more sensitive than usual.
It Costs More
Considering the previous scenario, imagine investing your hard-earned money in your new veneers, only to then have to pay to replace one soon after, or even for the extra work of removing and reattaching it after your treatment.
For dental implants, if you have an untreated condition like gum disease, you could increase your risk of implant failure if it advances. Then, you may need an additional bone graft procedure to keep it in place, and you would also need another implantation procedure to have it reattached.
Remember, your dentist needs to make sure that your cosmetic dentistry procedure is done on a healthy mouth. This is in your best interest, and could save you plenty of valuable time, money, and unnecessary discomfort!
About Dr. Young
Dr. Julie Young places a high emphasis on patient comfort and has trained with some of the most prominent cosmetic dentists in the world. She sees dentistry not just as a means to protect your oral health, but as a form of art. If you are interested in any type of cosmetic dentistry treatment to improve the look and function of your teeth, please schedule your exam and consultation today by visiting our website or calling 415-924-5300.
