The cosmetic touch to brighten your smile<\/p>\n
Maria Kegel, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): What's in a smile? Plenty, if you ask your
\ndentist.<\/p>\n
Whiter and straighter teeth can increase your self-esteem, so
\nsays Dr. Iwan I. Kustarjo, a dental surgeon at Plaza Senayan in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
But the price of a pretty smile does not come cheap, with
\nprices for cosmetic dentistry procedures running into the
\nmillions of rupiah.<\/p>\n
Bleaching, bonding, laser teeth whitening, veneers and crowns
\nare some of the latest treatments offered by your dentist that
\ncan be used alone or with each other to put that perfect smile on
\nyour face.<\/p>\n
\"Cosmetic dentistry lets people smile, and encompasses
\nchanging the size, shape and color of their teeth,\" said Iwan.<\/p>\n
Improvements can be made in just one single trip to the
\ndentist. A temporary crown, bridge or filling can mask lost or
\nbroken teeth, while bleaching takes as little as half an hour and
\ngives immediate results.<\/p>\n
Bleaching is painless for the most part, and Iwan said
\ncompanies had greatly reduced or eliminated the teeth sensitivity
\nthat patients used to report with the product's repeated use.<\/p>\n
Although people prefer in-office bleaching for its
\nconvenience, Iwan recommended it to be combined with bleaching at
\nhome for a subsequent 12 days or nights for a better overall
\nresult.<\/p>\n
\"In-office bleaching uses stronger chemicals than the gel you
\ntake home, so it needs the dentist's supervision. It could burn
\nthe gums if it's not done carefully, and we use a blocking agent
\nto protect them.\"<\/p>\n
Bleaching, which affects the outer layer of the tooth, can
\nlast up to two years, depending on the patient's personal habits.<\/p>\n
Consuming grape or blackcurrant juice, coffee, tea, smoking,
\nand even eating Padang food can determine how long the bleaching
\nwill last, said Iwan. The kunyit (turmeric) in Padang cuisine is
\nthe culprit behind the staining.<\/p>\n
\"If these items are avoided, then the bleaching lasts longer.\"<\/p>\n
While home-bleaching kits available from the supermarket have
\na lower percentage of hydrogen peroxide and are safe for
\neveryone, Iwan said the lower content of chemicals means the
\neffects were minimal and a lot of gel was required. The mouth
\ntrays also do not fit well as they are not customized to a
\nperson's set of teeth.<\/p>\n
\"That's the difference with using over-the-counter kits. We
\ncustomize the mouth tray for each patient so that it fits their
\nteeth exactly, and we use a higher percentage of hydrogen
\nperoxide in the gel, so treatment time is reduced,\" he said,
\nadding that the trays from the dentist prevented the swallowing
\nof large amounts of gel when they were worn at night.<\/p>\n
A one-hour laser treatment can speed up the whitening process.<\/p>\n
The laser is only an activator and is used along with
\nbleaching as it accelerates the chemical reaction, he said.<\/p>\n
\"With the rapid advancements being made with the chemicals
\nused in cosmetic dentistry, there may be no need to use lasers
\nsoon,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Veneers are placed over the front of the tooth, and they are
\nused to change the color or shape of the tooth.<\/p>\n
Teeth that are too small or large, crooked, chipped or oddly
\nshaped are good candidates for veneers.<\/p>\n
A tooth is reduced and then covered with the composite resin.<\/p>\n
Veneers are not as strong as the original tooth or other
\nmaterials used in dentistry, and last for about three to four
\nyears, Iwan said.<\/p>\n
There are other drawbacks. The composite resin changes color
\nafter four years and they require maintenance as the bonding
\nmaterials tend to leak with use, he said.<\/p>\n
\"If you repair the leaks, the veneers will last longer.\"<\/p>\n
A protruding tooth can be covered with a veneer, but it
\ndepends on the degree of its protrusion or misalignment, Iwan
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"People mostly wear braces to correct their overbite, and then
\nyou don't have to cut any enamel.\"<\/p>\n
Bonding, which also combines bleaching, is reserved for teeth
\nthat have turned gray or brown due to dead pulp, for example,
\nfrom a root canal.<\/p>\n
Bleaching is carried out first to reduce the color, and then a
\ncomposite resin is used to restore the chipped or broken teeth or
\nto fill in any gaps.<\/p>\n
Crowns are more permanent, but they have limitations, and last
\nfor about 10 to 15 years, Iwan said, adding that most patients
\npreferred them because they were stronger and more enduring than
\nthe other options.<\/p>\n
But problems can arise when gums recede, he warned. The space
\nthat opens at the top of the crown means cavities can easily form
\nthere.<\/p>\n
\"As long as your gums don't recede, your crowns will last a
\nlong time.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-cosmetic-touch-to-brighten-your-smile-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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