If you're considering any form of cosmetic dentistry, it's often advisable to sit down with your dentist ahead of time for a brief consultation. Your dentist will help identify your main goals for cosmetic dentistry, plus show you the best programs for obtaining these goals -- and as a patient, asking about the right things is important.
At Hillfield Pediatric & Family Dentistry, cosmetic dentistry services are just one piece of the comprehensive dental solutions we provide to clients throughout Layton. We're happy to sit down with you for a consultation regarding any cosmetic procedures you're considering, whether they involve teeth whitening, veneers or any other area. In this two-part blog series, we'll go over a number of things you should be inquiring about ahead of cosmetic dentistry procedures.
Especially if this is a dentist you've just begun seeing recently, but even if not, there's nothing wrong with asking about a dentist's experience with cosmetic dentistry procedures. Which services do they provide in this area? How long have they been providing these services? What sort of results have they seen in their past patients? Do they have any before-and-after photos you can take a look at?
These and related questions will give you a good idea of how comfortable you should feel with your dentist's experience in the cosmetic dentistry arena.
Once you've confirmed that your dentist has plenty of experience in the cosmetic dentistry field, it's time to start narrowing down which specific procedures you might be interested in. A good place to start is by discussing what concerns or goals you have for your smile.
Do you want whiter teeth? Straighter teeth? Fix a chipped tooth? There are many different procedures that can address any of these goals, so it's important to have a good understanding of what you're hoping to achieve.
Your dentist should be able to give you an overview of the most common procedures used for cosmetic dentistry, and can help guide you in the right direction depending on your specific concerns and goals.
Once you've identified the specific procedure or procedures you're interested in, it's time to ask about the benefits and risks of each. This is an important conversation to have with your dentist, as it will give you a good overview of what to expect from a given treatment.
For example, if you're considering teeth whitening, be sure to ask about how long the results will last, what the side effects might be and how much it will cost. If you're looking into dental veneers, ask about how durable they are and whether they can be replaced if they chip or crack.
For more on which areas to ask your dentist about during a cosmetic dentistry consultation, or to learn about any of our family dentistry services, speak to the staff at Hillfield Pediatric & Family Dentistry today.
