Cosmetic vs General

What Is General Dentistry?

General dentistry is the branch of dentistry that is aimed at keeping good oral health and preserving your natural teeth and smile as much as possible in order to keep you looking and feeling good. It’s what most automatically comes to mind for most people when thinking about going to the dentist. General dentistry includes procedures such as cleanings, oral exams, tooth decay prevention, and small fillings. There is a large focus on treating problems that cause discomfort and require various levels of restorative work such as extraction or root canals.

What is Cosmetic Dentistry?

Cosmetic Dentistry is the branch of dentistry that aims to create a positive change to both your teeth, and your overall smile. The appearance of your smile can be improved in many ways, including color, position, shape, size, and alignment. (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 2023) At Washington State Prosthodontics and Dental Implant Center, we like to say that cosmetic dentistry gives you a healthy, flawless, and aesthetic smile with the perfect combination of the use of both art and science. It can both improve and preserve your smile while giving you confidence like never before.

There are many treatments that fall under the umbrella of cosmetic dentistry such as bonding, bridges, contouring and tooth reshaping, dental implants, teeth whitening, veneers, and complete smile makeovers. If you’re looking for a dental procedure to help enrich your current smile or give you the smile you’ve always dreamed of, cosmetic dentistry just might be for you! As two of only a handful of board-certified prosthodontists in the state of Washington, Dr. Russell Johnson and Dr. Michael Johnson are also qualified experts in cosmetic dentistry and have been providing patients in the Bellevue area with cosmetic dental procedures and improving our patient’s quality of life for years! Let’s dive a little further into the cosmetic services we provide that differ from general dentistry.

Dental Implants

Dental Implants are a common procedure within cosmetic dentistry, but they also take special skill. Our doctors at Washington State Prosthodontics and Dental Implant Center are prosthodontists, not just general dentists. This means they are specialists with over 30 years of combined advanced training and experience and are known as the dental implant experts. Essentially, if you need dental implants, Washington State Prosthodontics is the place to go!

Dental implants are a solution for missing teeth that consist of a titanium post that acts as the replacement of the root of a tooth. This post stimulates the nerves in the jawbone which helps to prevent any deterioration that might otherwise occur. A cap, or crown is then attached to the top of the implant to act as an artificial tooth, not only allowing the same eating and speaking capabilities as a natural tooth, but also looking nearly indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Another aesthetic advantage of dental implants is they help to maintain the shape of your face, where if you do not replace a missing tooth, you can begin to have a sunken look to your face.

Dental Bridges

Bridges are another option to replace missing teeth with an artificial tooth that quite literally ‘bridges’ the gap created from a missing tooth. Traditionally, dental bridges are considered to be ‘tooth supported’, which means the two natural, adjacent teeth are used to help hold the bridge in place. A pontic, or an artificial tooth, is then fused between the two natural teeth, and voila, it’s like you were never missing a tooth to begin with!

Professional Teeth Whitening

When people think of cosmetic dental services, it’s not uncommon for their first thought to be professional teeth whitening, and for good reason. Teeth whitening or bleaching is typically the most common cosmetic service offered in a dentist’s office. At Washington State Prosthodontics, we offer both in office teeth whitening and at home tray whitening.

In office teeth whitening is performed here at the office where we apply a whitening gel to the surface of your teeth. It typically takes no longer than an hour to an hour and a half, and the best part is, the results are immediate! Come in with dull and discolored teeth, and you’re guaranteed to leave with pearly whites!

We also offer tray bleaching which is a type of professional teeth whitening that can be done at home. The trays are custom made to each individual patient’s teeth so they fit perfectly. The whitening gel is prescription strength and is only available through your dentist and is placed on the inside of the trays before being inserted for the whitening process. At home whitening is a bit different than in office, as it generally takes around two weeks to see the complete results of the whitening.

Veneers

Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials such as porcelain, designed to cover the front side of teeth. They are an option for correcting stained, chipped, decayed or crooked teeth, and are custom made from a model of your teeth created by your dentist. (American Dental Association, 2023).

Over the years, we have seen veneers become more and more popular amongst our patients. No matter how well someone takes care of their smile, sometimes it just isn’t enough to achieve their idea of the perfect smile. Your genetics are largely what determines the size and shape of your teeth, so if you have long teeth, short teeth, or misshapen teeth and are unhappy with the way they look, veneers are often the best option to solve this problem.

The Best Cosmetic Dentist in Bellevue – Washington State Prosthodontics

At Washington State Prosthodontics, our doctors are trained to safely and effectively enhance your smile through a variety of cosmetic dental procedures. We know that the state of your smile can have a drastic impact of your mental health and self-confidence, and we want to help. If you’re unhappy with your smile, schedule a consultation with us today, and let’s start you on the road to your perfect smile!