8 Tips for Finding the Best Cosmetic Dentist for You and Your Situation

It is no secret that people across the United States like to have good looking teeth. Nearly all Americans think that having a good looking smile is important to their social life. Approximately 99.7% of all Americans say they feel this way. It is for this reason that more and more people are turning to cosmetic dentistry to get better looking smiles. Cosmetic dentistry procedures include crown, veneers, bonding, contouring and bleaching. Cosmetic dentists have a number of tools that they can use for fixing or replacing chipped, discolored, misshapen, crooked or missing teeth.

If you are in the market for a good cosmetic dentist, here are some tips to help you find the right one:

1. Talk to your friends, family and coworkers. Given how many of us want to have nicer and whiter teeth, the chances are good that you know more than one person who has gone in for some cosmetic dentistry procedures such as tooth whitening. Talk to everyone you know about this. Someone you know will know someone who can help you find the right cosmetic dentist for your needs.
2. Ask your family dentist. Your family dentist may provide many cosmetic dentistry procedures. Most dental offices handle tooth whitening, for example. If, on the off chance that you want a procedure that they do not offer, such as dental implants, they can point you in the direction of a good professional who can. This is a great way to find the right cosmetic dentist for what kind of procedure you are looking to have done.
3. Ask about the training that the cosmetic dentist has received. Unlike some general practitioners, cosmetic dentists get specific training in the cosmetic procedures they are going to perform. If you want porcelain veneers, you want to make sure your dentist has had some specific training on veneers. If you want to have your teeth straightened, you want the person who helps you with your Invisalign system to have had some training on them.
4. What professional associations does the cosmetic dentistry expert belong to? There is the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), this is separate from the American Dental Association (ADA). If you are going to go in for some cosmetic dentistry procedure, you will be well served by going to someone who belongs to the AACD.
5. Ask about the payment options. Most cosmetic dentistry procedures are not covered by insurance so you should ask about the payment options the practice offers. Some let you do a payment plan for your dental implants or veneers. If you need it, ask the cosmetic dentistry practice about their financing options. You may be surprised about how willing the different dental practices are to work with you on financing.
6. Ask about your anesthesia options. If you are scared of the dentist, and many people are, you may want to ask about the options for anesthesia. Cosmetic dentistry procedures are still dental procedures after all. When you have dental implants put in, most dental implant dentists do offer general anesthesia. They may also be able to give you some anti-anxiety drugs they can give you to make you less afraid.
7. What kind of technology do they use? Many new dentists use digital x-rays, chair-side monitors, dental lasers and other kinds of advanced technologies. The newer technologies can make the experience easier because they get more accurate information about your mouth and your teeth.
8. Try to see photos of their clients before and after they have a procedure done. Most cosmetic dentists have galleries of their patients with those before and after photos to give prospective patients an idea about how they will look after they have their teeth whitening or have veneers put in. Some cosmetic dentistry practices can even show patients how they may look after having a procedure done. They can create a mock up on the computer. Ask the different cosmetic dentistry practices if they offer that kind of option for patients.

Every day, cosmetic dentists find more and more ways for people to improve the look of their smile. If you are concerned about your smile, talk to your dentist for ideas.

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