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Dental Contouring

What is contouring teeth?

For this cosmetic dental procedure, a series of different polishing and grinding tools are used to safely remove a small amount of tooth enamel to change the shape, length or surface of the tooth. This treatment is often used in combination with a dental compound to help sculpt and sculpt teeth.

Why Would I Want Tooth Reshaping?

Many patients are intimidated by the more invasive and expensive cosmetic treatments like veneers and full smile makeovers. This is why many patients turn to dental contouring. It is a straightforward, pain-free cosmetic procedure with immediate results. Shaving off a few millimeters in the right places could drastically change the appearance of your smile. Contouring is most often used to correct:

  • Slight overlapping
  • Irregularly shaped teeth
  • Uneven length
  • Tiny chips
  • Excessively pointy cuspids

What is the Procedure Like?

The first step of any procedure is a comprehensive exam to make sure your oral health and teeth are in the best condition possible and make sure you have selected the optimal cosmetic treatment. Because the procedure is minimally invasive doctor does not often use any form of sedation or anesthesia in dental contouring. Instead doctor makes sure your teeth are healthy, makes your teeth with a pen to outline changes and carefully removes imperfections on the surface of teeth with a sanding instrument. Once he achieves the proper shape, doctor gives the enamel a final polish to smooth the surface. The entire process usually takes less than 30 minutes. Once done, the treated tooth will look better to the eye and fit more perfectly with neighboring teeth.

Am I a Good Candidate for Contouring?

The best candidate for tooth reshaping is someone with good overall oral health, no dental sensitivity and normal enamel thickness.

Is There a Downside to Dental Reshaping?

Though there are many advantages, there are some cons you need to consider before agreeing to this procedure. For example, unlike most other cosmetic treatments, contorting is not meant to  change the look of your smile or correct more serious occlusion (teeth alignment) problems. Instead, you need to mitigate your expectations. Reshaping will not make your teeth look whiter, correct severe malocclusion or give you a completely new look. Instead, this treatment is best for people who are mostly happy with the look of their smile and only need small adjustments. 

What Should I Expect After Contouring?

Because doctor only shaves off part of the enamel, which does not have any nerves, you should not feel any pain during or after dental reshaping and recovery is instantaneous. However, after the procedure some patients do experience minor sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures. This sensation usually subsides after a couple of days. Aside from that, you can clean your teeth and eat as normal—no special treatment necessary.