Fixing Flawed Smiles: 4 Cosmetic Dental Problems & Their Solutions

April 18, 2024

A closeup of a broken and flawed smile

Maybe you’ve finally decided to do something about your smile’s poor looks. If so, that’s great news; your journey to a gorgeous grin should be fruitful! Cosmetic dentistry will beautify your mouth area once you explain the flaws you want to fix. Still, what if you can’t put your finger on the faults that need treatment? Never fear – your Naples dentist will gladly outline a few examples. So, read on to learn four common cosmetic dental problems and their solutions.

Tooth Stains

Problem: One of your smile’s issues could be discolored or stained teeth. It’s a normal problem – many foods and drinks have agents that darken enamel. That said, yellow or brown teeth aren’t something you have to endure.

Solution(s): Most cosmetic dentists today can easily fix tooth stains. Their go-to method is often teeth whitening, which directly brightens your enamel. When the stains prove more stubborn, another approach is to place dental veneers. These tooth-sized shells (often made of porcelain) cover up stained areas and show off your preferred shade of white.

Broken or Cracked Teeth

Problem: You may be surprised by how easily teeth can crack or break. From sports injuries to jaw-clenching, many factors are known to cause such dental damage. Even so, dentistry would let you reverse the harm.

Solution(s): Several services let dentists hide broken and cracked teeth. For example, cosmetic dental bonding could cover a minor fracture with tooth-colored resin. A dentist could also place dental crowns to hide big breaks and cracks from view. These caps would also have the perk of keeping any prior decay or damage from getting worse.

Chips in Your Teeth

Problem: If you bite a hard food or trip and fall, you could suffer chips in your teeth. The result would be an unbalanced smile that seems “off” at just a glance. Luckily, you can get these flaws addressed.

Solution(s): Dentists have a few ways to treat chipped teeth. If the chip is minor, they could perform cosmetic dental bonding that hides it with a special resin. Larger chips can also be hidden by veneers that cover the fronts of teeth. As a bonus, this latter option should last longer – a veneer has an average lifespan of 10-20 years.

Uneven or Oddly-Shaped Teeth

Problem: Uneven or oddly-shaped teeth can have many causes – genes, a grinding habit, etc. However, that fact doesn’t mean such teeth are untreatable.

Solution(s): Cosmetic dentistry can alter how uneven or oddly-shaped teeth look. Take porcelain veneers, for example; the shells would hide any misalignments from prying eyes. On the other hand, uneven teeth can also be fixed by recontouring – “shaving” enamel helps them match other pearly whites.

Learning more about common cosmetic dental problems and their solutions is possible. To do so, just consult your dental provider for help!

About the Practice

Island Coast Dentistry is based in Naples, FL. Led by Dr. Jeffrey Skupny, our practice takes pride in giving expert dental care to its patients. You can trust us for preventive, cosmetic, and restorative work, as well as emergency oral treatments. Our team even offers Invisalign clear aligners to patients who want straighter teeth. For more details or to book a visit, please reach us on our website or by phone at (239)-261-5566.