Cosmetic Or Not Cosmetic? How Dentists Size Up A Situation And Determine If It Is Cosmetic
A cosmetic dentist is a dental professional you see for things not vital to your overall dental health. There are criteria in place to help dentists determine if something you want fixed is a cosmetic procedure or a necessary procedure for your oral health. If you are not sure if your problem is one that is cosmetic, here are some of the criteria used to determine the difference between cosmetic and standard dental procedures.
The Effect the Problem Tooth Has on Neighboring Teeth
It may be one tooth or it may be several. The problem tooth or teeth only need standard dental care practices if their condition will severely impact the neighboring teeth. Otherwise, the tooth or teeth in question would need cosmetic procedures.
Severe Oral Health Problems
Consider that you fell and broke a tooth in such a way that the tooth remained in your mouth but ultimately died. After the tooth died, it got infected and pus in the gum around the dead root of the tooth. (This is called an abscess.) If the tooth is not removed and the abscess is not drained of pus and infection, it could have a severe and negative impact on the rest of your mouth. Normally, removing a broken tooth is cosmetic, but in this case, where there is something else tied to the tooth that is causing other health problems for your mouth, removal of the tooth is no longer cosmetic; it is medically necessary to restore your oral health.
You Just Want a Prettier Smile
Who does not want a prettier smile? Whitening your teeth to a gleaming white, using veneers to hide misshapen teeth, and inserting implants to fill in holes and gaps in your smile are all cosmetic because you do not really need them (according to dental insurance companies). Rather, you just want them.
Braces and orthodontia are also usually considered cosmetic if you do not get them as a child or teenager because your teeth and mouth have already finished growing. You want to address the end results now with braces as an adult, and that is considered cosmetic. Some instances of dentures fall under cosmetic, particularly if you could do just fine with a standard partial denture or a common full denture to make up for lost teeth. Other types of permanent or semi-permanent dentures not covered by insurance are cosmetic.
For more information, contact businesses like Pinon Hills Dental.