It is true that a cosmetic dentist can do wonders for your smile by putting on veneers or caps, or using bonding to shape or correct your teeth. However, if you like the idea of not having anything added to your own teeth there are a few other techniques that can be done to give you the smile you have always wanted.

Cosmetic Gum Surgery

Sometimes the problem is not your teeth, but your gum line that makes your smile less than what you want. If you had periodontal disease that has pulled your gums up and away from your teeth, your smile will suffer. Your teeth may be two different colors, white where the gum has pulled away and stained where the gum never was. In addition, your teeth will appear to be awkwardly long. A cosmetic dentist can take small pieces from the roof of your mouth and graft them onto your existing gums to make them more uniform. When your teeth are covered by too much gum, the dentist will trim away excess gum tissue to show off your pearly whites. In addition to giving you a great smile, cosmetic gum surgery can make your teeth stronger, so you have them longer.

Tooth Contouring & Reshaping

When you have little imperfections in your teeth, such as small chips, a tooth that is longer than the others, or a couple that overlap a bit, a cosmetic dentist can contour and reshape them. Using lasers, drills, and files to carefully remove tiny bits of the teeth until they all match and align properly. This is done on otherwise healthy teeth in order to keep from having veneers or crowns. While they can give you the perfect smile you want, being able to have your own natural teeth made perfect can be more satisfying.

Orthodontic Aligners

If your teeth are slightly crooked or out of line, you could go with metal braces to get them where they need to be. However, you can avoid having the metal brackets put on your teeth and wear a series of clear retainers instead. These retainers will slowly move the teeth into place. The movement is done in small increments, each time the teeth move and fit into a retainer a new one is used for more movement. They are removable for eating and special occasions or speaking, so you won't feel embarrassed with them.

You deserve to have the smile you want. In many instances this can be accomplished without the need for anything being bonded to your teeth. Talk with a top cosmetic dentist to see which techniques will give you the results you want.