Smiling -- it's an infectious expression. Subconsciously, when a person smiles at you, you can't help but smile back. However, so many of us are unhappy with our smiles. While there are at-home treatments that can make your teeth whiter, more comprehensive ways of achieving that perfect smile come only from cosmetic dentists.



There are a handful of Orange County dentists that specialize in cosmetic dentistry, and for more serious mouth problems temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ). Many also offer free consultations to fully discuss with you the right treatment for your mouth, and budget.

Common Smile Treatments

The most common treatments to achieve a perfect smile involve veneers and tooth whitening. Tooth whitening involves a process of lightening the color of the tooth's enamel. Common methods of tooth whitening include tooth bleaching using peroxide based chemicals, in-office whitening, and laser whitening.

Tooth Whitening

Using loaded tray peroxide based method Orange County Dentists will custom fit a tray to your mouth. They will then fill the tray with the peroxide mix and fix to your gums. Results should be seen after two to three weeks of wearing the tray.

Laser teeth whitening uses a laser to apply the peroxide bleaching agent to the teeth. The laser speeds up the chemical reaction of the bleach, making this process very quick to show results. Most of these procedures are quick and painless. Some Orange County dentists even advertise lunchtime tooth whitening, as some methods take just one hour to see results.

If you do plan to see Orange County dentists for veneers as part of your perfect smile procedure, then it is advisable to embark on tooth whitening before you move onto veneers. Doing this will improve the final result of your smile treatment as you will have a consistent color across all of your teeth.

Veneers

Porcelain veneers are thin pieces of porcelain that Orange County dentists bond with teeth. Normally completed within two or three visits, the surfaces of the teeth are first scratched slightly to help the bonding medium adhere to the tooth more firmly. A mold is then taken to ensure that your veneers are the right fit for your teeth.

Once applied, the veneers cover minor imperfections such as chips or cracks in the tooth. Orange County dentists can also use veneers to realign misaligned teeth as an alternative to orthodontic work. While not the cheapest methods of smile perfecting, the results of veneers and teeth whitening can be well worth the cost.

Treating More Serious Mouth Disorders

For some people, fixing the aesthetic problems is not enough to create the perfect smile. Temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ) is a condition that affects the muscles that connect the upper and lower jaws. TMJ can occur because the jaw is misaligned, there is consistent grinding of the teeth, or sometimes stress or arthritis. TMJ Orange County dentists describe the symptoms as pain in the face, neck and sometimes shoulders. Symptoms also include difficulties opening and closing the jaw, pain while chewing or talking and sensitive teeth.

TMJ Orange County specialists will advise on the appropriate treatment for the individual case. Treatments can include orthodontics to realign teeth or adjusting the bite to remove interferences.

Whether it be purely aesthetic or a more specialized treatment, Orange County dentists will find a way to give you the perfect smile.