Amelia Grant

Some people are lucky to have perfectly even teeth that look flawless without any interventions from dentists. However, others may not be able to achieve this without the help of medicine because of crooked, discolored, and overly large teeth that protrude too much when smiling or, on the contrary, barely peek out from under the gums. 

The good news is that in the modern world, there is no problem with teeth that a professional dentist cannot solve. Such a procedure as contouring of the teeth can help eliminate all the defects mentioned above if you feel insecure because of them.

Dental contouring is a cosmetic dentistry technique that removes a small amount of dental enamel (the outer covering of the tooth) in order to change the shape, length, or surface of one or more teeth.

How Does It Work?

For this procedure, special dental instruments and enamel-erasing techniques are used. X-rays are often taken before starting treatment to make sure the teeth are healthy and do not require prior treatment. After that, the dentist marks the areas that need to be corrected. With a grinding tool, the doctor eliminates or minimizes all defects on the surface of the teeth. At the end of the procedure, the teeth are polished.

Types of Dental Contouring

1. Direct contouring. This procedure is usually carried out in one visit;

1. Indirect contouring. It takes more time because before proceeding with the restoration of the tooth, the doctor makes a print of the tooth or part of the dentition, and then a ceramic fragment is made based on this print;

1. Gingival contouring. It’s applied in a case when the patient’s gums are shown too much while smiling. The doctor changes the very shape of the gum, raises its edges, or excises a part of the gum tissue. In more complex cases, it is necessary to reduce the volume of bone tissue. This is also done quite quickly with a diode laser and anesthesia. If it is necessary to remove a fragment of the alveolar bone, the operation includes lengthening the crown of the tooth and can take up to 2 hours.

When Dental Contouring Can Be an Option for You

It’s crucial to love and accept yourself as you are, but if you believe that correcting natural imperfections will improve your confidence and quality of life, you may consider aesthetic dentistry. Dental contouring may be an option for you in the following cases.

1. Excessively expanded or narrowed shape of the tooth;

1. Too short or too long teeth (in this case, either a single tooth or an entire dentition is corrected);

1. Teeth that are displaced from the teeth row (then the dentist corrects the position of an individual tooth);

1. Dark or yellow plaque on the teeth;

1. Gaps between teeth.

The Benefits of Choosing Dental Contouring

• Price. This is a relatively inexpensive way to improve the look of your teeth.

• Painlessness. Since only the surface layer of enamel is removed, there is no discomfort during the procedure, that is, you will not need anesthesia.

• Improving overall dental health. Removing minor irregularities and other defects in which tartar and plaque can collect reduces the risk of caries and gum disease.

In addition, it is an alternative to braces. In some situations, contouring can replace braces as it straightens teeth and reduces the curvature of teeth that are crooked. However, it will not help if you have a significant malocclusion. But if only one or several teeth are crooked, you can consult with your dentist about the option of contouring.