Although July is halfway over, summer is still going strong. With all of the excitement of vacations and beaches and summer celebrations, you may not have had time to invest in your smile as you had hoped. Erlanger, Kentucky cosmetic dentist Dr. Darlene Henry has you covered with a variety of cosmetic dentistry options to help you achieve the perfect smile you’ve dreamed of before the summer’s over.

Teeth Whitening

Your teeth do not require anything dramatic to become stained or slightly discolored. Consuming certain foods and dark-colored beverages, including coffee, tea, wine, and soda, can exacerbate the staining of your teeth. Even the smallest discoloration can throw a perfect smile slightly off. Luckily, tooth whitening is a simple but effective cosmetic dental procedure. With our at-home teeth whiteningsystem, you can apply the treatment in the comfort of your own home and noticeably brighten your smile after just 10-14 days.

Dental Bonding and Contouring

If color is not your issue, but you have a slight imperfection such as a chipped, crooked, or slightly misshapen tooth, Dr. Henry may recommend a dental bonding and/or contouring procedure. Tooth contouring involves gently removing a small amount of tooth enamel in order to change the size and shape of an imperfect tooth. Dental bonding involves using a tooth-colored composite-resin material to cover and reshape an imperfect tooth. Dr. Henry will apply the resin to the tooth, mold it into the ideal shape, and then harden the material under a curing light. Unfortunately, bonding does not respond well to tooth coloring. If you have more than one imperfect tooth, porcelain veneers may be the best option for you.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are the ideal option for rectifying more than one imperfection with the same procedure. Veneers are thin, almost shell like pieces of dental porcelain that are placed over the front face of your teeth. Dr. Henry removes a small amount of enamel from the front of the teeth to be covered, then bonds a custom-made set of veneers over the front. Veneers are more durable than bonding and last longer than whitening. Ask Dr. Henry for proper cleaning and maintenance instructions for you new porcelain veneers.

Summer is no longer young, but you still have time to make your smile young and perfect again. To learn more about your oral health, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Henry, call our Erlanger, Kentucky dentist’s office at (859) 344-8500.