Contouring and Shaping Your Teeth

Do you have overlapping teeth or crooked teeth? Similarly, do you have one or more cracked teeth? If you do—and even if you don’t—you probably understand that these types of imperfections can be embarrassing. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to address the flaws in your smile. Contouring, which is also known as reshaping, has many advantages and a few things you should be aware of.

You see, in order for a dentist to contour your teeth, a small amount of enamel will need to be removed. This can be used to change your tooth’s length, shape, and appearance. Generally, this treatment is conservative and used as a cosmetic treatment. Luckily, this treatment can be used to address several issues, including irregularly shaped teeth or teeth with small chips or bulges.

Fortunately, contouring is usually very inexpensive—especially because you will almost never need anesthesia with contouring. Furthermore, this procedure is far less expensive than getting braces of having orthodontic work done. Contouring can also improve the health of your teeth. You see, plaque and tartar may get caught in your imperfections, making it difficult to keep your teeth clean. Sadly, this can lead to gum disease and tooth decay.

Still, even if you have a few minor imperfections, our team may not recommend dental contouring. You see, as part of this useful treatment, our team will remove some of your enamel—which is the outer, protective layer of your teeth. Unfortunately, without your enamel, your teeth could be slightly more vulnerable to gum disease and tooth decay. However, as you know, you’ll need to practice sound oral health whether or not you have contouring if you hope to keep your smile as healthy as possible.

If you’re interested in learning more, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at The Chicago Family Dental Center by calling us at 312.551.0500. Dr. Gary Wegmann and our team will gladly answer any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you soon.