At Asheville Dental, we strive to ensure our patients remain confident in their smiles. If you are apprehensive about showing your teeth because of their shape or size, talk to your dentist about tooth reshaping. This procedure can boost your self-confidence and enhance your smile by giving you a perfectly shaped tooth! It’s a quick, painless, and cost-effective procedure that dentist use for repairing chipped, cracked, uneven, or poorly aligned teeth. 

What is tooth reshaping? 

Tooth reshaping (also known as dental contouring) is a cosmetic dentistry technique that removes small amounts of tooth enamel to change the shape, length, or surface of one or more teeth. This process is often combined with bonding, which is another procedure used that takes tooth-colored composite material to sculpt and shape the teeth. 

The best part about this quick and painless procedure is that it requires NO recovery time…

How does tooth reshaping work? 

The best part about this quick and painless procedure is that it requires NO recovery time, and your dentist can complete it in a single visit without local anesthesia. To start the process, your dentist will most likely want to get X-rays to ensure that your teeth are healthy. Then, they will mark or highlight the teeth that need sculpting. Next, your dentist will use a sanding instrument to artfully minimize or eliminate imperfections on the surface of the teeth and may use a sand-paper-like tool to contour the sides of your teeth. Finally, your teeth are looking smooth and polished! Voila! You’re leaving the dentist’s office feeling brand-new and confident enough to smile from ear-to-ear! 

What are the pros and cons of tooth reshaping?

Although this is considered a conservative approach to improving the appearance of your teeth, we always encourage patients to weigh the pros and cons of any treatment.

The pros: 

• Because only surface enamel is removed during this process, there’s generally no discomfort. 
• This is an inexpensive way to improve the appearance of your teeth. The procedure can cost anywhere from $50 to $300 per tooth, depending on how much work is needed, and your insurance may help cover the cost of this procedure if you’ve endured trauma or have been involved in an accident.
• Boosts the overall health of your teeth. 
• Enhances your self-esteem, self-worth, and improves your smile. 
• Possible substitute for braces (since they make teeth look a little straighter with less overlapping). 

Because dental contouring is unlike many other cosmetic dental treatments, there are no special steps required when recovering from tooth reshaping.

The cons: 

• This procedure is suitable for repairing minor imperfections, so if you’re looking for a more noticeable difference in your smile, you may want to consider veneers. 
• If too much enamel is removed during this process, it can cause tooth damage that results in some tooth sensitivity. 

What about aftercare? 

Because dental contouring is unlike many other cosmetic dental treatments, there are no special steps required when recovering from tooth reshaping. However, it is important to continue dental hygiene basics, such as:  

• Brushing twice a day. 
• Flossing at least once a day. 
• Maintaining biannual dental check-ups.
• Avoiding smoking. 

If you’re ready to take the next step and get the smile that you deserve, give us a call today! Our team looks forward to helping you with your checkups and any other appointments you may need to schedule.