Enameloplasty

Enameloplasty

Enameloplasty is a procedure that includes removing very small amounts of the tooth’s enamel in order to change its appearance. Many patients decide to undergo enameloplasty to change the shape of their teeth due to cosmetic reasons. With this procedure dentists, can affect the length, width, and the surface, and make a tooth look slightly different than before. The most common cases include very long canines and irregular shapes of teeth, uneven teeth with small bumps, chipped teeth, pointed and more. Enameloplasty is not invasive and removes only a small amount of the outer layer. It is also done during minimal invasive preparation for veneers. It is not painful at all, and the result is visible right after one visit to the dentist. Another advantage is that it costs much less than restorations.

Enameloplasty is also known as odontoplasty or tooth reshaping. It is a common cosmetic procedure provided by almost all dentists. It only involves the use of rotary dental instruments to reshape the form of certain teeth.

Indications:

It is indicated for teeth that need minimal corrections. That includes a change of length and making them shorter, irregular shapes that can easily be altered with minimal removal of enamel, small cracks, and bumps, reducing of the width, teeth that feature pointed and sharp edges that also cause irritation and more.

Pros:

Enameloplasty is a very simple procedure. The best thing about it is that you get results right away. All you need is one visit to the dentist. The procedure is not painful at all so there is no need to be scared. It will also take you a very short amount of time. Another huge advantage is the low cost. Enameloplasty is much cheaper compared to procedures such as veneers and crowns. It’s even cheaper than composite restorations. So in other words, it’s easy, simple, it gets good results and it’s affordable for everyone. The use of anesthesia is not required. If there is a patient that is more sensitive, in those cases anesthesia can be used. With this procedure, you save your natural teeth and avoid losing precious dental tissue. The preparations for crowns are extensive. During that preparation, the dentist is required to remove a large portion of the enamel and dentine. Veneers in most cases require preparation that is only done in the enamel. With the enameloplasty, you get a final product that doesn’t require further special care. Other fixed restorations need to be changed after a certain time.

Cons:

The biggest disadvantage is that it’s only indicated for some people. Not everyone can get enameloplasty. The main reason is that the teeth that will be treated have to own a shape that can actually be changed with minimal corrections. If we’re talking about a tooth that is completely off the dental arch, enameloplasty won’t be a good option. You can’t expect enameloplasty to give you a perfect smile. It is not the same type of procedure like veneers or crowns. The procedure is irreversible, so once it’s done there is no going back.