What’s the difference between aesthetic dentistry and cosmetic dentistry?

Finding the ideal way to improve your smile

There’s no doubt that a beautiful, even, and healthy smile is a wonderful thing to display – the ultimate boost to your self-confidence. It’s made our cosmetic dentistry treatments some of our most popular procedures.

But there’s more to cosmetic dentistry than simply a good looking smile. At Wickham Terrace Dental, we believe that having a healthy smile is the most important part of your oral situation. That’s why we should probably talk more about ‘aesthetic dentistry’ rather than simply cosmetic dentistry.

Let’s take a look at the differences between aesthetic dentistry and cosmetic dentistry, and find out which one best suits your needs.

What do we mean by ‘cosmetic dentistry’?

You’re probably familiar with the way cosmetic dentistry focuses on enhancing the appearance of your teeth, gums, and bite. Some of our popular cosmetic procedures include teeth whitening (either in our practice or at home), dental veneers – and even cosmetic injectables like anti-wrinkle treatment.

All of these treatments aim to improve the look of your smile, without addressing any underlying oral health issues you may have. That’s why we don’t simply recommend having cosmetic dental procedures without us taking a good look at your oral health first.

What do we mean by ‘aesthetic dentistry’?

When we talk about aesthetic dentistry, we’re not only considering cosmetic dentistry but going beyond appearance into dental health and functionality as well.

Depending on your needs, aesthetic dentistry procedures may include teeth straightening (either with braces or Invisalign), treating dental decay, restoring missing teeth, and repairing any damaged, chipped, or broken teeth.

Once we’ve ensured you have a healthy foundation, we can then move on to creating a beautiful smile that balances visual appeal with good dental health.

So should you choose aesthetic dentistry or cosmetic dentistry?

If you have good underlying oral health and you simply want to improve your smile’s appearance, then cosmetic dentistry could be ideal for you.

On the other hand, if you’re living with some underlying dental health issues – such as this, that, or the other – it’s important to have these treated first, before we work on the simple appearance of your smile. In that case, your treatment plan will fall more under the banner of aesthetic dentistry.

Talk to us to find your ideal treatment

While both cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry do share a common goal of improving your smile, they differ in their approach. But there’s no need to worry or choose between the two! The friendly team at Wickham Terrace Dental will be happy to carry out a full examination, assess your unique needs, and work with you to select the most suitable treatments. To find out more, get in touch with our Brisbane dentists on (07) 3831 3031 or contact us online now.