Dr. Sidra Iqbal and her team at Rio Dental is proud to provide patients with the highest quality dental care, with a unique, gentle approach that ensures their comfort. We specialize in state-of-the-art dental practice in San Antonio and nearby areas to help patients achieve great oral health, keep disease at bay, prevent complications and attain a bright smile they can be proud of.
At Rio Dental, we use a unique approach that presents a departure from traditional dental methods of the past and focuses on not just a persons specific oral health concerns. Whereas traditional dentists may only treat the issue causing the symptoms, our experienced dental staff hones in on the exact reason for a disruption in your oral health.
We look at your oral health as an indicator of your overall health, including your physical and mental wellbeing. Since all the organs in the body act together as a system to help you function, we diagnose and treat your conditions in the overall context of your health. For example, patients with bruxism often have poor oral health and worn teeth, but the source of their teeth grinding may be a result of poor mental health.
If youve noticed something off-putting about your smile, such as yellow teeth, you may benefit from cosmetic dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry is the subfield of general dentistry. It is a branch focused specifically on the appearance of teeth. However, the procedures that fall under cosmetic dentistry are also used as a way to alleviate pain and discomfort.
Cosmetic dentists perform a wide variety of procedures, ranging from teeth whitening to veneers. Pending the severity of your issue and the health of your mouth, the procedure performed will vary. However, the most common procedures are listed below!
Teeth whitening is a common procedure performed by a family dentist or a cosmetic dentist. There are multiple ways to whiten teeth, but the most common way is through plastic trays and whitening serum. There is also laser-whitening which is solely done in a dentist office in comparison to tray-whitening which can be done at home.
This procedure is used when you have a missing tooth. Your cosmetic dentist will screw a joint to the bone (implant) where the tooth is missing. From there, you will be sent home to allow the bone and tissue to adhere to the implant. Once this has happened, the replacement tooth is added!
Veneers are kind of like shells but for all of your teeth. They are meant for people who have crooked teeth, missing teeth, severely discolored teeth, or extreme tooth decay. Your cosmetic dentist will create a tray of teeth that are one solid, white piece. They will scrape down the enamel on the teeth in your mouth so that the veneers can adhere over time. The veneers are then placed overtop and youre set!
Similar to veneers but on a smaller scale, dental crowns are meant to act as a hat for a decayed/broken tooth. The damaged tooth is cleaned up and then this little, tooth-shaped cap is put over top. It blends in with your natural teeth and helps protect the damaged area!
Cosmetic dentistry is for anyone who wants or needs it. Some people get veneers or whiten their teeth solely because they want a better smile. There may not be anything wrong with their teeth at all, its just preference.
Cosmetic dentistry is a form of dentistry meant to help the appearance of a smile. However, throughout the process, it can also aid in pain reduction and future protection of your teeth! Whether you just went a better smile or youre trying to fix some significant oral health concerns, cosmetic dentistry is the way to go!
