If you love everything about your smile except for the shape of a single tooth, you can talk to a cosmetic dentist about options for treatment. A dental procedure could reshape the tooth or brighten its color so it blends in naturally with your other teeth when you smile. Here are three dental procedures a cosmetic dentist might recommend for your tooth.

1. Dental Bonding

Bonding is one of the most affordable types of cosmetic dentistry. This procedure involves covering your tooth with resin to whiten its color, cover a chip, or give your tooth a new shape. The resin is applied and shaped until the tooth looks just right and then a laser or light is used to cure the resin and make it hard.

The dentist then polishes the tooth and trims where necessary until the resin looks like natural enamel and the appearance of your tooth is improved. The entire procedure can be done in a single office visit, so this procedure is not only more affordable, but it's also quicker.

2. Dental Veneer

Your dentist may explain the pros and cons of bonding and veneers so you make the right choice for you. Veneers cost more, but they are more durable. When they are made of porcelain, they have a translucent quality more like natural enamel. A very thin layer of your enamel has to be removed before a veneer can be applied.

A veneer is applied with dental cement so it should last for many years. Depending on your dentist's procedures, you may need two visits to get a veneer if the veneer has to be made in a lab. Some dentists have equipment in the office for making a veneer the same day.

3. Dental Crown

Sometimes, a dental crown is the best way to transform the appearance of your tooth. A crown is a cover or cap for your tooth that can be made from a variety of materials, but when appearance is important, porcelain is a good choice since porcelain looks the most like a natural tooth. Just like a veneer, a crown might take two dental visits depending on the equipment your cosmetic dentist has available.

Your tooth may need to be trimmed down so a crown can fit in without crowding. Crowns usually last a long time and since the dentist is careful about color matching, the crown should look like your natural tooth only better since it will have an improved shape.

Depending on the problem with your tooth, your dentist might have other ideas for improving its appearance. If you're not happy with your smile, talk to a cosmetic dentist and learn what treatments are available.