If you have a dental issue that has hampered your smile, you will likely need to visit a cosmetic dental clinic to help restore your pearly whites and your confidence. But if you've never visited one of these places before, here's a quick rundown of the types of procedures they can offer you.

Restorations -- Tooth restoration is a procedure in which a dentist removes decay from a tooth as a result of a cavity or of an injury to a tooth that causes a chip, crack or break in the enamel. After a dentist removes the decay, the tooth is restored using filling material, which is inserted into all areas where the tooth structure was drilled away. Filling material is made out of gold, composite resin or silver. Gold is by far the strongest type of filling, but it is also expensive and not recommended for front teeth because of its visibility. Composite is the most used type of filling material because it is colourless and matches your natural teeth. Silver is less commonly used now due to fears of mercury.

Braces -- You may not think of braces as cosmetic, but the fact that they are a dental device used to align your crooked teeth qualifies them as a dental procedure designed to improve your smile. Orthodontists at a dental clinic can fit you with traditional braces, which consist of a metal wiring and brackets. Traditional braces differ from lingual braces in that they are fitted to the front of your teeth, whereas lingual braces are placed on the back of your teeth, making them far less noticeable. Cosmetic dental clinics also offer you clear aligners, which are removable braces in the shape of dental trays that are hard to detect and popular with teenagers because of their invisible design.

Implants -- Dental implants are another cosmetic dental procedure that can restore a wayward smile. When one of your teeth are extracted, an implant is inserted into the missing hole and screwed into the bone. The implant is made of titanium, and is shaped like a small rod, and it acts as a new root for your missing tooth. Once your bone grows around the implant, a tooth-shaped crown is placed over it, completing the cosmetic procedure and making it difficult for anyone to know that you ever had a missing tooth. Unlike dentures, implants are permanent and meant to last a lifetime.

If you have specific questions about cosmetic dentistry or other dental procedures, contact a dentist with a practice like Bruce Stevens Dental.