Do you feel that your teeth are having a negative impact on your otherwise glowing smile? If you do, you may be interested in seeking treatment from a cosmetic dentist.

Although there are a number of cosmetic dentistry procedures that you can undergo, a number of these procedures fall under the category of cosmetic surgery.

Although cosmetic dental surgery is generally considered safe, there are still a number of risks. In fact, there are always dangers and risks when the skin or gums are broken. There is, however, something that you can do to protect yourself.

By carefully choosing your cosmetic dentist, you are likely to see the best results, as well as a decrease in complication risks.

In keeping with choosing the right cosmetic dentist, you may have the option of staying with your primary care dentist. There are many dentists who also perform cosmetic procedures, including veneers, teeth whitening, dental implants, and gum lifts.

Read More: For some surgeries, nerve blocks mean better outcomes, fewer opioids.

With that said, be sure to inquire about the success rate and frequency of those procedures. You may feel more comfortable visiting a dentist who performs cosmetic surgery procedures on a daily basis, as opposed to a few times a month.

As for how you can go about finding a cosmetic dentist, you may want to ask your primary care dentist for recommendations. Let them know that you will return to their offices for your annual checkups, but that you feel more comfortable seeing a specialist.

They should understand your decision and even give you recommendations. In addition to asking your primary care dentist, ask any friends, coworkers, or family members if they know of any quality cosmetic dentists in the area.

Although the above-mentioned steps can help you find cosmetic dentists in your area, you need to choose a dentist. Simply just picking one out of the phone book can increase your chances of poor results and complications. Instead, you will want to do the proper amount of research online. This is easy if your local cosmetic dentists have online websites.

On those websites, you will likely find information on cosmetic procedures performed, a brief summary of the process, average rates, as well as before and after pictures. Also, be sure to examine the qualifications and the number of years in dentistry.

Cost should also be examined. Cosmetic surgery isn’t always covered by dental insurance, but you may be surprised to know that some procedures are. Many insurance companies find veneers an affordable way to reduce the long-term costs of dental care. Dental implants are also a nice alternative to dentures.

Read More: Surgery Prep and Recovery: Understanding Anesthesia

Do not make the assumption that your insurance does not cover cosmetic procedures until you know for sure. On the back of your dental insurance card, you should see a customer service phone number that you can call to make the inquiry.

Once you have decided that you would like to improve your smile with the use of a cosmetic dental procedure, you will want to schedule a consultation appointment. Most dentists do require them; however, they still, ask for a consultation appointment even if they are only optional.

At a consultation appointment, you and your cosmetic dentist can decide on a course of treatment, highlight the procedures you will undergo in detail, summarize the recovery process, as well as show you samples before and after pictures.