General dentistry focuses on the overall health of your teeth and gums; general dentistry's focus is on preventing oral disease and tooth decay. Periodontics (gum care) is also a very important face of general dentistry. People must realize that the health of your mouth is just as important as the health of your heart or your health in general. There is another branch of dentistry that is more concerned with the aesthetics of the mouth. The branch of dentistry that focuses on the appearance of a person's teeth, mouth and smile is known as "cosmetic dentistry."
Some of the dental problems that cosmetic dentistry treats are:

* Gaps between teeth
* Discolored teeth
* Broken teeth
* Tooth decay
* Gum disease
* Chipped teeth
* Missing teeth

Due to advances in both technique and technology, more and more people are seeing that having dental work performed does not have to be the nightmare it used to be. Long gone are the days of hours of painful drilling and having swollen cheeks for days on end.

Cosmetic dentistry is also used for restorative purposes. Tooth-colored fillings (or white fillings) are a very common means to treat teeth that are decayed. In the past, fillings were made out of gold, amalgam and other materials, but with tooth-colored fillings, patients can have newer, stronger teeth that look much like your natural teeth. No one will even know you have fillings if an experienced cosmetic dentist performs the filling.