Cosmetic Dentistry

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What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry is an aspect of modern dentistry which allows us to restore your teeth in a conservative way and get them back to their natural strength and beauty. It also allows us to enhance the appearance of your smile by closing gaps, straightening crooked teeth, fixing worn and chipped teeth, and whitening your teeth for a more youthful, clean and healthy looking smile.

It takes years of experience and advanced training to be able to design a natural looking smile. A cosmetic dentist must be able to combine artistry with science to create a smile that looks both beautiful and natural.

Common Cosmetic Dental Treatments

  • Teeth Whitening
  • Porcelain Veneers
  • Porcelain Crowns
  • Dental Implants
  • Bonding and Contouring
  • Inlays, Onlays and Tooth Colored Fillings
  • Orthodontics (Invisalign, Six Month Braces or Traditional Braces)

Each one of these treatment options solves one or more problems for the patient, but it is the end result that matters.  You end up with a smile that is natural and strong.

If you have cosmetic defects in your teeth and would like to get them fixed, then give us a call today.  We would love to site down with you and come up with a treatment plan that fits your particular situation and goals.

 

Dental Bonding 

Fix Minor Cosmetic Defects and Restore your Smile

Composite bonding, also known as dental bonding, is a wonderful and highly aesthetic way of fixing minor cosmetic dental problems. It is commonly used to close small spaces between the front teeth, repair fractured or discolored teeth, or to reshape teeth. It has also been used for dental fillings.

Even though bonding is a wonderful alternative to fixing cosmetic dental problems, it is not meant to replace porcelain veneers, crowns or other types of large restorative treatment options. If you have multiple teeth that need to be repaired, you may want to consider a more conservative approach and see if you are a candidate for no-prep veneers.

Bonding is accomplished in normally one visit and there’s no need to take any impressions or to have anything sent off to a lab. With regular brushing and flossing in a good oral hygiene program and home, the bonding material can last up to 10 years, but could need to be repaired or replaced during that time. Bonding is a good solution for children who may have cracked or chipped their teeth.

If you have minor cosmetic defects in your teeth, then dental bonding may be a good solution for you. A consultation with one of our doctors will help you make the right decision in taking care of your teeth.

 

Dental Veneers

Dental Veneers for a Brighter and Natural Looking Smile
Many people who come into our office have cosmetic defects in their teeth. Most have just learned or decided to live with it rather than getting them fixed. What most of them don’t understand is that these minor issues can become bigger ones and even lead to other health risks.

One example of this are people who have crooked teeth. This condition is unsightly but most people learn to live with their looks or they just never smile because they are embarrassed to. What they don’t realize is that crooked teeth is more than a cosmetic issue. Bacteria can hide in the places the teeth overlap and contribute to gum disease. Crooked teeth can also cause bite issues which causes extra wear on the teeth and even jaw pain.

 

What Type of Issues can Veneers Fix

Veneers are essentially thin pieces of porcelain that are made to fit just over the front of the teeth. They can fix a variety of problems:

  • Teeth with gaps
  • Teeth that are slightly crooked
  • Teeth that have been cracked or chipped
  • Teeth that are stained due to a variety of factors
  • Teeth that have slight decay
  • Teeth that are worn slightly

If you have any of these problems, we would be glad to sit down with you and consult with you about how veneers can fix them.

How Can Veneers Fix Gaps In Tthe Teeth?
Veneers are a wonderful way to close gaps between your teeth. The size of the gap will determine just how many veneers you will need to close the gap and give you a natural looking, gap-free smile. If you have large gap and do not get enough veneers, the ones you do get can and will make your teeth look abnormally large giving you the appearance of “buck teeth” or what others have called “chicklet teeth.” You end up replacing one problem with another.

Can Veneers Fix Crooked Teeth?
If the teeth are slightly crooked, veneers can be an option to fix that issue. If they are more severely misaligned, we may have to use orthodontics to bring them back into alignment and then veneers to make the smile look bright and white. A consultation with the doctor will confirm the best course of action and treatment.

Can Veneers Fix Cracked, Chipped and Slightly Worn Teeth?
Minor chips and cracks in your teeth may occur as a result of regular wear, or they may be the result of an accident or minor injury. These types of injuries or trauma can affect the look, feel and operation of your teeth. Porcelain veneers are a strong, versatile, highly esthetic way to help you regain the beautiful smile you deserve.

How much the tooth is cracked, chipped or worn will determine how the veneer is made. From there, an impression is made here in our office and then it is sent to the dental lab where they will fashion a veneer for the cracked or chipped tooth.

Imagine having a smile that is not full of cracks or chips. You can have a smile that looks and feels amazing.

Can Veneers Help My Stained or Decayed Teeth?
Veneers are a wonderful way to fix teeth that have been stained or decayed. Some teeth with severe stains or stains caused by medications may not be able to be whitened using regular whitening systems. Veneers are beautiful and can brighten any smile no matter how stained or discolored they are.

Teeth that have been severely decayed can also benefit from veneers. The decay can be removed and the teeth prepped for the veneers. A smile that was once damaged and marred by decay can now look fresh and beautiful again.

How are Veneers Made?
Veneers are made of porcelain or other hybrid materials in a dental lab and fashioned to fit over the patient’s teeth. Porcelain materials are very translucent and can be shaded to match the other teeth in the mouth. This means you can literally have a smile created just for you.

When you have your consultation with the doctor, it will be determined how many veneers you need to fix your smile. We will then take impressions of your teeth which will be sent to the lab where you veneers will be created.

You will then come in for an appointment where the doctor will use a special cement to apply the veneers to your teeth. The result is a bright and white smile that everyone will be talking about.

What are the Next Steps?
If you have stained, chipped, cracked or worn teeth, then veneers could be the answer to you getting the smile you want and deserve. Call our office today and we will be glad to consult with you on designing a smile that is beautiful and will literally change your life.

 

Porcelain Crowns

Turn Bad Teeth Into a Beautiful Work of Art
A dental crown, which is commonly called a cap, is used when the teeth are badly decayed or fractured. They are even used for weakened teeth as a preventive measure. When a crown is placed on a weakened or fractured tooth, it provides the strength needed to be able to chew effectively without causing further damage to the tooth. A crown fits over the entirety tooth and provides sound reinforcement and strength to the underlying remaining part of the natural tooth.

When a front tooth is just slightly chipped or cracked, the problem is primarily a cosmetic one that can be addressed with conservative treatments such as porcelain veneers and bonding. With more severe tooth damage, whether it occurs as a result of advanced tooth decay or an injury sustained during an accident, the tooth can be extremely weakened. Not only will the tooth be unsightly in appearance, but there may be severe pain and inability to chew.

Cosmetic crowns not only repair badly damaged teeth, but also can be used to cosmetically straighten teeth, reshape poorly developed teeth and mask unsightly discolorations. Advances in porcelain technology have provided us with all-ceramic materials that are not only highly esthetic, but are quite durable and strong.

Modern all-ceramic materials are the “state-of-the-art” for restoring natural look and function to your smile. Tooth colored all-ceramic crowns blend in seamlessly with your surrounding teeth. All-ceramic restorations combine strength and beauty unlike any other dental restorative material. Now we can help patients achieve life-like, natural-looking smiles that will last!

Why all-ceramic material? The answer is easy:
Restorations made of all ceramic materials do not contain metal. This allows the teeth a translucent appearance so that they will look like your natural teeth. All-ceramic materials stand out for their:

  • Highly esthetic and natural appearance
  • Long-lasting quality and durability
  • Unlimited range of colors to exactly match your adjacent teeth
  • Bio-compatibility

Placing Crowns on Dental Implants
Dental crowns are not only used to protect and beautify the natural teeth, but are also used on top of dental implants. After placing the implant in the site where the tooth is missing, it is given the necessary time to heal and strongly fuse to the bone. Next, a porcelain crown is placed on the top of the implant to beautifully replace the missing tooth and restore complete function.

The Process
The two-step process for dental crowns involves reshaping of the tooth and making a model of it during the first visit. The second appointment, 2-3 weeks later is used to place the crown and fine tune the bite and fit. The results will look and feel similar to a natural tooth.

What to do now
If you teeth are stained, crooked or have sustained some type of trauma, then crowns may be the answer for fixing these issues. Call our office today for an appointment and let’s see if crowns are an option for you.

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To Ensure Your Dental Treatment is Affordable, We Accept Most Forms of Insurance