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SERVICES >> Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialty of ours, because we know that a healthy smile doesn't mean as much if you don't like the way it looks. We've been told we're responsible for increasing the laughter of life by creating dazzlingly beautiful smiles. Break through techniques and new materials have made a restored smile look more natural than ever before.
Aesthetic Smiles
Whitening
Bonding
Fillings
Veneers
Aesthetic Smiles
You wear your smile every minute of every waking hour. It's one of the first things other people notice about you. Smiles often need a little help to achieve optimum effect. Investing in your smile is an investment that pays dividends immediately with renewed self confidence, self image and enhanced appearance.
You can enhance your smile with minor changes or completely change it. We will be happy to diagnose and recommend the best smile for you. Considerations for your best smile include
1) tooth size, shape and color,
2) condition of existing teeth, jaw bone and gum tissue, and
3) your facial characteristics.
The following are case illustrations of minor aesthetic smile changes.
Whitening
Tooth whitening (also known as Tooth Bleaching) in the form of a home kit has been available since about 1986. This involves the making of a custom tray with a reservoir to hold a special whitening gel around each tooth. It is highly recommended that you have a dentist supervise the whitening process, which includes an examination prior to the treatment, the preparation of the custom tray (as opposed to an off the shelf boil and fit tray) and a dentist provided gel agent (several times stronger than an off the shelf brand). The results are more predictable with a custom tray and the proper gel strength for your individual case.
Stain build-up on teeth is generally caused by the foods and drinks we consume; such as, coffee, dark teas, dark colored sodas, chocolates and other dark and acidic foods. Other causes include:
A) being born with discolored teeth (often due to medicines taken by their mother during pregnancy),
B) genetics, or
C) childhood diets.
Whitening (bleaching the teeth) can lighten the color of your teeth. Generally, whitening will provide the color a patient desires; however, there are times when the desired color cannot be obtained by traditional whitening methods and a bonding treatment or veneers will be required to obtain the desired color.
In-Office Whitening
Walk-in with stained or discolored teeth and walk-out with a Beautiful Smile!
We offer a one visit whitening in-office procedure using the Power Whitening system. First the doctor places a special gel agent on your teeth. Then, each tooth is exposed to a special light for 2 - 3 seconds. The gel is then suctioned off, your teeth are rinsed and dried and the procedure is repeated 2 more times. The entire process can be done in approximately 40 minutes.
Learn more about Power Whitening!
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Bonding
An adhesive is placed on the tooth that is "composite" and "tooth" compatible. It binds the composite material to the tooth. The tooth is first roughened so the liquid adhesive can "bond" with the tooth. A composite is a dough like material that can be placed on the tooth, shaped and then hardened to form a structure very similar to the tooth. A Bonding procedure can reshape a tooth, fill-in a chipped or cracked tooth, contour a misaligned tooth or cover up a discolored tooth.
Bonding Benefits:
1. Bonding is a fast, practical, cost effective solution.
2. The procedure is usually done in a single visit.
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Fillings
In the past, teeth were most commonly repaired with amalgam (silver) fillings or gold restorations. Thanks to advances in modern dental materials and techniques, teeth can be restored with a more aesthetic and natural appearance. There are different types of cosmetic fillings currently available. The type used will depend on the location of the tooth and the amount of tooth structure that needs to be repaired.
Natural Tooth Colored Fillings
Silver amalgam fillings have been in use for over 100 years. There is now NEW technology that allows a tooth to be filled with a strong chemically bonded material that can be matched to the color of your tooth making it appear nearly invisible. Research has proven that a tooth with a Natural Colored Bonded Filling is 90-95% as strong as a natural non-cavity healthy tooth, whereas a Silver Filling is only 40-45% as strong as a non-cavity tooth.
Benefits:
- Beautiful in appearance
- Completed in a single visit
- Stronger than a Silver filling
- No filling leaks
- Less chance of tooth cracking
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| silver fillings |
natural tooth-colored fillings |
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Veneers
Porcelain laminate veneers are probably the most aesthetic means of creating a more pleasing and beautiful smile. They require a minimal amount of tooth reduction (approximately .5 mm - 1mm) and are, therefore, a more conservative restoration than a crown. Veneers allow us to alter tooth position, shape, size and color. They are not the only alternative for all esthetic abnormalities, but are truly a remarkable restoration when they are the treatment of choice.
What is a Veneer?
A Porcelain Laminate Veneer is a thin layer of porcelain that is adhered to the front surface of the tooth. Veneers are a quick way to correct tooth color, shape and alignment. Veneers can add tooth length, width, color and esthetic shape. Veneers can reshape your smile in as little as two appointments. The laboratory time required for the fabrication of a Porcelain Laminate Veneer is approximately two weeks. Beautiful temporaries are provided during the laboratory fabrication of the permanent Veneers.
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| Gap Between Teeth |
Veneer Placement |
Gap Covered by Veneers |
Once the permanent veneers are placed they become very strong and will resist most of the forces placed upon them by a normal diet. Porcelain has a great crushing strength, but poor tensile strength. Therefore, you should avoid anything that will tend to twist the laminate veneer. Use your common sense - opening pistachio nuts with your teeth, chewing on bones or jelly apples is probably not a good idea.
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