Cosmetic Dentistry Makeovers
See before & after pictures of what braces, teeth whitening,
veneers & other procedures can do for your appearance.
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Want to Improve Your Smile?
- See what braces, crowns, veneers, teeth whitening, bridges, implants, gum re-shaping
or even a complete dental makeover can do for your smile.
Dental Bonding
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Bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin is applied & hardened with a
special light, ultimately 'bonding' the material to the tooth to improve a person's smile. - Among the easiest & least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures, bonding can repair chipped or cracked teeth, close gaps, change the shape of teeth, or be used as a
cosmetic alternative to silver amalgam fillings.
Veneers
- Veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells that cover the front surface of teeth.
- Bonded to the front of the teeth, changing their color, shape, size or length, veneers
can be made from porcelain or resin composite. - Veneers offer a conservative approach to changing a tooth's color or shape compared
to crowns, but the process is not reversible.
Crowns
- A crown is a tooth-shaped 'cap' that's placed over a weak or damaged tooth to improve
its shape, size, strength, or appearance. - Most crowns last five to 15 years & can be made of metal, porcelain fused to metal, resin
or ceramic. B - efore a crown is seated, the existing tooth is filed down; then the crown is cemented over
it, fully encasing the tooth. - Onlays & three-quarter crowns cover the underlying tooth to a lesser extent.
Enamel Shaping
- Enamel shaping or contouring is a quick and painless process of shaping natural teeth
to improve their appearance. - It is generally used to correct small imperfections such as uneven teeth or teeth that are
slightly overcrowded. - Results can be seen immediately.
- Enamel shaping is often combined with whitening, veneers, or bonding.
Orthodontics - Braces
- Braces can correct crooked or misaligned teeth & can improve the health & appearance
of anyone's smile, adult or child. - Braces work by applying steady pressure over time to slowly move teeth into alignment.
- As the teeth move, the bony tooth socket changes shape as pressure is applied.
Types of Braces
- While metal braces are still used, braces can be as inconspicuous as you like.
- Brackets, the part that attach to each tooth can be clear, tooth-colored, or multi-colored.
- They can even be attached to the back of the tooth so they are out of view.
- There are even 'invisible' braces which use a series of clear, plastic molds to gradually
move the teeth into alignment.
Teeth Whitening
- Who doesn't like a bright smile?
- An assortment of teeth-whitening systems is available, including toothpastes & rinses,
over-the-counter gels, strips & trays & whitening agents obtained from a dentist. - But whitening isn't for everyone.
- It's ideal for people who have healthy, unrestored teeth & gums. Individuals with yellow
tones to their teeth, as opposed to gray tones, respond best. - Talk to your dentist to find out if whitening is right for you.
Composite Fillings
- Existing fillings sometimes need to be replaced due to wear, chipping, or cracking.
- Many people use this opportunity to replace their silver amalgam fillings with natural,
tooth-colored composites. - Their reasons may be aesthetic, or concern over the safety of amalgam fillings, which
contain mercury. - Composite fillings tend to wear out sooner than silver fillings in larger cavities, although
they hold up as well in small cavities.
Gum Reshaping
- Gum reshaping can improve a 'gummy' smile in which teeth appear too short, or where
the gum line appears uneven. - A small amount of gum tissue & excess bone tissue if necessary is removed & contoured
to expose more of the teeth. - This procedure can be done to one tooth to even the gum line or to several teeth to
expose a natural, broad smile.
Implants
- Millions of Americans suffer tooth loss, mostly due to tooth decay, gum disease, or injury.
- Dental implants, replacement tooth roots which are made of titanium, provide a strong foundation for the attachment of permanent or removable artificial teeth (crowns).
- Instead of individual crowns, some patients may have attachments on their implant that
support a removable denture.
Dentures
- A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth & surrounding tissue.
- There are 2 types of dentures, complete & partial.
- Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are
used when some of the natural teeth remain.
Bridges
Fixed partial dentures
- A fixed permanent bridge replaces one or more teeth by placing crowns on the teeth
either side of the gap & attaching artificial teeth to them. - The 'bridge' is then cemented into place.
- A cantilever bridge is used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space.
- Maryland bonded bridges have porcelain teeth supported by a framework.
Gum Grafts
- Tooth roots that are exposed due to gum recession may be sensitive to hot & cold foods
or liquids & they make teeth appear long. - Gum recession can put you at risk of developing a cavity on the tooth root & may lead to
bone loss, eventually resulting in tooth loss. - Soft tissue grafts, which move healthy gum tissue from one part of the mouth to another,
can stop gum recession & bone loss & improve the esthetics of the gum line.
Smile Makeovers
- A combination of dental techniques can be used to achieve a great smile.
- Here, porcelain veneers & crowns correct crooked teeth, an uneven gum line & other
chipped, worn & discolored dentistry. - While cosmetic dentists can make a dramatic difference in a person's smile & overall
oral health, the work must be carefully planned, though for many the elaborate &
costly production is worth it in the end.
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