Cosmetic Dentistry

Smile Makeover

Does Your Smile Need a Makeover?

What's one of the first things a person will notice about you? Your smile. Smiling often reflects feelings of confidence and happiness. A dazzling smile may not come naturally to everyone, but it can be worked on. Healthy food choices can make for a healthy smile. Foods high in Vitamin D, calcium and phosphorous will strengthen teeth. Vitamins A and C are important for healthy gums. Limiting sweet foods can help too.

Cosmetic approaches can dramatically improve your smile. Braces can straighten your teeth and are available for children and adults. Bonding, crowns, Lumineers and veneers can change the shape and color of teeth or fill in gaps and cracks. Bridges or implants can also be used to replace missing teeth. And then there is teeth whitening.

Before        After

Before        After

When considering whitening your teeth, the first step is to identify why your teeth are discolored. Once the cause is determined, your dentist can recommend the best whitening treatment for your teeth. A bleaching method may be selected as the best option. Lasers, in combination with special chemical agents, are another whitening option. A number of over-the-counter teeth whitening products are now on the market as well. But before attempting to whiten your teeth on your own, consult with your dentist. Together, you can determine the best way to improve your smile.

Three of the most common procedures in cosmetic dentistry are Bleaching, Bonding, and and the application of Laminate Veneers and Lumineers.

Bleaching

Impressions are taken of your upper and lower teeth.
From the impressions, the doctor makes custom "trays".
Then you are instructed on the use of your personalized, professional whitening system.

Bonding

Corrects chips, cracks, and spaces. It is often completed in one visit and in some cases does not require the use of anesthesia.

The process involves preparing the surface of the tooth with an etching gel, which will allow a composite resin to adhere. A blend of various color resins are used to retain a natural appearance. After the resin is applied, the doctor hardens it with a special light. The surface of the tooth is then smoothed and polished.

Laminate Veneers

Veneers correct the same problems as as bonding but they last longer. Veneers are tooth shaped shell coverings that are cemented onto the surface of the tooth after the  teeth are prepared by removing some of the enamel off the teeth.

Lumineers are no preparation or minimal preparation veneers that can transform your smile by filling in spaces, correcting the appearance of missaligned teeth, increasing the size of small teeth, changing the color of teeth, restoring cracked teeth and restoring chipped and broken teeth all without any or minimal drilling or anesthetic shoots.