While traditional dentistry addresses dental hygiene and oral disease, cosmetic dentistry centers on improving the appearance of a smile - whether it be whitening, straightening or full mouth reconstruction.The goal of esthethic and cosmetic dentistry is to transform an average smile into a terrific smile! To do so, we analyze every aspect of a smile and then correct the problem. Cosmetic dentistry includes, but is not limited to:
Veneers
A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain or plastic that is bonded to a tooth to improve its color and/or shape. Veneers generally cover only the front and top of a tooth and can be used to close gaps between teeth, to whiten stained or darken teeth and to shape small or deformed teeth.
Veneers not only improve and restore the appearance of your teeth, but also help protect them from damage. Learn more about dental veneers.
Crowns
A dental crown is a tooth shaped "cap" placed over a tooth. Crowns improve the shape, size, strength and appearance of a tooth. Crowns are used to protect weak teeth, restore a broken or chipped tooth, to cover a dental implant, to cover severely misshapen or discolored teeth or to support a deep filling. There are a variety of crowns available:
All-Porcelain Crowns
All-porcelain crowns maintain a translucency that makes them hard to differentiate from natural teeth. Unlike metal crowns, all-porcelain crowns can be placed above the gumline, which is healthier for your both your teeth and your gums and eliminates the problem of a dark line at the edge of the gums. When you want to improve the appearance of your smile, all-porcelain crowns are the natural-looking choice.
Metal Crowns
Metal Crowns don't involve removing as much tooth structure as other types of crowns do and tooth wear is kept to a minimum. Metal crowns don't wear down easily and fairly resistant to biting and chewing. The main drawback to metal crowns, however, is the dark color. Metal crowns are primarily made of gold alloy, base-metal alloy or other alloys.
Bonding
Bonding can improve a single tooth or an entire smile by closing spaces between teeth, lengthening small or disfigured teeth and whitening dark or stained teeth. Dental bonding involves applying a tooth-colored resin material and hardening it with a special light to "bond" the material to the tooth and restore or improve the appearance of a person's smile.
Dental bonding is one of the easiest and affordable ways to improve the look of your smile. However, the materials used in dental bonding are not as strong or as long-lasting as those used in other cosmetic dental procedures, so bonding is often recommended for small cosmetic changes and temporary corrections.
Teeth Whitening
Over time, your teeth naturally darken as minerals penetrate their outer enamel layer. Discoloration can be enhanced by foods and beverages that stain, such as coffee, soda, tea, red wine and berries. Tobacco products, like cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco, also lead to a yellowish brown hue. A popular fix are home whitening kits.
To safely brighten teeth, our doctors can prescribe a home whitening kit that includes a specially formulated whitening gel that gently forces oxygen through the enamel of your teeth and virtually erases stains without damaging your teeth or gums.
