Visit Our Cosmetic Dentist Office For These Procedures

Our cosmetic dentist office can transform your smile from dull to brilliant. No matter what your particular needs are, we know how to help. Some of the most common treatments we employ are listed below to provide you with insight regarding our viable methods.

Fillings: If you need a filling to remedy a cavity, we can provide you with a tooth-colored filling that will look natural against the color of your tooth. Our fillings are durable and will protect your vulnerable teeth from more damage for years to come.

Bonding: In our cosmetic dentist office, our dental bonding is made of a similar material as our composite resin fillings, but it is used to fill in chips and cracks in your teeth to improve esthetic value. If you have a minor imperfection that you would like covered, dental bonding is an attractive and long-lasting solution that requires minimal chair time. Our bonding solution is also tooth-colored, so it blends in with your natural tooth color.

Crowns: We use crowns to cover damaged teeth that are too impaired to be fixed by a filling or bonding. They cover your entire tooth for the most protection against decay and further damage. We can offer you attractive, natural-looking crowns that match your other teeth. While natural looking, they are so durable that can withstand immense pressure and are stain resistant.

Teeth Whitening: To brighten a dull smile, our cosmetic dentist office can give you a thorough teeth whitening strategy that can be implemented as needed to achieve the white shade you desire. A whitening can transform your smile in a simple, but effective way.

Dental Veneers: Our veneers are very thin, tooth-colored shells that can be applied to the fronts of your teeth as attractive coverage for crooked or discolored teeth. Veneers are long-lasting and are a minimally invasive way to cover up dental flaws and to restore teeth that have been damaged in an accident.

Dental Bridges: A dental bridge is a semi-permanent replacement for missing teeth. If you have one missing tooth or several missing teeth, our dental bridge provides fabricated teeth that match your other ones. The bridge will fit into the gap created by your former teeth. The false teeth will be secured in place by two crown anchors attached to your strong existing teeth.

Dental Implant: A dental implant will be your most attractive and permanent replacement option. Our cosmetic dentist office will secure a titanium rod into the root opening that was left by your former tooth. This rod will be attached to the replacement tooth to hold it in place. With time, the titanium rod will graft with your jawbone to create the most permanent solution to a missing tooth.
For all your esthetic dentistry needs, our cosmetic dentist office can help. We can provide you with comprehensive care so that no imperfection is left unrefined. You will be pleased with the timely, durable, and attractive solutions we can provide for your dental needs.

Dental Implant  >  Dental Veneers

The Truth About Acid Reflux and Your Teeth From our Dental Office

In our dental office, we help patients that suffer from acid reflux disease and are dealing with tooth erosion as a result.  Reflux-induced erosion is a common problem that can impact both children and adults.  As acid travels up through the esophagus, it enters the mouth and can start to attack the teeth.  The acid will start to wear away the teeth one layer at a time until they become thin and brittle.

According to a report by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project between twenty and thirty percent of U.S. adults, experience the symptoms of acid reflux or GERD on a weekly basis.  A full sixty percent of the population has these symptoms at least yearly.  This manifests as a burning sensation in the chest and throat as acid works its way backwards and up the esophagus. This proves problematic for many people, making it difficult to eat and sleep along with interfering with their concentration at work. Acid reflux also creates health problems in the stomach, esophagus and throat in addition to impacting the teeth.

In our dental office, we want to know if our patients have acid reflux so that we can help to prevent erosion in addition to treating it.  By keeping teeth healthy and clean, they will remain stronger.  For example, people that have cavities or gum disease will naturally be more susceptible to getting cavities and suffering other dental health issues. While cleaning teeth, we can remove bacteria from the teeth and gum lines so that they can remain healthy and cavity free.  We can also provide a fluoride treatment for teeth that need strengthening and are at risk for erosion. These preventative steps aid in keeping the mouth healthy.

If the erosion does occur, it will first attack the enamel and cause it to wear away.  As it does, the dentin underneath will become exposed which leads to sensitive teeth.  When food touches the dentin it is simultaneously touching the nerve endings inside of it.  This can lead to the pain signal being transferred to the brain, leading to an increase in sensitivity that many patients complain of.  In this early stage, we can help by completing a bonding procedure to seal the dentin.  This works well in the beginning stages but as erosion becomes more advanced; the teeth will become weak, thin and brittle.  At this point, the best way to protect the teeth is to place a crown around them.  A crown is a cap that surrounds the tooth and prevents anything from touching it.  This procedure allows us to save a tooth that may have otherwise been pulled due to erosion.

In our dental office, we also recommend that patients take medication to control their acid reflux.  By seeing your doctor, you can get a prescription that will help you to feel better and to protect your teeth.  If an attack does occur, you should avoid brushing your teeth for an hour, but be sure to rinse your mouth in order to neutralize some of the acid.

Teeth Whitening Services  >  Cosmetic Dentist

Visit a Cosmetic Dentist if You Damage a Tooth in an Accident

As a cosmetic dentist, we work with patients that do not enjoy the appearance of their smile.  This is often due to dark stains or yellow teeth, gaps in between teeth, crooked teeth or those that are uneven in shape.  The aesthetic challenges that people have with their smile are vast, and we have a solution for addressing virtually all of them, including dental veneers and dental implants.  In most cases, our patients plan ahead for their visit and carefully consider what they want fixed with their smile.  There are times, however, where patients come to see us with a damaged tooth.  If this happens to you, we invite you to give us a call.

The likelihood of your tooth becoming cracked, chipped, or even knocked out is higher than you may think.  Most people do not consider whether or not they will be in an accident or what they would do if their tooth became damaged.  This is unfortunately because over 9 million people visit the ER after a slip and fall accident every year, there are around 5.4 million car wrecks, and over 5 million children will suffer from a sports-related injury.  The chances of being in an accident are incredibly high, and the only question is whether or not your teeth will become damaged in the process.  If they do, we encourage you to call us instead of seeking treatment from the emergency room.

When you visit the ER for a chipped tooth, the doctor can give you medication and send you on your way.  They are not trained in how to restore teeth.  Simultaneously, if you see a dentist that specializes in general care, they may be unable to restore your tooth in a way that looks natural.  As a cosmetic dentist, we specialize in dental restorations, dental veneers, and dental implants, and have multiple solutions for correcting a tooth that is cracked, chipped or otherwise broken while helping it to blend in with the surrounding teeth.  This way, when you smile, no one will be able to tell that you ever damaged your tooth in the first place.  This is our goal – to create a natural and beautiful restoration in a timely fashion.

Any time that you are in an accident and damage your tooth, it is imperative that you have it restored quickly.  A tooth that is cracked or chipped is susceptible to becoming infected.  Bacteria can enter the center of the tooth this way, infect the dental pulp and create the need for a root canal.  This can be uncomfortable on top of the damage that already exists.  By using dental veneers or crowns to restore your teeth, we can prevent this from happening and give you the ability to use your tooth without restriction.

Our solutions
Some of the restorative solutions we use in our cosmetic dentist office are dental bonding, dental veneers, and dental crowns.  We can also replace your knocked out tooth using a dental bridge or dental implant.  Regardless of how your tooth was damaged or how bad the damage is – give us a call for a natural looking restoration.

A Cosmetic Dentist Can Help You With Bite Balancing

As a cosmetic dentist, we can complete bite balancing procedures to improve the appearance and function of your bite.  When most people think about a beautiful smile, they think of bright, white, and straight teeth.  Few consider the jaw.  However, the jaw and bite often have the largest impact on how the smile looks.  This is because if you have an overbite, underbite or crossbite, it can alter the shape of your face.   Very often this is improved with orthodontics as part of a braces treatment.  It can also be corrected by cosmetic dentistry.

Whether you are best served by orthodontics or cosmetic dentistry depends on what is causing your bite to be off in the first place. As a dentist, we will examine your teeth and gums, take x-rays and watch for signs of anything that could disrupt how your teeth come together.  

Some common reasons are –

• Old dental work that has worn down such as an older crown
• Chipped teeth
• Uneven tooth wear
• Receding gums
• Adult tooth loss
• Teeth moving out of position due to a tongue thrust, accident, etc.

If we notice any of these issues during your dental examination, we can talk about the procedures that can be used to aid in your bite balancing.  For example, if your bite is off due to a chipped tooth, we can restore the tooth in our cosmetic dentistry office.  This can be done with a bonding procedure or a dental crown.  Both appear natural, and both will restore the full functionality of the damaged tooth.  Once the chip has been restored, your teeth should come together properly.  Another example is if a few teeth are worn down and the bite is not coming together correctly as a result.  This too can be fixed with dental crowns and once done, your bite should be improved.

Some other ways that bite balancing can occur is by replacing any teeth that have been lost.  We can use dental implants or a dental bridge to replace missing teeth.  As a cosmetic dentist, we perform these procedures on a regular basis, and once all of your missing teeth are replaced, it will be easier to bite down correctly.  Your smile will be improved at the same time.  Any time that we complete a procedure like this for bite balancing we will not only replace the tooth but ensure that the shape is a perfect for your bite.  This requires the skill of an expert, making it necessary to visit a cosmetic dentist that completes restorations on a regular basis.

If you have more significant issues with your smile or your bite, we may recommend retention or an orthodontics procedure. We will discuss the pros and cons of all options, which procedures can be completed the fastest and what is best for your particular situation. Our bite balancing procedures are incredibly effective and as a cosmetic dentist, we can make sure that your bite and smile are beautiful.

What Is a Cosmetic Dentist and What Do They Do?

The difference between a cosmetic dentist and a general dentist is that while a general dentist is usually solely focused on the function and health of a person's teeth, gums and/or bite, a cosmetic dentist specializes in the appearance of the teeth in addition to their function.

For the most part, general dentists focus on ensuring that your teeth and gums are both functional and healthy. However, while they may be functional, not all dental solutions look good. While patients may be relieved that their problem has been 'fixed', some people may not be happy with how their teeth look, especially in regard to their front teeth.

In our office, the work of a cosmetic dentist extends beyond ensuring that your teeth and gums are both functional and healthy. They are also concerned about whether or not you are pleased with the appearance of your teeth and, if not, work to create a beautiful smile that you are pleased with. They do not just restore teeth to their original appearance, but work to improve the shape and color of your teeth, which will largely depend on your personal preferences and opinion.  This doesn't necessarily mean that every person wants or can achieve, a 'Hollywood' smile. It simply means that crooked, misaligned or stained teeth can play havoc with your self-image and we can correct them.

Common Cosmetic Dental Procedures

• Teeth Whitening: Not only do many people have naturally yellowish teeth, but the enamel is susceptible to discoloration by certain medications, red wine, coffee, tea, and nicotine. Many stains can be removed, and natural discoloration improved by a whitening procedure.
• Dental Veneers: Dental veneers, made of either porcelain or composite resin, are wafer-thin, custom-made, 'shells' bonded to each tooth. They are custom made to match the natural color of your teeth and improve your appearance by changing the shape, length or size of an existing tooth.
• Crowns: Dental crowns are tooth-shaped "caps" that partially, or completely, covers the visible part of the tooth. Crowns can restore or change the shape of the tooth, and thus can vastly improve its appearance.
• Crown-Lengthening: raises and sculpts the gum line. This procedure reshapes the gum tissue which can balance an asymmetrical gum line, or reduce a 'gummy' smile. 
• Bonding: a process in which an enamel-like material is applied to the surface of the tooth, sculpted, then hardened and polished.

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your teeth and would like to improve your smile, there are quite a few options open to you over and above the few mentioned above.  After examining your mouth and thoroughly assessing your individual problems, we will be able to discuss all possible options with you, including the pros and cons of each method. We will also discuss what the changes will look like, the details of the treatment, and what maintenance will be necessary. As a cosmetic dentist, our goal is to produce the result that you are happy with and to use the least invasive procedures as possible.

Ask These Questions Before Seeing a Cosmetic Dentist

If you are visiting our cosmetic dentist office to discuss a smile makeover or what you don’t like about your smile, you are in luck.  We have a variety of procedures that we can use to transform a dull and ordinary smile into something spectacular.  Before we can get started, we will need to know more about you and what you are trying to accomplish.  As such, we recommend asking yourself these questions first:

How white do I want my teeth?  This is entirely up to you.  With our in-office whitening procedures, we can whiten by more than eight shades in one visit, transforming both smiles and confidence in the process.  It is, however, important that you know ahead of time how white you want to go so that you are pleased with the results. 

Is the right amount of gum showing?  When you smile, it is normal to see some of your gums.   However, some people have too much gum tissue, and that tissue needs to be surgically removed in order for the proper amount of teeth to show. 

Do my teeth look like the right size?  It is fairly normal for teeth to come in either too big or too little.  As a result, they can look like an odd size compared with a persons’ smile.  If your teeth look out of place, we have procedures that can help to change their shape.

Do my teeth need to be perfectly straight?  We have multiple ways to straighten teeth, but which one we use needs to be based on what your goals are.  If your goals are to deal with a few problem teeth, we can treat them while leaving the other teeth intact.  If, on the other hand, you mainly want to straighten all of your teeth, you may need more of an orthodontics treatment. 

Are there any other imperfections I want to be corrected?  Make a list of what you don’t like about your teeth and bring it with you to your appointment with a cosmetic dentist.  That way you can go over everything in detail and discuss the various methods for treating what you don’t like.  This will ensure that you and your dentist don’t miss anything. 

Modern technology has improved to the point where full smile makeovers are possible.  It is rare to find anything about your teeth or your smile that cannot be corrected with the skilled hand of a cosmetic dentist.  Even crooked teeth, broken teeth, stained teeth, and chipped teeth can all be fixed in a way that looks completely natural.  That is perhaps one of the best things about cosmetic dentistry.  When done correctly, you can’t tell that any work was done – it simply blends in.  In fact, many patients won’t even remember which teeth had issues that need to be corrected.  Ask anyone that has a tooth-colored filling which teeth had a cavity, and they are unlikely to be able to point it out.  To learn more about your options, call and schedule an appointment.