Cosmetic, or aesthetic, dentistry can be described as one or few dental treatments that improve the appearance of your teeth and beauty of your smile. It can include variety of techniques and use of variety of esthetic materials. It is truly an art form, a process that involves a customized smile analysis and design. You as a patient have a unique opportunity to be involved in your own transformation. This is an aesthetic treatment based mostly on your vision and perception of self, your personality and life style. To obtain optimal results, this kind of dentistry requires application of advanced scientific techniques, equipment, materials and skills.
These are also called "porcelain laminates," "porcelain laminate veneers," and just "veneers," For our purposes, we will just call them veneers. Veneers are formed porcelain shells that are used to create a new front surface to a tooth. These are thin sculpted pieces of tooth-shaped porcelain that fit over the front of the teeth and are the premier standard of care in cosmetic dentistry. Permanently bonded to the front surface of a tooth, to restore or improve position, shape and tooth color, they can make a dramatic, immediate difference to one's smile and overall facial appearance. Veneers are wonderful for fixing common problems such as midline spaces (the gap-toothed look of the two front upper teeth) or chipped, crooked, missing, discolored, pitted, malformed or improperly positioned teeth. Once only accessible to the wealthy and top Hollywood stars and models, veneers are now a popular way for many people to obtain the smile of their dreams.
Veneers may not be for everybody. If you have unhealthy teeth. Porcelain veneers cannot be placed on teeth where there is decay or active periodontal disease (gum disease). These conditions must be treated by your dentist before porcelain veneers can be successfully fabricated and placed. If you have weakened teeth. If a significant amount of tooth structure has been lost as a result of decay or fracture, or else already replaced by a dental filling, the tooth may not be a good candidate for a porcelain veneer. Porcelain veneers do not significantly strengthen the teeth on which they are placed. Teeth that have, or have had, a history of a loss of a significant amount of tooth structure are usually better treated by placing a dental crown on them, not a porcelain veneer. If you have an inadequate amount of enamel on the tooth. A porcelain veneer can only be successfully bonded onto tooth enamel. Some teeth, as a result of excessive wear or previous attempts at dental bonding, may have little or no enamel remaining on their front side. These teeth do not make good candidates for porcelain veneers. If you clench or grind your teeth. Persons who clench and grind their teeth can make poor candidates for porcelain veneers. The forces created by these activities, termed bruxism by dentists, can easily chip or break porcelain veneers. Possibly a person can successfully control their bruxing habits during their waking hours, but during sleep a bruxer has essentially no control over this activity. If a person who bruxes does have veneers placed, they must be committed to wearing a plastic dental night guard when they sleep so to minimize the amount of stress placed on their veneers.
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Made of Cerinate porcelain, Lumineers are a new type of porcelain veneers. They are contact lens-thin, roughly .2 mm thick. Little to no tooth reduction in most cases is necessary with this type of veneer and anesthetics or numbing shots are not needed. www.cerinate.com |
A crown is a restorative that covers, or "caps," a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size, strengthening and improving the appearance of a tooth. Crowns are necessary when a tooth is generally broken down and fillings won't solve the problem. If a tooth is cracked a crown holds the tooth together to seal the cracks so the damage doesn't get worse. Crowns are also used to support a large filling when there isn't enough of the tooth remaining, attach a bridge, protect weak teeth from fracturing, restore fractured teeth, or cover badly shaped or discolored teeth. Crowns may be placed on natural teeth or dental implants.
Whitening (sometimes called "bleaching") is a common and popular chemical process used to whiten teeth. Some people get their teeth bleached to make stains disappear, while other just want a whiter shade. The active ingredient in most of the whitening agents is 10 percent carbamide peroxide, also known as urea peroxide; when water contacts this white crystal, the release of hydrogen peroxide lightens the teeth. here are a number of different ways to whiten teeth. There are accelerated in-office approaches using a light activated technique with the peroxide gel. There are also at-home whitening kits used with a peroxide gel. Also, porcelain veneers can have the effect of whitening teeth to the shade determined by you and your cosmetic dentist. We proudly offer you a whitening system by "Sapphire"– In-Office Teeth Whitening System now known as "LumiBrite".
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 If you look in the mirror and are discouraged by the unsightly gray fillings that gave dulled your once youthful smile, then it is time to consider their replacement with tooth colored restorations. Very small fillings can be restore with tooth colored bonding materials.
A composite resin is a tooth-colored plastic mixture filled with glass (silicon dioxide).Introduced in the 1960s, dental composites were confined to the front teeth because they were not strong enough to withstand the pressure and wear generated by the back teeth. Since then, composites have been significantly improved and can be successfully placed in the back teeth as well. Composites are not only used for restoring decay, but are also used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the color of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth. There are no known health risks of receiving composite fillings. Composite resin dental fillings werecreated as an alternative to traditional metal dental fillings. Tooth fillings colored to look like a natural tooth are known as composite resin fillings and are made of a plastic dental resin. Composite resin fillings are strong, durable, and make for a very natural looking smile. Many dental insurance plans cover their use.
How are composite fillings placed? Following preparation, the dentist places the composite in layers using a light specialized to harden each layer. When the process is finished, the dentist will shape the composite to fit the tooth. The dentist then polishes the composite to prevent staining and early wear. |
 In cases with larger cavities or broken down areas, an inlay or onlay to cover more of the tooth's surface may be indicated. These restorations are indirect because they require two visits and fabrication by a dental laboratory. The ceramic restorations are considerably more expensive and therefore simple, one-visit composite fillings are typically used instead for small fillings. Ceramic restorations are much more durable and will not stain. Naturally speaking, the final result with ceramics is spectacular. White inlays or onlays are actually glued into the tooth and there is now a body of research that claims that because of this the tooth ends up stronger after such a procedure, less prone to problems down the road.
A beautiful smile is like a work of art - the smile is the frame, the gums are the matting, and the teeth are the featured subject. Much like the cuticles on your fingernail, the gums can cover your tooth structure, making your teeth appear short and fat instead of the shape that "Mother Nature" intended. We routinely correct this in most of our smile designs. Gum contouring can be done to reduce the excess gum. The removal of this excess tissue allows for normal sized teeth and for a normal gum line appearance by using an electrosurge or laser to remove the undesirable tissue. When it's done with laser, patients report very quick healing and minimal to no post-operative discomfort. Also, the results are highly predictable.
Cosmetic dentistry now offers options beyond having a partial denture. One option is to have an implant and crown placed. An implant is a titanium cylinder that is placed in the bone (under the tissue) and functions to replace what was once the root of the tooth. After a period of 5-6 months a stress or load can be placed into this implant and then the crown is placed over the abutment. This tooth is now cared for like all the other teeth in your mouth. |
Do you suffer form any of these?
- Headaches
- Jaw joint Pain
- Jaw joint noise or clicking
- Limited mouth opening
- Ear congestion
- Dizziness
- Ringing in the ears
- Difficulty swallowing
- Loose teeth
- Clenching or grinding
- Facial pain
- Sensitive teeth
- Chewing difficulties
- Neck pain
- Postural problems
- Tingling of the fingertips
- Hot & cold sensitivity of teeth
- Nervousness or insomnia
Signs & Symptoms of TMD
Pain or dysfunction of the head and neck is a very common condition and one that might be resolved very simply or might be very complex and frustrating to treat, depending on the circumstances.
The bite can be a factor in many types of pain or functional problems because of the inter-relationship of the overall musculoskeletal system. Since there is a relationship between the teeth, jaw joints, head and neck muscles, and head posture, a problem in any one of these areas may affect others. These can include painful clicking or popping of the jaw joint, various types of head and neck pain, swallowing problems, and excessive snoring or sleep apnea, just to name a few.
If it is suspected that you suffer from this type of problem, the neuromuscular dentist may ask you if you have any of the symptoms shown above.
In addition, they will be looking for a number of signs in your posture, appearance and condition of your teeth, and existing bite that might aid in diagnosis. An imperfect bite often plays a significant role in these conditions and the dentist experienced in treating them may resolve the problem. However, diagnosing these problems can be very difficult at times and may require the collective efforts of your dentist and other health care professionals. These may include your physician, and ear, nose, and throat specialist, physical therapist, chiropractor, or message therapist.
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