Cosmetic Dentistry
As cosmetic dentists, we aim to make all dental work esthetically pleasing. Some of our restorative dentistry procedures also qualify as cosmetic dentistry. They include elective treatments like veneers, fillings, crowns and bridges, and implants. All techniques will enhance your smile, improve your confidence, and contribute to your overall health and wellbeing.
Treatments
Whitening
Dental Veneers
Crowns
Bonding
Bridges
Implants
Full Mouth Rehabilitation
Whitening
Whitening is a simple, non-invasive dental treatment used to change the color of natural tooth enamel and is an ideal way to enhance the beauty of your smile. Whitening is also called bleaching.
Because having whiter teeth has now become the #1 esthetic concern of most patients, so manufacturers of tooth-whitening treatments have created multiple products and processes to achieve the desired results for all.
This video describes how whitening works.
The most popular method is home-systems that will whiten teeth dramatically. Since whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, Dental Care on Golf Links must evaluate the need to replace old fillings, crowns, etc.
Such replacements, if necessary, will be done after bleaching so their color matches the newly bleached teeth.
Tooth whitening is not permanent. A touch-up maybe needed every several years, and more often if you smoke, drink coffee, tea, or wine.
Reasons for whitening:
What does whitening involve?
Tooth whitening usually requires two visits. At the first appointment, impressions (molds) will be made of your teeth to fabricate custom, clear plastic, trays. At your second appointment, you will try on the trays for proper fit, and adjustments will be made if necessary.
The trays are worn with special whitening solution either twice a day for 30 minutes or overnight for a couple of weeks depending on the degree of staining and desired level you wish to lighten your teeth. It is normal to experience tooth sensitivity, but it will subside shortly after you have stopped treatment.
Dental Care on Golf Links will give you care instructions for your teeth and trays, and will encourage you to visit us regularly to help maintain a beautifully white smile.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are thin shells of porcelain custom-designed and custom-stained to cover existing tooth structure. Veneers help us create ideal shape and color for individual or multiple teeth.
Here are the main reasons why our patients choose dental veneers:
- Their stained/discolored teeth were not improved by traditional whitening/bleaching procedures
- They have misshapen or crooked teeth and don’t want to wear braces
- They want a fuller smile when their teeth are small
- They want to close gaps and spacing between front teeth
- They need to repair chipped teeth
- They designer a bigger, brighter, more uniform smile.
Lab-fabricated veneers, while more costly, allow for optimal strength, longevity, and esthetics.
At Dental Care on Golf Links, we strive to offer the best dentistry in a calm and comfortable environment. For optimal results that not only look a feel fantastic, but are durable and long-lasting, the process described below is often used. Whether we are altering the appearance of your front teeth with veneers, or rehabilitating your smile after years of tooth wear and/or tooth loss, the process is generally the same:
- Diagnostic models/photos: Impressions of upper and lower teeth are taken, models are poured and mounted on an articulator, and these models are evaluated by both the dentist and lab technician. A series of photographs are also taken during this appointment and are evaluated to help create ideal tooth position for optimal final esthetics.
- Diagnostic wax up: Our lab technician does a wax-up or mock-up to create the desired outcome.
This information helps us to:
• Determine if preliminary treatment like orthodontics is necessary before restoring teeth.
• Test-drive the appearance of the proposed treatment in your mouth before moving forward with treatment.
• Create a model from which we can fabricate temporary crowns/veneers
- Preparation and temporization: Teeth are prepared and temporary crowns/veneers are worn for a period of time before final restorations are bonded in. This allows us to not only test-drive and ensure you are happy with the appearance, but also know that the teeth are well-designed to fit and function in your mouth, thus avoiding future complications such as chipping and fracturing of the final restorations.
- Final restorations tryout: Final restorations are tried in the mouth, evaluated for proper fit and desired esthetic outcome, and finally bonded to place, finishing your treatment.
We can also isntall veneers with white composite filling material in a single visit. This can be a more affordable alternative to traditional veneers, and we will discuss this with you.
Crowns
A crown is a cap that looks like the top of a regular tooth, and is placed over a problematic tooth that has been treated and specially prepared to receive the cap.
The crown covers the tooth to restore its shape, size and function, and to improve the appearance of the mouth.
Once a crown has been cemented into place, it encases the visible portion of a tooth above the gum line.
What are same-day crowns?
There are two ways to make a dental crown: single-visit (or same-day) crowns and lab-created crowns. Some dental offices offer single-visit crowns where the dentist scans your decayed tooth in 3D once the underlying condition has been addressed. The scan is interpreted by a CAD/CAM software that gives instructions to a local machine to manufacture a ceramic crown. The crown is created in a manner of 10-20 minutes by the machine, it is adjusted and fitted by the dentist over the repaired tooth.
How are they different from lab-created crowns?
These crowns are created by dental labs highly specialized in this trade. The dentist takes an impression of the mouth, and makes a mold of it. The dentist can also do a 3D scan of the missing tooth. In both cases, the result is sent to the lab, where the tooth is made in porcelain, metal, or resin, typically within 2 weeks. Meanwhile, the dentist set a temporary crown on the repaired tooth to provide some protection. When the lab send back the dental crown, a second appointment is taken to adjust it and set it permanently on the tooth.
Which type is best for the patient?
In our experience, lab-created crowns are longer-lasting than single-visit crowns. Same-day crowns are made in ceramic, which maynot be the right material for everyone. So while single-visit crowns offer the benefit of speed and convenience, and are created with a great degree of precision, Dental Care on Golf Links prefers the more traditional process which is time-tested with long-lasting results.
Bonding & Fillings
Composite fillings can be used to repair cavities, chipped/broken teeth, fill gaps between teeth, and even reshaped crooked teeth.
White filling can be used as a conservative and affordable alternative to veneers. Modern materials allow for beautiful esthetics that rival porcelain veneers.
At Dental Care on Golf Links, we discuss your options in full details, so that you can make a decision about which would be best for you.
Bridges
A bridge is a dental fixture permanently installed to “bridge” the gap left on the jaw by one or two missing teeth.
It is made up of crowns to be installed on the natural teeth or implants that are located on each side of this gap.
In between the anchoring teeth (called “abutment teeth”), the bridge features one or more false teeth. These can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials.
Watch this video for more information.
Replacing missing teeth: Implants vs. bridges
A bridge has limitations: it can only span the gap of one or two missing teeth. It is also not the only dental fixture that can be used to replace the function of a lost tooth. We can also use implants for that purpose.
This video shows you how single and multiple missing teeth can be replaced with implants, bridges, or a combination of both.
Implants
What is an implant?
A dental implant system consist of a dental implant body and dental implant abutment. It may also include an abutment fixation screw. The dental implant body is surgically inserted in the jawbone in place of the tooth root. The dental implant abutment is usually attached to the implant body by the abutment fixation screw and extends through gums into the mouth to support the attached artificial teeth (also called “restoration”).
What are the benefits of dental implant systems?
- Restores the ability to chew
- Restores cosmetic appearance
- Helps keep the jawbone from shrinking due to bone loss
- Preserves the health of the surrounding bone and gums
- Helps keep adjacent (nearby) teeth stable
- Improves quality of life
Different types of dental implant systems
The dental implant system that is right for your mouth depends on the number of teeth missing, your health, and the state of health of your mouth.
We typically make a distinction between 2 dental implant systems: (a) single tooth implants, and (b) implant-retained bridges. Within the latter category, we find the full-mouth dental implant systems, which are designed to replace all your upper and/or lower teeth at the same time.
Single tooth implants are a great option for replacing individual teeth as opposed to conventional bridges.
This video gives you more information about that type of dental implant systems.
Conventional bridge vs. implants Implant retained bridges
These implant systems are designed to replace more than 3 teeth at a time. A conventional bridge can span up to 2 missing teeth. It is installed overexisting adjacent teeth. Implant-retained bridges offer a better solution when part of your mouth has multiple teeth missing, as the bridge is not anchored on the remaining teeth but on implants installed in your maxillary (jaw).
Though not suitable for all individuals, implant-retained bridges are more durable and stronger than conventional bridges. Ultimately, we will review with you the options that you have after having conducted a thorough assessment of your mouth and jaw bone.
Full Mouth Rehabilitation
Whether we are altering the appearance of your front teeth with veneers, or rehabilitating your smile after years of tooth wear and/or tooth loss, this process doesn’t vary much.
- Diagnostic models/photos: We take impressions of your upper and lower teeth, models are poured and mounted on an articulator. These models are then evaluated by both the dentist and a lab technician. A series of photographs are also taken during this appointment and are evaluated to help position the teeth ideally for optimal aesthetic effect.
- Diagnostic wax up: A lab tech does a wax-up or “mock-up” to create the desired outcome. This work helps us to:
- Determine if preliminary treatment like orthodontics is necessary before we work on restoring your teeth.
- Test-drive the appearance of the proposed treatment in your mouth before moving forward with your treatment.
- Create a model from which we can fabricate temporary crowns/veneer
- Preparation and temporization: Your new teeth are prepared and you will wear temporary crowns/veneers for a period before we bond in the final restorations. This allows us not only to test-drive and ensure you are happy with the appearance of your smile, but also to know that the teeth are well-designed to fit and function in your mouth. In this way, we avoid future complications such as chipping and fracturing of the final restorations.
- Final restorations: We try your final restorations in your mouth, and evaluate them for proper fit and desired esthetic outcome. Eventually, we bond them into place, and finish your treatment.
FAQ
What is cosmetic dentistry?
What are the common types of cosmetic dentistry procedures?
Common cosmetic dentistry procedures include:
- Teeth whitening
- Dental veneers
- Dental bonding
- Dental crowns
- Inlays and Onlays
- Dental implants
- Orthodontics (braces or Invisalign)
