What is the goal of esthetic dentistry?
The goal of esthetic dentistry is to completely transform your average or damaged smile into an award-winning smile.

What is the value in paying for this service?
If you don’t think you can show your teeth when you smile, you may feel severely limited in personal encounters and professional settings. The debilitating effect this can have on your life can make you shy and withdrawn, even if you are an otherwise outgoing person.

I’m not so vain as to need a perfect smile.
This is not about vanity, nor have we ever billed a single client for perfection.

Esthetic dentistry is all about individual beauty beyond comparison and self confidence that comes from within. There is nothing vain or ego-driven about this. It is about you being your best and no one else’s.

The psychological impact of this service is only part of the equation, though. Real science goes into making something concrete out of a feeling of new confidence and performance.

In order to do this, we have to carefully examine every aspect of your smile and determine which. esthetic dentistry treatments must be implemented to correct the challenges that confront you.

What are some examples of what you can do to restore my teeth?
A few examples of the many esthetic dentistry services we offer include, but are not limited, to the following:

Crooked teeth that would otherwise need painful and embarrassing metal braces can now be corrected with painless invisible braces.

Teeth with gaps between them can be corrected with cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental bonding, or thin veneers placed on the sides of the teeth to fill in the gaps.

Discolored teeth that need to be whitened can be treated by cosmetic resin or professional teeth cleaning.

If your gums are uneven and extend over the tops of your teeth when you smile, we can use a technique called crown lengthening to make your teeth alone visible when you smile without your gums being visibly embarrassing to you.

If your teeth are too long, or too shore, they can be reshaped with special tools or dental bonding to make their edges smoothly follow the curve of the lower lip.

Esthetic dentistry employs a variety of tools, technology, and techniques that are not always used by general dentists. Many of its benefits are purely cosmetic, but others have real medical value as well. Because of this, practitioners of this highly specialized discipline must pursue credentials in licensing in general dentistry as well as cosmetic dentistry so that every patient gets the maximum benefits that any given procedure can provide.

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental veneers, esthetic dentistsry

What is tooth bonding?
It is a cosmetic dental service used to repair the structure and appearance of damaged teeth. It can fix decay, chips, cracks, gaps, oddly shaped teeth, and teeth that are too long or too short. Sometimes it can even be used to whiten teeth that are stained. It is also the best way to replace lost dental fillings.

How many types of tooth bonding procedures?
There are two types of bonding. The type that you need will depend on your situation. It will depend on how small or how large of a correction you are going to require.

How long does the process take at the dentist's office?
Tooth bonding can be done in a single visit if all we need to do is replace fillings. When we do more complicated procedures, we may need more than one visit.

For small corrections like replacement fillings or repairs to surface damage can be done in one office visit.

These are one appointment fillings which are color-matched to the tooth and are bonded to the surface for added strength. These are most appropriate for small fillings and front fillings as they may not be as durable for large fillings.

For larger corrections that require dental lab work, we will need to make two appointments. This often happens when bonding is used in conjunction with a procedure like a post and core, or as filling beneath a cosmetic dental crown that has to be custom manufactured and placed

How is tooth bonding done?
A special composite resin is used to improve the condition or color of teeth. The process begins with the application of a special conditioning gel. This gel etches the tooth enamel so it will be easier for the resign to bond with its surface.

The composite is then applied and sculpted into the desired shape. The color of the resin will have been pre-mixed to match the color of healthy, natural teeth. The amount of resin applied depends upon the degree of damage we have to repair.

After we have finished the application and sculpting of the tooth bonding resin, we then harden it with a special high intensity light.

Who is a candidate for tooth bonding?
Anyone with small gaps between their teeth, chips in their teeth, or cracked teeth can benefit from cosmetic bonding. This restoration procedure is also very effective for patients who have discolored teeth, teeth of varying lengths, tooth decay, and even gum recession.

Tooth bonding is very strong and will last for a good long time, improving your teeth’s appearance and functionality. However, if you smoke, keep in mind that cosmetic dental resin is porous and can be stained by cigarette smoke very easily.

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, tooth bonding

Many dentists no longer use silver fillings because they feel they are not safe. Along with copper, traces of zinc, and silver, these fillings are basically fifty percent mercury. Mercury is a poisonous substance in its raw form and has been documented to have all sorts of negative, toxic effects on the human body.

Of course, the way silver fillings are mixed, they are supposed to be safe. For 150 years now, in fact, the American Dental Association has monitored their impact on the general public and stated that there is no conclusive evidence that once used in an alloy of this nature that mercury would ever prove harmful to a dental patient.

Other people feel that mercury is mercury, and you should not have it in your body at all in any form. When mercury compounds break down and trace amounts of mercury gas are released, it can find its way into the lungs and cause cells in the body to die. Cells die every day for all types of reasons, however, so there is ongoing argument on both sides of this issue as to how safe these miniscule trace amounts of mercury are or how potentially damaging they can be over a long period of time.

We personally do not want to get caught up in this debate, nor do we take any sort of stance here against the ADA. We simply like to err on the side of caution in this matter and just avoid the use of silver fillings that contain mercury—and all the controversy that surrounds them—and offer our patients something we feel is much better for them from a cosmetic perspective, anyway.

In our practice, we avoid the use of anything that contains mercury. We are not here to get caught up in a heated debate— we simply believe that it is better to be safe than sorry, and to use composite resin fillings that have a greater cosmetic appeal.

This alternative is known as cosmetic dental bonding. It uses cosmetic resins that are mixed to match the color of surrounding teeth. In many cases, the only way to fill a very small cavity is to use this material. Otherwise, what the patient ends up with is a dark dot on his or her tooth.

This does not look all that good.

In other arenas, composite resin fillings prove even more effective. When filling bigger cavities, they do not require the same degree of drilling as do silver amalgam fillings. All the dentist needs to do is to remove the decaying enamel and dentin, then fill the cavity with composite resin. The resin bonds much more quickly to the tooth surface and does not need the same depth of drilling as metal fillings require.

Labels: composite resin fillings, cosmetic dental bonding, silver amalgam fillings, silver mercury fillings

The Cosmetic Dentistry Center in the Houston Medical Center Dental Group offers the full range of cosmetic dentistry procedures and general dentistry practices. Every patient is treated as a genuinely unique individual with his or her own set of unique and specific needs. We like to say that no two smiles are exactly alike, so when you come to our office, you can be confident we provide your smile with a restorative or cosmetic solution that is specifically created just for you.
____________________
I would like to know how much does Dental Bondingcost (estimate) for an adult with no insurance?

Thank you,
Debbie
______________________

Debbie,
Thanks for the question. As with many things we do, it varies widely. There are times that we do minor bonding and it does not take much time and we do not charge much for it. There are other complicated situations that take more time and therefore we charged more for these – and, since major changes are not done any more with bonding, we often also have a conversation about laminate veneers, which is a much more durable and esthetic service.

You really need to make an appointment to come in and have an exam done so that we can understand what you want done and you can get correct information. I cannot answer your question well blindly --- give us a call..


Chuck Campbell, DDS
Dale Brant, DDS
(713) 795-5905

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental procedures

If you feel you are suffering from an aging smile, do not despair or give up on yourself. There are many cosmetic dental treatments that you can receive that can correct these problems. Each of these restorative treatments has its own advantages and disadvantages associated with it, so ask your dentist which one is right for you.

Porcelain veneers
Porcelain veneers can restore a natural-looking appearance to an aging smile. They are made from thin shells of porcelain that are approximately the thickness of false fingernails. The dentist bonds them to either the front or the top of your teeth. Because porcelain veneers are so thin, light can pass through them and allow them to take on the appearance of underlying tooth enamel.

Advantages
Veneers are very tough, and they will last for many years. They will radically improve the appearance of your aging smile. Should your veneers ever become damaged; the dentist can easily repair them.

Disadvantages
The only disadvantage to veneers is the small amount of tooth reduction that is needed. This is non-reversible, so once veneers are bonded to your teeth, you will have to rely upon them for the rest of your life.

You should only allow a trained, experienced cosmetic dentist to bond porcelain veneers to your teeth. The process is simple enough, though, if performed by the right hands, and it only takes two appointments to complete.

Cosmetic Dental Bonding
Another way to cosmetically improve an aging smile is through cosmetic dental bonding. This is a three-step procedure that can be done in only one office visit. It consists of three simple steps. First, the dentist etches the front of the teeth with a mild acid. He or she then applies a special bonding resin to the etched surface, which is in turn hardened with a high-intensity light.

Advantages
Dental Bonding material is made to match the natural color of teeth and looks indistinguishable from the natural.

Disadvantages
The acid used in bonding removes a portion of tooth enamel, so you must rely upon bonding for remainder of your life.

All Porcelain Crowns
One embarrassing, and sometimes painful, result of an aging smile is tooth abfraction, or cracked teeth. Porcelain crowns can make these teeth appear as good as new. We recommend all porcelain crowns because they look just like natural tooth enamel, and because they also mimic the shape of natural teeth. Crowns give structural support and protection for teeth and help close gaps between teeth.

Advantages
All porcelain crowns that are made by a trained, experienced cosmetic dentistry center will appear to be natural teeth. They can superbly improve your appearance, and they will last for many years, or even possibly the rest of your life. They also require the least amount of tooth reduction, which really does not matter anyway if a tooth is cracked, decayed, or damaged.

Disadvantages
The only negative associated with all porcelain crowns is they may wear on opposing natural teeth if you bite down too hard.

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, porcelain crowns, porcelain inlays, porcelain veneers

A porcelain inlay is an indirect filling that is used to repair a decayed portion of a tooth or the hole left in a tooth after a silver-mercury amalgam filling has failed. In some respects, it works much like a tooth filling because it fits within the cusp of a tooth to replace either a lost filling or fill a cavity caused by decay. However, a porcelain inlay is very different from a standard filling. Not only is it made from an entirely different material, but the process used to make it similar to the process of making a dental crown. Porcelain inlays are made in a laboratory to match the shape and size of the tooth. They restore the cosmetic appearance of teeth, and they strengthen teeth by restoring the original surface area that was lost to damage or decay.

We at the Cosmetic Dentistry Center of Houston do not recommend the use of silver-mercury amalgam fillings. However, we do often fill teeth with composite resin through a process known as dental bonding. Dental bonding, however, requires a certain minimal tooth mass in order to be performed. When decay or tooth fracture has destroyed the majority of the tooth surface, placing a porcelain inlay can restore the appearance and function of the tooth so it does not have to be extracted. For people who cannot afford dental implants at this time, placing porcelain inlays provides a viable alternative to tooth replacement.

Manufacturing porcelain inlays is very similar to manufacturing dental crowns. It will take two appointments to make the inlays and place them. During the first visit, the dentist begins by cleaning up the affected tooth or teeth to prepare them for the placement of inlays. The dentist first numbs the area around the teeth to make the procedure painless. If the problem is old fillings, he or she will first extract what remains of the filling from the interior of the tooth. A rubber dam may be used to prevent debris from falling into your mouth. Any decayed areas are also removed, and the remaining healthy portion of the tooth is reshaped.

The dentist will then make impressions of your teeth in order to create a working model of your natural bite. These impressions are very important and must be meticulously taken in order to create an accurate model. A dentist may place a small string between your teeth and gums in order to push the gums gently away from tooth surfaces. Once the impressions are made, the dentist will place temporary inlays in your mouth while the porcelain inlays are being made. It will take approximately one to two weeks for the laboratory to manufacture your new inlays. When they are ready, the dentist will call you back, remove the temporaries, and place the permanent inlays in your teeth. The dentist will check the bite with colored tape to see where your teeth are coming together, and he or she will also floss between the teeth to make certain there are no tight spots.

If your teeth pass inspection, the dentist will permanently place your porcelain inlays by cementing them in place. Inlays can last anywhere from 10 to 30 years and have proven themselves to be one of the most effective cosmetic tooth restoration procedures we can economically provide to our patients.

Labels: composite bonding resin, cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dental procedures, cosmetic tooth procedures

Cosmetic dentists can do wonders to restore the health, vitality, and sheer beauty of the human smile. Advanced technology makes it possible for cosmetic dental procedures to repair almost any problem with teeth or gums. Many problems can be solved with very simple procedures. Others require much more complex methods and surgical techniques. Because every patient is different, cosmetic dental procedures tend to be highly individualized to the needs of the person as well.

Cosmetic dental bonding is a simple procedure that involves applying a special composite resin to teeth surfaces in order to cover chipped and discolored areas. It is a painless procedure, and it has proven itself a superior alternative to metal fillings because the resin mimics the natural color of teeth and is more benign to the mouth than metal fillings.

Tooth whitening is performed when teeth become discolored for any number of reasons. Smoking and drinking coffee can change teeth from white to yellow in a short matter of time. Some prescription medications can also discolor teeth severely. Even certain healthy teas that people have begun to substitute for caffeine and nicotine can cause teeth to lose their color. Mild to moderate discoloration is normally reverse with a bleaching solution that is applied both in the dental office and through two weeks of self-care at home. More severe cases may require the use of cosmetic dental veneers, which are made from porcelain that provides a hard, reliable overlay for tooth enamel. Veneers are stain resistant and will normally last for many years.

For fragmented or missing teeth, more aggressive cosmetic dental procedures are necessary. In the past, teeth that were badly cracked were often pulled and replaced with a bridge. Today, cosmetic dentists can often save a damage tooth by performing a root canal and capping the tooth with a porcelain crown. This procedure is also used to repair teeth that have lost metal fillings. It not only creates a new chewing surface, but it also helps prevent infection.

Implant dentistry is the most advanced of all cosmetic dental procedures. It involves placing a titanium alloy implant in the jaw that the bone then accepts and grows around, much like it does a natural tooth root. After the implant area has healed, which can take anywhere from 3-6 months, the dentist then places a porcelain crown over the implant to create an entirely new tooth.

Cosmetic Dentistry
Technology in Cosmetic Dentistry
Gingivectomy and Gingivoplasty (Gum Removal)
Cosmetic Dental implants
Cosmetic Teeth Procedures
Cosmetic Dental Care
Cosmetic Dental Treatments
Cosmetic Dental WorkCosmetic Dentists

Cosmetic dental procedures are continually evolving as new technology emerges and dentists continue to develop new treatment options for patients with discolored, damaged, or missing teeth.

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dental procedures, cosmetic dental veneers

Thanks to new advances in dental technology, a wide range of cosmetic teeth procedures are now available to the general population. Some of these are very simple procedures that can be performed in one or two office visits. Others are more complex and require the use of very sophisticated instruments and very special dental training.

One of the more basic and common cosmetic teeth procedures is tooth whitening. It takes only two office visits spaced two weeks apart to perform. During the visit, the dentist bleaches the teeth with a special gel. Each night at home, the patient also applies special bleach for about 20 minutes, and may also be instructed by the dentist to use Sensodyne toothpaste. When the procedure is complete, the dentist will seal the bleach with a special light that hardens it and helps coat and protect the teeth.

When tooth enamel is too deeply stained for standard teeth whitening to correct, another very popular cosmetic tooth procedure is the application of dental veneers. Veneers are made from porcelain and are extremely hard and stain resistant. Not only can they make teeth look whiter, but they can also be used to correct very minor tooth alignment problems.

Dental bonding is yet another cosmetic procedure that not only improves the color of teeth, but also helps repair teeth surfaces. When teeth become cracked or develop pits, the composite resin used in dental bonding can restore a smooth surface. Also, this procedure has become the preferred method of filling cavities over that past few years. Amalgam fillings do not match the color of teeth, and they also can cause problems when they expand and contract in reaction to changes in temperature. Cosmetic dental bonding resin is mixed to complement the existing color of teeth (or improve it) and integrates with tooth enamel much more safely and efficiently.

The more advanced cosmetic teeth procedures—dental crowns and dental implants—involve replacing a significant portion of tooth surface or creating an entirely new tooth altogether. Porcelain crowns are made to match the size of the original tooth so they can repair major fractures or missing pieces in its surface. If a tooth has to be extracted, or has already been lost, cosmetic dental implants are used as a superior, and more permanent alternative to dentures. A titanium implant in the jaw bone creates a new tooth root, and a porcelain crown is placed over it to create a new chewing surface.

Houston Cosmetic Dentists
Cosmetic Dentists
Cosmetic Dental Work
Cosmetic Dental Treatments
Cosmetic Dental Care

Cosmetic teeth procedures like the ones discussed in this essay can only be performed effectively by trained professionals who have studied advanced cosmetic dentistry techniques in addition to their general dentistry training. If you need any improvement whatsoever in the color and quality of your teeth, our team can help restore a better quality of life and a more confident face to the world the minute you pick up the phone and schedule an appointment.

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dental veneers, cosmetic teeth whitening

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dental procedures, cosmetic dental veneers

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dental veneers, cosmetic dentistry

Thanks to new treatments and technology, there are now more cosmetic dental procedures available to patients than ever before. The good news is that regardless of how long a particular procedure may take, or how complex the process may actually be, cosmetic dentistry has evolved to such a level of precision that there is little, if any, discomfort involved in any of these treatments. That means you should call and schedule an appointment if you have been putting off going to the dentist out of fear of pain. Skillful hands can ensure a winning—and pain free smile—here at the Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, TX.

Some of these procedures are elementary and simple, while others require more precision, time, and complexity.

Cosmetic dental bonding, for example, is a very simple process used repair chipped or discolored teeth with a special composite resin that has been custom-mixed to produce the desired color correction in the smile of the patient. Small cracks and pocks often develop in teeth over many years of chewing. The dentist applies an extremely mild acidic solution to the teeth enamel, which etches tiny, microscopic lines in tooth surfaces. The bonding agent is then applied, which instantly adheres to the etched tooth enamel, fusing to its surface. A special light is then used to harden and set the bonding, creating a smooth, restored surface. Patients often remark that this is the most painless experience they could ever hope to have in a dental chair.

Teeth not only become pocked and cracked, but they also become severely discolored for any number of reasons. Drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes never helps tooth color. Certain prescription medications as well can turn teeth a yellowish color. There are two cosmetic dental procedures used to reverse discoloration and restore a white, healthy smile. One is cosmetic tooth whitening, and the other is cosmetic dental veneers.

Tooth whitening is performed using cosmetic dental bleach that is applied in two office visits normally spaced two weeks apart. In the interim time between visits, the patient uses a special tray to apply similar bleach at home. Sensodyne toothpaste is also recommended as an adjunct to this procedure. The longevity of results varies from patient to patient, depending on what lifestyle choices the patient makes to alter detrimental eating and drinking behaviors.

Another popular cosmetic dental procedure for tooth whitening is the use of porcelain veneers. Veneers overlay the tooth enamel and are very strong and stain resistant. Even if a person continues to drink coffee or smoke, veneers tend to maintain their color. Usually veneers are not applied, however, merely for correcting coloration problems. Like dental bonding, one of their main benefits is to correct pitting and chipping of teeth, and in some cases, minor alignment problems that are noticeable, but not severe enough to justify orthodontic treatments.

But what if a tooth suffers more damage than simple chipping? What if a piece of the tooth breaks off, or if the tooth cracks severely? The most common cosmetic dental procedure is the use of a dental crown. A crown, like a veneer, is made from porcelain, and custom-molded to mimic the original tooth. It fits over the damaged tooth like a cap, which is why crowns in general dentistry are often referred to as caps.

For teeth that have been knocked out, or that have decayed to the point that they have to be extracted for the health of the patient, dental implants offer a much more attractive alternative to dentures. Dental implantation is the most complex of all cosmetic dental procedures and is generally used only as a last resort. However, when done by a trained specialist who knows what he or she is doing, the new implant will look, feel, and function as an indistinguishable replacement for the original. Dental implants consist of a titanium alloy base that acts like a tooth root embedded in the bone, an abutment that supports a crown, and a porcelain crown that provides an attractive appearance and reliable chewing surface. Some of our patients often comment that they sometimes forget they have implants because these artificial teeth work often feel just like the ones they were born with.

Cosmetic dental procedures like the ones we have looked at today require years of special training. Be sure to read the biographies of our resident dentists, Dr. Dale Brandt, Dr. Charles Campbell, and Dr. Elizabeth O’Sullivan-Winslow. There, you will find all the assurance you need to see how the staff at the Medical Center Dental Group has everything you need to give you a beautiful, confident, healthy, and truly winning smile.

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dental procedures, cosmetic dental veneers, cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic tooth whitening

here are Many Cosmetic Teeth Procedures Your Dentist Can Perform to Restore Your Smile. This is because dentistry can be a science as much as it is an art. The essence of cosmetic dentistry, after all, is the restoration of a beautiful smile. Many cases are simple, and easy to treat with basic procedures. Others, however, are much more complex, and present such a challenge that only the most advanced cosmetic teeth procedures can address. Fortunately for patients these days, science has become as diversified and specialized as art. Cosmetic dentists in our society now have access to a wide variety of technology that will allow them to repair virtually any problem they encounter with any number of sophisticated cosmetic teeth procedures.

Tooth Whitening is one of the more basic forms of cosmetic teeth procedures that involves whitening the teeth with special bleach that is made permanent and sealed by a high intensity light. It is normally the first course of action a cosmetic dentist recommends for moderate or moderately heavy tooth discoloration. Very severe cases of discoloration, however, often need more aggressive cosmetic teeth procedures are needed.

Dental Veneers
If stains are too severe for bleaching to remove, it is sometimes better to overlay the tooth with a hard, non-permeable substance cosmetically attractive and impervious to further discoloration. Porcelain just such a substance, and features a remarkable appearance that is very similar to the natural translucence of tooth enamel. Once applied; dental veneers will last for years, and never stain or discolor themselves.

Dental Bonding
Perhaps the simplest and most painless cosmetic tooth procedures that dentists perform are cosmetic dental bonding. This procedure is performed with a composite that is either customized to the color of exiting teeth, or whitened to improve their appearance.

Dental Crowns
If severe tooth decay goes untreated for too long, it can destroy more than 50 percent of a tooth to the point that it cannot be salvaged. This is especially true if decay breaks into the nerve chamber and begins killing the root itself. Cosmetic dentists avoid the patchwork procedures silver amalgam fillings that have since become outdated and proven insufficient. Instead, they remove the diseased portion of the tooth and cap it with a dental crown. Unlike a veneer is the crown is made to cover the cover the entire tooth, acting like a cap over its exterior surface.

Dental Implants
In those unfortunate cases where a tooth cannot be saved, and it has to be extracted, there is still a cosmetic that can save the smile procedures. This solution is the dental implant. A dental implant is made from a titanium root structure attached to the jawbone, capped by a porcelain crown that looks just like a natural tooth. Implants work so well that people who get them often forget they had them to begin with.

Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic teeth whitening, cosmetic tooth procedures

A man named Ron, who had a number of missing teeth, came to us when he realized that tooth decay in his remaining teeth would probably cause him further tooth loss. He had no idea why so many of his teeth had failed, and he did not want to lose any more of them. He asked about a procedure he had heard about called a full mouth reconstruction. He wanted to know if it could offer a medical solution to his failing teeth as well as a cosmetic solution to his missing teeth. He also wanted to know if it would be a painful procedure. He told us that by the sound of the term, full mouth reconstruction, he could only imagine the amount of surgery and pain such a process might involve.

We quickly put his fears of pain and surgery to rest. We explained that a full mouth reconstruction was not the same as reconstructive surgery. Rebuilding bone, tissue, or muscle after a major accident is not the same as rebuilding a smile. Rather, a full mouth reconstruction involves strategic use of dental inlays, bonding, or crowns to replace missing teeth and to prevent teeth that are in the process of decaying from failing completely. In cosmetic dentistry, this procedure does not involve drilling or filling teeth with silver-mercury amalgams. All reconstructive work is done with materials that can be sculpted or molded to the existing teeth so that the original color, or whiter appearance if so desired, can result.

Cosmetic dental implants, for example, can be used to teeth that are missing from the upper and lower jaws. Cosmetic dental implants are made from a titanium base that acts like a tooth root. Once the bone adapts around the tooth, a porcelain crown is placed over it, providing an excellent mimic for the translucent whiteness of natural tooth enamel.

But what caused Ron to have such massive tooth loss in the first place? The answer lay in a seemingly unrelated medical problem. Ron had suffered for 10 years from a condition known as sleep apnea. For those same ten years, he had ground his teeth unconsciously in his sleep, and never noticed that cavities were forming in the cracks that resulted. The decay seemed to hit him all at once, and many teeth were lost in a short amount of time. While this was a very sad and severe case, the good news for Ron was that a full mouth reconstruction could still be performed that would restore his smile with an even better look than he had had before. After all, improvement of this sort is what Cosmetic Dentistry is all about.

To systematically accomplish this for Ron, we placed arches in the upper and lower arches of his mouth. We then used these implants, along with healthy natural teeth that remained, as anchor points for fixed porcelain bridges and crowns. Although the procedure took almost 7 months to complete, the Ron says it was well worth the time and money, because he looks and feels almost 20 years younger as a result of his full mouth reconstruction.

Labels: Bruxism, cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental bridges, cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dentistry, Dental Implants, full mouth reconstruction

There was a man named Kevin who came to the Cosmetic Dentistry Center. He was 38 years old, and complained that his teeth seemed unusually sensitive to cold. He explained that a few weeks prior to his appointment, he had been drinking iced tea, and had first noticed the condition at that time. Over the next several days, the pain became more noticeable. Now he was feeling pain just from breathing in cold air when he ran around Memorial Park in the mornings. His wife was concerned he might need a root canal, because she had heard him grinding his teeth in his sleep. Kevin was now worried that he might have an abscess forming. We reassured him this was probably not the case. His symptoms sounded much more like a case of dental abfraction than an infection of the nerve chamber.

Dental abfraction is often caused by Bruxism—the grinding of teeth in the sleep. Bruxism causes the teeth at or below the gumline to become notched. Heightened tooth sensitivity and discomfort result. Other conditions can also result, such as bicuspid drop-off, worn teeth becoming frayed around the edges, dentin becoming exposed, and gingival recession.

Mild cases of dental abfraction can be treated with topical treatments such as fluoride gel or Sensodyne toothpaste. Flexible trays, custom made to fit the mouth, can be used to apply these treatments for 20 minutes every day. More advanced cases need more aggressive forms of treatment. We did not know what Kevin would need until we examined his teeth more closely, and did a thorough check on his medical history.

When we accessed his records on our computer, we discovered that Kevin had been involved in a minor accident where he had been hit in the mouth by a falling object. He had gone to the emergency room and been treated with several stitches, but none of his teeth were knocked out. A few seemed a bit out of alignment, but nothing that made him consider cosmetic dentistry. Over time, however, biting down on teeth that were now misaligned had resulted in dental abfraction.

We discovered this when we took a close look at his mouth with our intraoral camera. This is one of the many advantages that patients get when they come to the Cosmetic Dentistry Center. The intraoral camera allows us to look at things such as dental abfraction, cracked teeth, and periodontal disease on a magnified, full-color monitor. In this instance, Kevin suffered from acute gum recession and dental abfraction below the receding gum line. This had exposed the roots of both teeth, which was causing Kevin to feel such painful sensitivity to cold. However, we had caught the condition in time before the roots began to die. We were able to treat Kevin with cosmetic dental bonding, and then have him use Sensodyne toothpaste to reverse the gum recession.

Kevin has since reported that all symptoms have since disappeared. If you are currently feeling an acute sensitivity to heat or cold, it may be because you too suffer from dental abfraction. Schedule an appointment with us today. The sooner you get treatment, the quicker and painless the treatment normally is.

Labels: Bruxism, cosmetic dental bonding, dental abfraction, Sensodyne Toothpaste

What is cosmetic dental bonding?
It is a simple and painless procedure used to repair chipped, cracked, or irregularly shaped teeth. It has also been successfully used for patients with severely stained teeth that normal teeth whitening procedures have proven ineffective to correct. It is cheaper and less complicated than porcelain veneers, and often produces results that are equivalent in quality.

Who should consider cosmetic dental bonding?
On an objective level, anyone whose teeth have cracked, chipped, or been worn through Bruxism. If you have been in a minor accident that has knocked your teeth slightly out of alignment, this procedure may also prove an effective alternative to braces.

On a subjective level, anyone who is not one hundred percent satisfied with his or her smile can request cosmetic dental bonding on the sheer virtue of aesthetics alone.

What are some of the benefits of cosmetic dental bonding?
The first and most noticeable effect is that the teeth appear more uniform. Cosmetic dental bonding helps fill the gaps between irregularly shaped teeth and help them all look more even and proportional in relationship to one another. Another benefit you can expect from this procedure is that it covers up old amalgam fillings without having to remove the fillings and healthy tooth material to refill them.

Finally, the sheer cosmetic value of dental bonding cannot be emphasized enough. The bonding resin can be sculpted in such as way as to give you a smile that looks proportional and natural to your face and mouth. It is the ultimate confidence builder for people with a shy smile.

Does the procedure hurt?
Absolutely not. Cosmetic dental bonding is perhaps the most painless procedure ever performed in a dental chair. Its sheer simplicity negates the possibility of pain. The dentist first applies an alkaline solution to the surface of the teeth. This solution etches microscopic lines that act as adhesive surfaces to the bonding agent. Then, the dentist matches the color of your teeth to the composite resin that is actually used for the dental bond itself. Once the color match is made, the dentist applies the dental bonding resin to your teeth, and then sculpts it until the desired shapes and surfaces are achieved. He or she then hardens the resin with a laser or ultraviolet light. The hardened resin is polished, then hardened one final time.

How many layers of resin does cosmetic dental bonding require?
That depends on the degree of damage to the teeth and whether or not the color of the resin is actually intended to whiten severely stained teeth. It is normal for most patients to need several layers, so do not be concerned if the dentist recommends this for you.

How many office visits am I looking at?
Almost always, cosmetic dental bonding treatment takes only one office visit. If, however, you have suffered from severe tooth damage or gum recession due to periodontal disease, we may need to set up two appointments. The first appointment will be used to create a porcelain mold of your teeth. We will let this harden, and then call you back for a second appointment to use this mold as to apply the dental bonding resin. The stain resistant nature of porcelain, combined with its very hard surface, makes it an excellent surface to which the composite resin will effectively attach itself. This is only in extreme cases, however.

Is this an expensive treatment?
No. It costs much less than veneers and crowns. Call the Cosmetic Dentistry Center today at 888.790.0309 for more information, or to schedule a visit.

Labels: composite bonding resin, cosmetic dental bonding, dental bonding, teeth whitening