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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 The debilitating effect this can have on your life can make you shy and withdrawn, even if you are an otherwise outgoing person.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
If you keep procrastinating about corrective dental treatment, your teeth are going to stay crooked. We know you are afraid that it will hurt to have metal in your mouth. We also know you will be embarrassed to smile.
That is why we want to fix your problem with cosmetic orthodontics.
Cosmetic orthodontics do away with the pain and obtrusive presence of metal brackets and wires. They use better materials that do not hurt your mouth, and that cannot easily be seen—if they are seen by anyone at all.
You can also count on spending less money on these treatments than you would on standard, banded orthodontics. In less time, for less money, you can have an award winning smile for the first time in years.
This is true because the materials used to make these braces are either clear or tooth colored. Some use clear brackets and tooth colored wires, while others use clear mouthpieces that fit over your teeth.
Take, for instance, the Six Month Smiles® program. This new brand of cosmetic orthodontics is ideal for correcting minor to moderate cases of crowded teeth that are out of alignment. They are affordable, low-profile, and comfortable. Because of their highly efficient design, it is also very easy to brush and floss your teeth while wearing Six Month Smiles®.
Another kind of cosmetic orthodontics called Invisalign does not use brackets or wires at all. Invisalign cosmetic aligners are mouthpieces that are special made to custom fit your upper and lower dental arches. Molds are taken of your teeth and used to make 3D models, which a computer then scans for alignment problems. The computer then incrementally maps out a 9-15 step program. For each step of the program, a set of aligners is made to correct the teeth as needed according to that stage of treatment.
This is the most advanced form of cosmetic orthodontics to date, because these aligners are not only made custom to your teeth, but also to the very process of correction itself. Each set of aligners is worn for approximately 2 weeks for about 22 hours per day. They are removable, so you can take them out while you are eating and brushing your teeth. They should be worn during your sleep though, and will not irritate your mouth or keep you awake because they are made from very soft, medical grade plastic with rounded edges.
These aligners are clear, so it is doubtful anyone will ever see them in your mouth. They are so snug you can speak clearly without sounding like you are wearing something over your teeth. Invisalign aligners are expensive than other forms of cosmetic orthodontics, but if you have a more severe case of maladjustment, a bad bite problem, or noticeably crooked teeth, they are the best route to go.
Labels: braces, clear braces, corrective dental treatment options, cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic orthodontics, invisible braces
    Millions of Americans suffer from misaligned and crowded teeth. Too self-conscious to smile, and too sensitive or financially challenged to take corrective action with metal braces, they go year after year trying to cover their mouth when they smile—or simply smile without showing their teeth.
Now, thanks to a revolutionary combination of traditional orthodontic dentistry, better dental materials, and more creative methods of applying these materials, Six Month Smiles® offers a breakthrough in corrective dental therapy. Using nearly invisible, clear braces, Six Month Smiles® takes only 6 months on the average to gently realign teeth and give you a whole new smile.
Six Month Smiles® is an ideal blend of the old and the new. In many ways, it takes the best aspect of metal braces and modifies the materials and treatment methods with more comfortable brackets and wires. The reduced time factor and improved comfort make this the most sensible first line of treatment for the average adult with mild to moderate tooth crowding or tooth alignment problems.
The advantages and benefits of this services are clearly measurable and within the reach of the average Houstonian struggling with embarrassment when they smile.
· The average treatment time is only six-months—ideal for students and busy professionals alike.
· The clear brackets and tooth-colored wires can barely be seen by anyone, so they are much more cosmetic than typical metal braces.
· Six Month Smiles® relies upon Patient Tray Kits that make your appointments fast and comfortable, so you do not have to miss much time from work or school.
· Dental hygiene is easier with cosmetic dental braces.
· Six Month Smiles® is the most affordable short-term orthodontic treatment available—less expensive than traditional braces, cosmetic dental veneers, and Invisalign®.
The Houston Medical Center Dental Group is very excited and enthusiastic about this service. We find it fits well with other general dentistry practices. There are large numbers of teenagers and adults who would love to have straighter teeth, but for whatever reason, do not want to go through the standard 2-year treatment with metal braces. This is often due to the unattractive appearance of metal braces, but many patients also cite pain and difficulty brushing and flossing as other justifications for procrastinating orthodontic solutions.
However, Six Month Smiles® involves no pain and takes only 25 percent of the time that metal braces take to do their work. Of course, the more severe cases of tooth misalignment or maladjustment may still require traditional braces. For these few individuals, referrals are made to trusted orthodontic specialists who we are confident can offer the very best and most effective treatment for severe cases.
However, a large percentage of patients who come to us generally get the results they need using these revolutionary, affordable, virtually undetectable cosmetic dental braces. Labels: cosmetic dental braces, invisible braces, six month smiles
One of the things we make it a point to do when removing braces from our patients is to make sure their teeth are white and attractive after all corrective devices have been taken out of their mouths. Not only do we remove brackets and wires, but we also give patients tooth whitening trays to make sure they enjoy a cosmetic outcome to the corrective orthodontic treatment they have experienced. There are 2 different methods that we use for removing braces. The choice of method depends on how the treatment of the patient concludes.
If the patient is seeking an adjustment, and their teeth are exactly where they are intended to be, we take out the wires, make alginate impressions of both dental arches, and put the wires back in. We then pour the impressions and send them to the lab to make bonded retainers. We schedule an appointment for removing braces appointment in 3 weeks. When the patient returns, we bond the permanent retainers to their teeth. We then take new impressions of both arches, and schedule another appointment in 1-2 weeks.
When the patient returns, we give them the bleaching trays and the backup removable retainers. These retainers are made from the models we created using the PVS impressions, and are manufactured from .040 ortho splint material and are trimmed 2mm from the gingival margin. They work exceptionally well as back-up retainers and whitening trays. Patients need these trays, along with take home whitening material, because after we finish removing braces there is always some tooth discoloration where the braces have been. Typically, 2 weeks of cosmetic teeth whitening at home removes this discoloration.
Sometimes, however, a patient comes in when their teeth are almost in perfect alignment. Before removing braces in these instances, we have to make the necessary adjustments first. Normally, we give the patient approximately 1 month for these adjustments to take effect. The patient the patient returns, and after we have completed removing their braces, we take out any cement or pieces of bracket that remain attached to their teeth. We then polish their teeth and deliberately leave the majority of the bonding material in place. This glue acts like a reservoir for custom bleaching when we pour the models. We take impressions, pour the models with a material called stat stone that sets in 5 minutes, and we make the removable bleaching/retainer trays while the patient is in the offices.
While the retainers are being made, the rest of the glue is polished off of the teeth. The patient leaves the office with their removable retainers, whitening trays, and material. A follow up is scheduled in 2-3 weeks for the patient to have their bonded retainers placed. The PVS impressions are then sent to the lab for the fabrication of the bonded retainers. When the patient returns, the bonded retainers are placed. After this, the removable retainers can now be trimmed on the lingual from canine to canine to fit over the bonded retainers. Labels: braces, cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic teeth whitening, removing braces, taking braces out
Dental Hygeine for Children with Braces
Braces for children correct a great many problems that plague growing kids. Overbites, underbites, and occlusion are just some of the many dental conditions that braces and functional dental appliances correct. Braces can be used on a child of any age provided they are affixed to permanent teeth. If a child is very young, and still has most of his or her primary teeth, functional dental appliances can be substituted for braces and still achieve impressive results.
Sometimes a child does not even need braces if problems with teeth are detected early on. In the early stages of most problems, a functional appliance is often all that is needed to correct the teeth of a child. One such device is called a space maintainer. It is used after a baby tooth has been lost and the permanent tooth has not yet emerged. A space maintainer can prevent the teeth that surround the gap in the smile from becoming crooked. If placed immediately after a baby tooth is lost, a space maintainer can conceivably make it unnecessary for a child to have braces.
This is not to say that braces are not necessary. Sometimes they are the only option. It is good to understand the challenges of dental hygiene that accompany orthodontics in order to better equip your child for both a healthy and beautiful smile in future years to come.
The downside to braces, however, is that they make the already challenging discipline of dental hygiene even more challenging for children. When a person of any age has braces, it is harder to keep teeth plaque-free and prevent cavities.
Children who are wearing braces need to use a soft toothbrush (so that bristles can reach under the wires and still clean teeth), and they need to use a toothpaste with fluoride. It goes without saying that they need to brush after every meal. The surface of each tooth should be brushed in a circular motion, and extra care must be given to the areas where braces meet the tooth, and where the tooth meets the gums.
Children with braces need to floss their teeth. No exceptions. Toothbrushes simply cannot reach between teeth, so only floss can remove the plaque that causes cavities in these places. 
To floss teeth with braces, kids should use a threader and slide it underneath the arch wire. They should then pull the floss between their teeth, pull it into a C shape, and move it around their mouths, flossing both sides of every tooth.
After children have finished flossing, they need to make sure they have not missed any areas. Once they have checked their teeth thoroughly, they should rinse their mouths thoroughly with water.
Reducing foods with sugars will help children with braces prevent cavities. Hard foods like Cornnuts and ice will damage they can damage braces. Children should eat softer foods and cutting harder foods into smaller bites when at all possible.
By watching their eating habits and paying careful attention to their daily dental hygiene, children with braces can keep their mouths healthy and teeth in great condition.
Labels: braces, children with braces, cosmetic dental braces, dental hygeine, flossing, tooth brushing
Infant tooth care
Pediatric dentistry begins as soon as your child gets his or her first tooth. As teeth come in, you should begin cleaning them after each feeding with a moist gauze pad or washcloth. You should also clean the gums. As your child grows, be sure to also floss his or her teeth, and pay attention to places where the teeth are close together.
Flossing
Flossing to plaque where a toothbrush cannot reach and is essential to keeping teeth and gums healthy.
Space maintainers
If a baby tooth is prematurely lost, it can cause a loss of space in the dental arch. Pediatric dentists use space maintainers to keep this from happening. It only takes two appointments, on the average, to make a space maintainer.
Disclosing tablets are used to expose hidden plaque
Plaque is the main culprit for cavities and gum disease, but it is virtually invisible to the naked eye. Dentists use disclosing tablets, made from bio-friendly vegetable dye, to stain the teeth bright red and expose the plaque.
Repair of fractured anterior teeth
New bonding techniques and materials used in pediatric dentistry now allow cosmetic dentists to restore a fractured tooth to virtually new condition.Braces
Braces make it hard for children to remove all of the plaque from their teeth. Children should use a soft toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste. They should brush after every meal in a circular pattern.
Ankylosis
If a primary tooth loses its normal ligament connection to the jaw, it becomes fused directly to the bone. This often occurs with lower first molars. If this happens to your child, schedule a visit to a dentist immediately.
Stainless steel crowns
Pediatric dentists use stainless steel crowns to repair primary teeth that have been damaged by large cavities. These crowns are much less expensive than porcelain equivalents and can be placed in a single visit.
Filling procedure
A rubber dam, made from a stretchy, rubbery material, is placed in the mouth to act as a safety net against debris.
The dentist then removes the decay from the tooth and reshapes its surface with the handpiece. He or she molds the composite bonding material to fit the shape of the tooth and presses it into its surface.
Cavities
Cavities are possibly the biggest problem that growing children face. Dental hygiene and regular trips to the dentist are the best way to protect your children against rampant tooth decay, pain, and alignment problems that can result from teeth that are left unattended.
Pulpectomy
In pediatric dentistry, a pulpectomy is the equivalent of a root canal in an adult tooth. It removes the infected nerve and fills the space with bonding material.
Pulpotomy
This procedure is less intensive than a pulpectomy. It involves removing only some of the irritated portion of the pulp and leaves the remainder of healthy root canals intact. Labels: cavities, cosmetic dental braces, dental fillings, pediatric dentistry, pulpectomy, pulpotomy, stainles steel crowns
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 DentistryTechnology in Cosmetic DentistryGingivectomy and Gingivoplasty (Gum Removal)Cosmetic Dental implantsCosmetic Teeth ProceduresCosmetic Dental CareCosmetic Dental TreatmentsCosmetic Dental WorkCosmetic DentistsCosmetic 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 CareCosmetic 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
 I thought cosmetic dental care was only for the rich and famous.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Most insurance plans cover cosmetic dental care, and even if yours does not, the Medical Center Dental Group has a number of financial payment options that can make even the most advance treatments we offer affordable. New technologies have made these treatments virtually painless, and in many cases, convenient for the work schedules of most professionals. Cosmetic dental care specialists here at our center dedicate themselves to improving the quality of the human smile in every respect. We have procedures for restoring the color of teeth, transforming them from yellow, or even brown, to a white that was even brighter than before. We have solutions for chipped and cracked teeth that look good, and feel good, to the mouth. We even have dental implants for missing teeth that can completely rebuild a smile that was previously lost to tooth decay.
Is cosmetic dental care as good as general dental care when it comes to medical benefit?
Yes. In fact, cosmetic dentists must first graduate from dental school before pursuing specialty training in cosmetic dental care. Standard treatments like root canals and fillings can be obtained at our center, along with more advanced treatments like laser periodontal therapy. The advantage of coming to our center is twofold. For one thing, our techniques for filling teeth are much more sophisticated than the silver amalgam fillings used by other dentists. Secondly, many procedures such as LANAP are much more comfortable—or even completely painless altogether—compared to the drilling and surgery of general dentistry.
Of course, all procedures maintain the aesthetic purpose of our discipline at the same time. While looking after the health of the patient, we also improve his or her appearance to create lasting results, a winning smile, and improved self-confidence. In this sense, cosmetic dental care treats the whole person, not just the teeth.
For how long do the results of cosmetic dental care last?
That depends on the treatment involved, and on the behavior of the patient. We hesitate to say that any procedure produces permanent results because permanence is something that no doctor likes to make a claim to. We will say that many of our dental implants and crowns have lasted for the life of the patient, and that dental bonding has a much greater longevity than amalgam fillings. In the case of tooth whitening, much depends on the behavior of the patient afterwards. Continued use of caffeine and tobacco will stain the teeth all over again, and probably send the patient back to our office in six months. A change in diet and habits, on the other hand, can prolong the results of teeth whitening for many years.
As new technology continues to emerge, new cosmetic dental care techniques and procedures are developed that continue to offer each patient a winning smile and a bright future. For more information on the many procedures currently available, visit the following links on our main website:
Cosmetic DentistsCosmetic Dental ProceduresCosmetic Dental implantsLANAP The Cosmetic Dentistry Center, located in the Medical Center in Houston, Texas, serves all of Houston and many surrounding areas including Sugar Land, Rosenberg, Richmond, Katy, Waller, and Spring. Call us toll free at 1-888-790-0309 to set up an appointment today. Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dental procedures, cosmetic dental veneers
If you are unhappy with your smile and cannot bear the thought of wearing metal braces, then consider the much better alternative of Invisalign cosmetic dental braces. This orthodontic breakthrough can give you the same results as metal brackets and wires without any visible signs of treatment in process. Invisalign is so called because it is practically invisible. It uses a series of custom made, removable appliances called aligners that are made to personally fit your teeth and correct them, little by little with no pain or discomfort, over a period of time.
There are a number of very important advantages that Invisalign cosmetic dental braces can offer you:
1. More than anything else, you can expect them to be comfortable. The aligners are out of clear, medical grade plastic that is virtually unnoticeable even at close distances.
2. You can remove your aligners to eat and brush your teeth, and then put them back in.
3. You will know have every step in the process explained to you at the Cosmetic Dentistry Center, and you will get to see forecasted results simulated with 3-D technology that will show you what your teeth will eventually look like after you have used cosmetic dental braces.
4. Your aligners will be made specifically for your teeth, and will make very subtle adjustments a few millimeters at a time so you will feel no pain or discomfort. Gone are the days when your mouth would hurt from having metal braces tightened.
We begin your treatment by diagnosing the degree of your alignment problems. Using sophisticated computer imaging software, we can then show you what needs to be corrected to give you new, natural, and uniform smile. Not only do we should you the ultimate outcome, but we also show you what the outcome of each phase of the treatment plan will look like. Then, combining this data with that of your diagnosis, we build your cosmetic dental braces just for you. Each time you come in after completion of a phase, you get a new set of aligners, each one customized to accomplish the corrective requirements of that particular stage in the plan.
You will need to wear your cosmetic dental braces for a minimum of two weeks, 22 hours per day, removing them only for eating and brushing teeth. Although the adjustments made are tiny, over time they will add up into a whole new look for your smile. Each phase, and each new set of cosmetic dental braces, brings you closer to the final outcome you desire.
Depending on the degree of correction your teeth require, your entire treatment program may last for as little as 9 months or as many as 15. Anywhere from 19-30 actual sets of cosmetic dental braces may be used in total. By this time, your teeth will look completely transformed, as if an unseen force had worked on them by magic.
If you would like to improve your smile painlessly and confidentially, then call us now at 1-888-790-0309 to schedule an appointment.Labels: cosmetic dental braces, invisalign aligners, invisalign treatment, medical plastic dental aligners
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