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Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures
Cosmetic dentistry procedures help to restore a brighter, whiter smile. New technology and better methods have lowered the cost of many of these treatments. Three options you might want to consider are tooth reshaping, dental bridges, and tooth whitening.
Tooth Reshaping If you have all of your teeth, but if some are longer than the others, you are a candidate for tooth reshaping, also known as contouring. This procedure literally alters the lengths of your teeth. It is not very time consuming, and it if relatively simple.
Tooth matter is either added or removed until all of the teeth extend to the desired length and are in alignment with one another. Contouring is considered a very safe cosmetic dentistry procedure because the dentist only needs to remove (or add) a thin layer of enamel from your teeth. It takes only one or two dental visits to complete.
Tooth Whitening
Tooth Whitening is a cosmetic dentistry procedure that restores the natural color of teeth.
So many things we ingest can stain our teeth. Things like coffee, tea, carbonated beverages, certain medications, and smoking can all turn teeth yellow or brown.
Many stores now carry do-it-yourself kits for tooth whitening. However, nothing beats professional tooth whitening procedures performed by a dentist who has access to superior whitening agents.
The results you get will be much better, and the results will also last much longer than the over-the-counter kits ever can.
There are many types of cosmetic tooth whitening. There is laser whitening, air abrasion, acid, and chemical whitening. Our office uses a bleaching gel during the appointment, and then sends you home for two or three weeks to apply certain whitening agents we give you each night.
Over the years, cosmetic dentistry procedures have become so sophisticated that the costs are now within the reach of the average American. Tools and materials are so much better than they were in the past.
Dental Bridges
If you lose a tooth, you need to replace it right away. One cosmetic dentistry procedure that can do this is an implant or a dental bridge. If you do not replace the tooth, your other teeth will start shifting and you will end up with alignment problems.
A bridge is made from an artificial tooth called a pontic that has a crown on either side of it. So the dentist can install your bridge, he or she has remove enamel from the two teeth next to your missing tooth. After the appropriate amount of enamel has been removed, the dentist will craft a mold of your teeth and send it to a dental lab.
During the time it takes for the lab to manufacture your dental bridge you will wear a temporary one. When the lab sends back your custom bridge, you will return to your dentist’s office, and the new permanent bridge will be cemented in place.
Dental Implants
This is the best form of tooth replacement because it replaces both the natural tooth root and the crown of the tooth.Labels: cosmetic tooth whitening, dental bridges, Dental Implants, tooth reshaping
What is tooth bleaching?
It is a chemical process that dentists use to whiten teeth. It can be performed entirely in one visit, or it can be performed in two visits. The procedure may vary based upon the condition of the teeth. Your dentist may first perform a tooth cleaning before bleaching them. A special whitening gel is used for this process and is activated by a special light when the process is complete.
Why do teeth stain in the first place?
Anything including prescription medication, coffee, tea, and cigarettes can stain your teeth. You may also have a genetic predisposition to staining, or it can simply be the results of aging.
How is it done?
Tooth bleaching can be done with over the counter products. We do not recommend these products as a general rule. Their quality of their contents can vary. The gel may be of a low viscosity that allows the gel to leak onto the gums and cause irritation. If the tray fits poorly, you may also swallow some of the whitening gel. Without a dentist to supervise the process, you may traumatize your gums if the trays do not fit properly.
It is much better to have cosmetic tooth bleaching performed by a licensed cosmetic dentist. Your dentist will make molds of your teeth that precisely match your bite and use a gel that is much more suitable to whitening your teeth. You will wear these molds every night as prescribed by your dentist, then return to our office for the final application of tooth bleaching product and hardening of it with a laser light.
Are there side effects to cosmetic tooth bleaching?
Like we mentioned, the use of over-the-counter products can damage your gums if the trays to not fit you well. You really need to protect your gums during this process because damaging them can lead to other complications like gum recession or gum disease.
In a professional setting, tooth bleaching should only cause some temporary sensitivity in the teeth themselves. You may feel sensitivity to temperature, pressure, and touch. It is nothing to be alarmed about.
Is the tooth bleach that is used by cosmetic dentists different than the bleach used in home whitening kits?
Yes. The bleach we use of in-office whitening has a much higher hydrogen peroxide concentration than that which is found in over-the-counter kits. This concentration may range as low as 9 percent to as high as 40 percent depending on how badly your teeth are stained.
The tooth bleaching material used in at-home tooth whitening is a carbamide peroxide that becomes hydrogen peroxide after it breaks down.
How long do the results of tooth bleaching last?
The new white color of your teeth should last for about six months to a year. Sometimes it lasts longer. Of course, if you do not change your dietary, coffee drinking and smoking habits the results will probably not last more than six months at best.
Change is required to get the best results. Repeat therapy is needed if no significant lifestyle change is made on your part. The choice is yours.Labels: cosmetic tooth whitening, faq tooth bleach, tooth bleaching faq
Ask the Dental ExpertsOur philosophy is to help our patients achieve and maintain exceptional dental health. We work hard to make sure that our level of care is deserving of our patients’ respect and confidence. Our tradition of preventive dentistry is the basis for all service and care in our practice. We welcome all questions and comments regarding dentistry in the hope that we increase your dental "IQ" and help you make better dental health decisions.I would like some price information on teeth whitening please.Thanks for the enquiry. The cost of teeth whitening can vary greatly; depending on what we do to lighten (whiten) your teeth. There are many different procedures from simple tray bleaching to in office whitening procedures. You can also do direct bonding or porcelain veneers to whiten you teeth. That is why it is difficult to give exact costs. Please give us a call and we would be happy to help you explore your treatment options. Dale J. Brant, DDSCharles Campbell, DDS(713) 795-5905Labels: cosmetic tooth procedures, cosmetic tooth whitening
The aesthetic and medical benefits of cosmetic dentistry aesthetic and medical benefits are many, to say the least. They restore health and beauty to the smile, and they restore the ability of the patient to enjoy a full and normal lifestyle once again.
Many people believe that cosmetic dental services are too expensive. This is not so. Many treatments are similar in cost to the more advanced general dentistry and orthodontic procedures. There are also numerous financial assistance programs and payment options available as well that can help patients afford to get the treatment they need.
One of the most common benefits of cosmetic dentistry is whiter teeth.
Teeth can become discolored for many different reasons. They may yellow from smoking tobacco or drinking coffee. They may turn brown because of prescription medicine side effects. Others simply become discolored as a result of age.
There are many ways to fix this. The simplest treatment is cosmetic tooth whitening. Cosmetic tooth whitening combines in-office cleaning with at-home bleaching over a period of approximately two weeks. Stains go away, and teeth look beautiful once more.
Tooth repair is another benefit of cosmetic dentistry.
Before cosmetic dentistry became a separate branch of dentistry, a cracked tooth that could not be filled had to be extracted or replaced with a gold crown. This is no longer necessary. Minor cracks can be covered with cosmetic porcelain veneers, or they can be filled in with cosmetic resin bonding agents.
Severely cracked teeth may still require capping with a crown. However, the crowns used today are made from porcelain and look just like tooth enamel. Porcelain is also hard, and it can chew anything that natural teeth can bite.
Teeth straightening can now be done more cost effectively and without metal braces.
Orthodontic treatment has existed for years. In recent years, however, one of the more recent benefits of cosmetic dentistry has been the option to straighten teeth with a variety of non-metal braces or mouthpieces that function like braces.
Many of these devices take less time to work than metal braces, and all of them cause far less discomfort. They are also either tooth-colored or practically invisible, so you can wear them without feeling like you cannot smile in public.
Tooth replacement is perhaps the oldest benefit of cosmetic dentistry that has been practiced since Ancient Times.
The Egyptians made dental implants from seashells to replace missing teeth. Implants today are made from Tivolloy (a bio-friendly Titanium alloy). The Tivolloy implant is shaped like a screw that affixes to the jaw itself, and a porcelain crown fits right over its top.
Dental implants may be very expensive, but they offer benefits beyond the cosmetic when you consider how they stop bone loss in its tracks and allow a person to resume eating a normal diet that almost no dentures can provide in the same way.
Labels: benefits of cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic tooth whitening
A dark tooth is a tooth that turns almost black because of a blood flow problem. This can happen to a baby tooth or an adult tooth. People always get very upset when they see a dark tooth-especially in the mouth of their child. Actually, it is less of a problem for children than adults.
With children, a dark tooth is almost always caused by some kind of injury that slightly loosens the tooth. Most of these injuries are minor, but they are normally forceful enough to displace a tooth just enough to interrupt its blood supply.
In most instances, however, the tooth eventually tightens back in its socket and normal blood flow returns. The tooth whitens again. Little intervention is needed in these cases. However, we do not encourage parents to assume that it is all right to do nothing if they see a dark tooth in a child’s mouth.
Bring your son or daughter to the dentist for a full dental checkup. The severity of the injury must be assessed in order to determine if observation is the best course of action, or if some type of intervention is required.
Now with adults, the problem is usually a lot more severe.
A dark tooth in the mouth of an adult indicates that the nerve of the tooth has already become infected and the root is on its way to dying. In almost all instances, a root canal is required to save the tooth itself. There are a few exceptions to this where very resilient tooth roots remain alive in spite of the fact that the adjoining nerves that connect to them wither and die.
In any respect, it is necessary to restore the whiteness a tooth once it has been properly treated and salvaged. There are four ways that cosmetic dentists can do this.
One method is to simply whiten a dark tooth with cosmetic dental whitening. This procedure uses a series of special bleaching agents that are applied both in the dentist office and at home.
If the tooth only has a part of its surface that has become dark, cosmetic dental bonding resin can be spread over the area and used to restore normal tooth color.
Another treatment method we use is the application of cosmetic dental veneers. These thin, porcelain sheets are custom made to mimic the natural color of surrounding teeth and lay right over the surface of the tooth.
A fourth treatment option is to cap the tooth with a cosmetic porcelain crown. Porcelain is an exceptionally hard substance and allows the patient to eat a normal diet. It prevents everyone from ever knowing that the person had a root canal..Labels: cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dental veneers, cosmetic tooth whitening, dark tooth
Whitening you teeth is easy. It makes you smile more confidently by improving your appearance. Studies show that increasing numbers of people are keeping their natural teeth. This is due to better hygiene and more aggressive preventative self-care.
Nevertheless, teeth age as they begin to darken. They especially darken and stain after years of prolonged exposure to coffee, wine, tea, cola, and cigarette smoke.
Home Bleaching
If you have decided to whiten your teeth, there are several things you can do. Home tooth whitening is one of the most popular ways to do it. It begins with a dental visit, where the dentist fits you with a custom bleaching tray made just for your mouth and teeth. He or she gives you a whitening gel that will work best for you, and provides you with a full set of instructions on how to get the best results from the home teeth whitening process.
It usually takes two or three days of wearing the custom tray to see results. Tobacco stains tend to take, several days longer to bleach out.
Power Bleaching
If you want quicker results, you ask for in-office power bleaching. This procedure is performed with a solution activated by heat and light. It contains oxygen, which penetrates tooth enamel. This helps to better remove stains from under the surface, allowing more of the inner tooth show through the translucent enamel.
With power bleaching, it usually only one trip to the dentist to whiten your teeth.
This might be your best option if you are busy professional, or a single parent, who has little free time to attend multiple appointments. If your teeth are badly stained, though, you might have to come in for another session, or use home teeth whitening methods alongside of office bleaching. Power bleaching brings results that will last for years if regular dental cleanings and touch ups are consistently followed.
Over the Counter Bleaching
Over-the-counter bleaching kits can be bought almost anywhere these days. We do not recommend these kits. They feature one-size-fits-all bleaching trays that expose sensitive gum tissue to too much of the bleaching gel, irritating gums in the process.
Generic home tooth whitening kits can also damage tooth enamel and can even damage the inner pulp chamber. This is why dentists make custom, individualized kits for patients by prescription only. It concentrates the effect of the bleaching gel where it is supposed to work—on the teeth—and keeps it away from soft, sensitive mouth tissues.
Let a Professional Whiten Your Teeth
Everyone is unique, and everyone will experience individual results from tooth bleaching. The colors of stains will also affect the results of these procedures. Brown, orange, and yellow tone stains are much easier to remove than grayish stains.
If a dentist determines tooth whitening is not the best option for you, do not despair. We have several alternatives that include veneers, inlays, onlays, and dental crowns that will make teeth look natural and brand new.Labels: cosmetic tooth whitening, tooth whitening bleach
The Snap-On Smile is a non-invasive, patented dental device that can be used in both restorative and diagnostic applications.
There is no need for any drilling, Novocain shots, or adhesive bonding to install it. In fact, most applications can be completed in as little as one half hour.
The Snap-On Smile can raise the vertical dimension of facial height.
Tooth surfaces diminish after long periods of Bruxism and attrition. Face muscles will eventually begin to sag because of this. Restoring the proper surface areas of teeth will in reverse this drooping effect, create a healthier and more natural looking smile, and prevent further Bruxism at night.
The Snap-On Smile is the most comfortable and attractive cosmetic removable partial denture developed to date.
Tooth loss creates two problems for people. One problem is gaps in the smile. The other problem is the damaged appearance of remaining teeth. By applying a Snap-On Smile, both problems can be corrected at once. The Cosmetic Dentistry Center of Houston can make these cosmetic removable partials in either quadrant or full arch sizes. Patients almost unanimously report these are the best dentures they have ever used. One group of patients in particular—those with a strong gag reflex—especially like these dentures because they cover only the teeth, not the palate.
The Snap-On Smile has consistently proven itself to be a superior form of temporary replacement for people receiving implants.
The unobtrusive nature of the device prevents it from coming from impinging on gingival tissues. Because of its 100 percent tooth-retention, it puts far less pressure on the mouth in general. This makes it far easier for tissues that have received an implant to heal.
This device has also proven to be a very effective surgical template in a number of procedures such as cosmetic gingivectomies. After such a surgery is performed, the near perfect fit that the tooth-retained partials provide provides the gum line with an ideal contour to follow in healing and post-surgical growth.
Many people come to us looking to use The Snap-On Smile for exclusively cosmetic purposes.
There are all types of negatives that can impact the way teeth look. Such issues as midline discrepancies, stains in teeth, worn teeth, chips and small cracks, dark triangles, and even uneven tooth sizes can all be cosmetically altered by this simple device. It is also possible to use these remarkable tooth retained dentures as temporary tooth replacements during full mouth reconstruction work that can take up to 18 months. While bridges and implants are being placed in the mouth, the Snap-On Smile can show a consistently natural and healthy looking face to the world while the dentist works quietly behind the scenes.Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic removable partial dentures, cosmetic tooth whitening, dental abfraction, dental tooth implants, full mouth reconstruction, Snap-On Smile
There are many cosmetic teeth procedures that we can perform for you here at the Houston Medical Center Dental Group. Some are simple, requiring only one or two office visits. Some are more complex, requiring reconstructive dental work to repair or replace damaged or broken teeth.
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
One of our newer, more advanced cosmetic teeth procedures is cosmetic dental bonding. This procedure has basically replaced silver-mercury fillings. A special bio-friendly resin that looks like tooth enamel is used in dental bonding. It fills cavities much better than older amalgams, smoothes out cracks, and whitens tooth surfaces. Because it lasts longer as well, there is little risk that it will fall out.
Cosmetic Dental Bleaching
Another one of our more popular cosmetic teeth procedure is cosmetic dental bleaching. This is done with a bleaching gel. During your initial office visit, the dentist whitens your teeth. You then use another bleaching agent every night, at home, for two weeks. During your second and final office visit, another treatment of bleach is applied.
Cosmetic Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are made of porcelain. They are very hard and very difficult to break. Their color looks like that of natural tooth enamel. Porcelain is resistant to staining, so once veneers are applied, they will retain their color for years.
Veneers are one of the most versatile cosmetic teeth procedures. They can be used to treat a number of conditions. They can cover small chips and pits in tooth surfaces. They can whiten badly discolored teeth which bleach will not work on. They have even been used to correct minor tooth alignment problems.
Cosmetic Dental Porcelain Crowns
Prior to the development of more sophisticated cosmetic teeth procedures, dentists had few choices in treating severely decayed or fractured teeth. When a cavity destroyed more than 40 percent of a tooth, or when a tooth was cracked down to the dentin, the tooth had to be pulled. Prior to the development of dental implants, people no real tooth replacement options beyond traditional bridges or partial dentures. .
Porcelain crowns have introduced a whole new realm of options. While the life of a tooth cannot always be saved, crowns now make it possible to salvage physical structure and function of the tooth. Severely infected or damaged teeth can be cleaned with a standard root canal. Then, they can be capped with a porcelain crown that looks identical to surrounding teeth. Porcelain crowns are much more resilient than natural teeth, so they can restore both aesthetics to the smile and allow you to eat virtually anything.
Cosmetic Dental Implants
For people who have lost teeth, implant dentistry offers the best tooth replacement options. Made from a bio-friendly alloy known as Tivolloy, dental implants screw into the jawbone and act like artificial tooth roots. When the jaw has accepted this implant, the dentist then caps the base with a porcelain crown, effectively creating a whole new tooth where none has existed for years. Labels: cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dentists Houston, cosmetic teeth whitening, cosmetic tooth procedures, cosmetic tooth whitening, dental imlplants, dental implant, teeth replacements
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
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