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Professionals at the Medical Center Dental Group specialize in helping patients in need of the most basic cosmetic dental work on up to the most technologically advanced and medically sophisticated procedures. Each treatment or procedure has two goals in mind. The first goal is the restoration of a beautiful smile that looks as good, if not better, than the one the patient originally had. The second is health. Cosmetic dental work is not just an art, it is a highly specialized medical science whose methodologies not only make teeth look better, but in the long run protect their health and longevity for years to come.
Cosmetic Teeth Whitening
Cosmetic tooth whitening is normally done for people who need cosmetic dental work done on the color of teeth themselves. Even the most normal of eating and drinking habits can discolor teeth over time. Most people, for example, drink either coffee or tea in the morning. Many people still smoke, which has a definite yellowing effect on teeth. Certain prescription drugs can turn a tooth yellow, or even brown, through no fault of the patient’s. Cosmetic teeth whitening procedures remedy this will a simple bleaching agent that is applied during two separate visits to the dentistry center, and each night at home during the interim period. Depending on diet and patient behavior modification, results can last for six months to several years.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a procedure performed for individuals needing cosmetic dental work done to the surfaces of teeth themselves. Over the years, dental science has evolved beyond the primitive methods of the past where silver-mercury amalgam fillings were used for patching cavities. Today’s dental bonding treatments are far more effective in filling in holes in teeth surfaces. Dental bonding is done with a composite resin custom made to cosmetically compliment the natural color of teeth (or improve them if need be). The treatment normally takes only one session, unless there are other dental conditions that have to be addressed first, such as advanced periodontal disease.
Dental Braces
Invisalign braces are so called because they are nearly invisible to the eye. Much more attractive and comfortable than traditional orthodontic work, Invisalign cosmetic dental work is a step-by-step procedure involving clear, medical grade plastic aligners that move teeth a little at a time each week. Advanced computer technology helps the dentist chart a course, so to speak, for the entirety of the work from start to finish. At each stage of adjustment, a new set of aligners is made. Invisalign braces are not only more attractive, they are far more comfortable because they do not use wires or brackets that can strain teeth or hurt the mouth.
LANAP
An acronym for laser assisted new attachment procedure; LANAP is a revolutionary breakthrough in the treatment of advanced periodontal disease. Cosmetic dentists work with a laser to replace the painful and clumsy scalpels of the past with precision technology that removes diseased tissue from infected gums. Healthy tissue remains intact, and other than a bit of heat, the patient feels almost no pain in comparison to the often complicated and arduous traditional methods of periodontal surgery.
Dental Veneers
Teeth can get chipped in the strangest of ways over the course of time. Tiny pits, and even visible holes, can develop in the surface of the enamel. Not only is this less than ideal from an aesthetic standpoint, it is also not so healthy for the teeth themselves. Cosmetic dental veneers work to fit over the damaged portions of a tooth and create a smooth, white appearance. Veneers are made from fired porcelain, which is a very hard surface that is not only resistant to chipping and pitting, but also resistant to staining. Because a veneer is shaped to fit the surface of a tooth itself, it is an ideal way to transform an oddly shaped tooth into a perfectly shaped tooth. Veneers can also be used to treat severe cases of tooth staining and minor tooth alignment problems.
Dental Crowns
When a tooth is broken or fractured, or when a dentist has to perform a root canal to save it, a cosmetic dental crown works to create a new tooth exterior made of hard, fired porcelain. Porcelain is a much better material to use for making dental crowns than the metal alloy and gold crowns of the past. Porcelain crowns retain their white color, and even mimic the translucence of tooth enamel—making it difficult, if not impossible, to tell the difference between the two.
Implant Dentistry
Dental surgery and implant dentistry are performed for patients requiring the most complex and sophisticated cosmetic dental work. In most instances, these individuals have already lost several of their teeth, and some even require a full mouth reconstruction to get the restoration of a normal, healthy smile. Dental implants are made of Tivolloy, a titanium-based, non-corrosive allow that the dentist surgically implants in the bone. This alloy base functions as an artificial tooth root, growing into the bone as the bone accepts it and grows around it. A porcelain crown is then placed over the tooth, creating an entirely new artificial tooth indistinguishable from the original.
Cosmetic dental work continues to evolve in precision and superior results as training, tools, and methodologies are developed. Experts in the field continually study these new developments to stay on the forefront of change in order to give their patients the very best possible outcomes and exceed their expectations.
Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont and Midland Texas to see Dr. Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth O’Sullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic denistry services.
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