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Cosmetic dentistry has been a growing area of treatment for some
years now. It involves any procedure or combination of procedures which is designed
to improve the appearance of the oral area.
Key Benefits
 | Cosmetic improvement of the smile is a powerful statement of health and vitality |
| Wear and trauma to the teeth sometimes cause a premature appearance of aging |
| If a person feels their smile is a negative part of appearance, often there will be a
reluctance to show a happy face. Few of us want to not show our joy, and cosmetic
dentistry can often help |
Treatment Options
- Laminate Veneers
- This is the current state of the art in dental cosmetics. No restorations in the
history of dental care have proven to be more attractive. The procedure consists of
shaping the teeth involved, taking a precise impression (mold) of the teeth and
fabrication in the laboratory of new front and biting edge structure for the tooth.
Normally porcelain or reinforced polymers are used to make the new surfaces for the
tooth
- Crowns ("Caps")
- Crowns are the most traditional way to cover and rebuild the outside of the tooth
structure. The term "cap" means the same thing, and refers to a term used
since the 1940's for Hollywood types for re-working the smile. The negative with
crowns is the significant amount of shaping necessary to gain the space needed to cover
the entire tooth. In cosmetic terms, crowns are usually used following root canal
therapy or when much of the tooth has been broken or decayed. Crowns have the greatest
strength of any restoration available today.
- Bleaching
- Modern methods of tooth bleaching are very effective in the removal of colored stains.
In our office, the best results have been with a long exposure technic which the
patient administers over time with our assistance and supervision. The results are
usually obvious within a few days, and are "locked in" with a longer exposure.
We are currently no longer doing thermal or laser bleaching as the heat generated
has resulted in too many negative complications for Dr. Durbin's comfort and that of our
patients.
- Bonding
- Direct bonding of tooth-colored composite resin became fashionable in the early 1980's.
Although bonding can be very cosmetic, it tends to have a short lifespan without
breaking or discoloring. At the present time, direct bonding is normally used for
young children to patch a damaged tooth until the mouth is mature enough for a
longer-lasting restoration.
- Orthodontic treatment
- Many people assume that the shape of teeth need to be reshaped to look better.
Often, the problem is simply the arrangement of the front teeth. By moving the teeth
to an improved position, we are usually able to dramatically improve the appearance of the
smile. Best of all, there is no change to the tooth structure which generally means
healthier tissue for the long term. Also, orthodontic treatment is frequently used
to position teeth before other cosmetic dental treatment when the basic arrangement is not
within usable margins.
- Periodontal Shaping
- In some cases, there is a problem with the position of the gum tissue. It may be
too far onto the tooth and need to be trimmed back, or a graft may be necessary to cover
exposed recession on root surfaces. This is sometimes the little extra that allows
us to move from an improved smile to a really great smile.
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