Cosmetic Dentistry
Having a beautiful white smile is desirable and can change the way a person feels about him or herself. There are several ways to brighten and change the look of your teeth, from vital tooth whitening, to veneers and crowns. Dr. Benting will be happy to evaluate your smile and recommend the best treatment option for you.
Veneers
Veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are attached to the front surfaces of teeth to modify the shape and color of the teeth. Veneers can provide a conservative treatment option for closing small spaces between teeth and treating broken or chipped teeth, crooked or misshapen teeth, or permanently stained or discolored teeth. In most cases, a very minimal amount of enamel is removed from the front surfaces of the teeth in order to prevent the veneered teeth from looking too bulky or thick. Once the veneers have been constructed and the esthetics have been approved by the patient, the veneers are then “bonded” or permanently cemented to the front surfaces of the teeth.
Veneers are a great aesthetic solution for creating a bright beautiful smile, and in most cases, veneer application can be completed in only two office visits.
Anterior Esthetics
Many dental treatment options are available to improve the appearance of the teeth when they are on display in a broad and radiant smile.
This patient case illustrates two concerns that we remedied. First, the inclination of the upper six front teeth and the desire to have the color of the teeth matched (A). The dental treatment plan included a combination of full coverage restorations, commonly called crowns or caps, and partial coverage porcelain veneers (B). Due to the nature of these alterations, custom designed temporary restorations were made first. This allows for slight adjustments in the shape, color and appearance to assure exactness in final (C). The patient’s smile following treatment, and the soft tissues around the teeth responded favorably with routine dental hygiene protocol (D, E).
The next patient was concerned about the shape of her upper front four teeth, and requested a conservative approach to improving the appearance of her smile (F). The teeth were selectively altered in shape through the direct bonding of tooth
colored material to change the appearance in a broad smile (G).
This patient had concerns about the upper teeth breaking down. Direct bonding had been completed in the past, however the teeth were starting to crumble (H). The dental treatment plan included restoring the teeth in the back of the mouth in order to help balance the chewing forces on the front teeth. The modifications to the shape and appearance were made with the temporary restorations (I) in order to assure the desired results in tooth color, length and contour. Following treatment, the patient was very happy with the final appearance of the upper teeth (J).
Tooth Whitening
Tooth whitening or bleaching provides a conservative option to improve the color of non-restored natural teeth that have darkened due to staining caused by coffee, tea, sodas, red wine, etc. The whitening process is relatively quick and simple and can be completed in a few short appointments. During the first appointment, impressions are made of the teeth so that customized whitening trays can be fabricated to fit exactly to your teeth. A few days later, you will return to our dental office where we will ensure adequate fit of your whitening trays and review instructions for use of your whitening kit, which contains several syringes of the whitening solution to be used in your trays. An improvement of 2-3 shades in color lighter than your original tooth shade can be expected after a 2-3 week period of 30 minute whitening sessions per day. Tooth sensitivity is a normal side effect of whitening and can be minimized with the use of concentrated fluorides and anti-sensitivity agents.
Tooth whitening does require some follow-up care and maintenance depending upon the amount of contact with foods and beverages that contribute to re-staining. In addition, tooth whitening can be completed in coordination with other dental treatment procedures such as fillings, crowns, bridges and or veneers in order optimize the appearance of your smile.
It is important that a dentist evaluate your teeth prior to using a tooth whitening system as it is not recommended in patients demonstrating tooth discoloration caused by tetracycline staining, fluorosis, or excessive tooth wear.
Composite Bonding
Composite is a resin based tooth colored material that can be used to repair teeth that are decayed, chipped or fractured. Additionally it can be used to reduce unsightly gaps between teeth or to hide discoloration or faded areas on the tooth’s surface. The advantages to having teeth repair with composite bonding are as follows:
- It is a quick process and can generally be completed in one appointment.
- It usually requires that only a minimal amount of original tooth structure to be removed retaining the overall strength of the tooth.
- It is a comparatively inexpensive treatment option.
Composite bonding, however, is not as durable and long lasting of a treatment option as veneers and crowns and composite restorations will require future replacement. In addition, composite bonding can discolor and stain over time from staining agents in foods and beverages.