Cosmetic Procedures

Bridges are natural-looking dental prosthesis that are created to replace the gap made by one or more missing teeth. Bridges are custom-made and are barely noticeable since they are formed and then bonded to your existing teeth or implants. They can help to improve the natural curve of teeth and can promote a healthy bite relationship between the teeth in the upper and lower jaw.

Bridges, also known as fixed partial dentures, are bonded to the existing teeth or implants and are semi-permanent. There are several different types of bridges, which include conventional fixed bridges, resin-bonded bridges, and cantilever bridges. 

Bridges usually require a few office visits in order to fully complete the procedure. First, the teeth are prepared by re-contouring and removing part of the enamel. Then an accurate impression of the teeth are made, which a lab then uses to construct the bridge. Next the new synthetic bridge is placed in the mouth and periodically adjusted in order to ensure a proper fit. Finally the bridge is cemented into place.  

Crowns are commonly confused with veneers, but in fact are very different. Crowns are synthetic natural-looking tooth-shaped caps, commonly made of either porcelain, ceramic or resin, and are cemented on top of a tooth. They are used in a variety of different situations which can include: correcting sever discoloration, protecting a cracked or weak tooth after severe decay, cosmetically modifying a tooth, sealing a tooth with a large filling, restoring a broken tooth, covering a dental implant, securing a dental bridge, among others. 

When a person has very short teeth and a very "gummy" smile, this procedure is performed in order to reshape the gum tissue, exposing the teeth underneath which makes them appear longer. There are some cases where crown lengthening is performed as part of a larger, more complex bridge and crown procedure. The tooth may need to be lengthened to expose more tooth area in order for the bridge or crown to be property bonded.

In order for a crown to be placed, a tooth must first be filed down and the size reduced. Then an impression is formed from the existing tooth and is sent to a special lab who then make a customized crown. In certain cases, a temporary crown may need to be placed on the tooth and then is removed once the permanent crown is finished and cemented into place.

With proper dental hygiene and care, a high quality crown can last up to ten years. Paying special attention when brushing and flossing around the area of the crown is very important in order to avoid excess plaque buildup or particles or debris getting caught around the remodeled area. It is also important to avoid eating ice, hard candy, or brittle foods so that the crown does not get damaged. If a patient clenches their jaw or grinds their teeth a lot, preventative measures should be taken since those behaviors can significantly cut down on the overall life of a crown.

Many people think that dentures are only used when a whole set of teeth is missing, but specialty dentures replace your missing teeth and it is possible to craft them to fit into any size gap in your mouth. Even with today's technological dental advancements and dental health education, many people across the nation still live with tooth loss. Missing teeth may be a source of embarrassment, and can affect a person's nutrition and dental health. Dentures are great option for missing teeth, regardless of the degree of tooth loss and they are appropriate for people who have recently lost their teeth, as well as for people who have been living with tooth loss for many years. Dentures are very popular all around the world because they feel and look like natural teeth.

Immediate dentures are temporary and help your muscles to readjust when you are initially getting used to wearing them. You typically use these types of dentures right after a tooth extraction. 

Implant-Supported Overdentures get their support from tooth implants, to which they are attached. We recommend these types of dentures when even though they are missing all of their teeth, the patient has sufficient bone in the jaw which can adequately support the implants.  

Conventional Full Dentures are made to look exactly like your natural teeth, and after some time, they conform to your jaw and gums feel as good as they look.  

Removable partial dentures have a more natural look than transitional partial dentures. Removable partial dentures are very light, and they are made to have a superior fit. It is recommended that you get dentures as soon as you lose your teeth because they not only look great, but also enhance your bite and improve your speech. When you start wearing dentures, they may not feel natural but with time, your mouth will get used to the feeling. It is important to note that your immediate dentures may not have the same fit after a few months, because sometimes the tissues may shrink. You have the option of relining your temporary dentures or buying a new set of dentures that fit better. We recommend the latter option.

Transitional partial dentures are removable. You can use them as temporary replacements for your lost teeth while you recover from a tooth extraction procedure. 

From start to finish it usually takes about a month, in which time the patient comes to the office for five visits, give or take, in order to get the dentures measured, made, and properly fitted.

After deciding on the denture treatment plan, the next office visit will be used to take accurate measurements of your mouth and jaw, as well as making a mold of your teeth. The mold is one of the most important steps, as it will be used to make sure that the patient has a good bite, and to ensure that the dentures are not too big or small in reference to the size of the patient's face.

Sometimes after we take the mold, we may apply a temporary set of dentures in order to make sure that the look, feel, and fit of your new teeth are what you wanted.

When a patient gets dentures for the first time, or a new set of dentures, it is expected that there will be an adjustment period while they are getting used to them. This can sometimes take up to two months. If a patient is experiencing any pain or discomfort, we may ask them to wear their dentures for a certain amount of time in order to make the necessary adjustments for a perfect fit.

Even though dentures are not your natural teeth, they are made from high quality materials to make them look like they are. As such, it is very important that patient's care for them as they would their natural teeth, which includes daily brushing and regular dental visits in order to ensure that they still have a seamless fit. Remember that dirty, malformed dentures cause gum irritation and infection.

When your dentures are clean and plaque, food, and other debris are regularly removed, the soft tissue in your mouth will remain healthy. You should always brush and rinse off your dentures when you are finished eating a meal and at the end of the day, they should be put in a denture solution to soak overnight. Removing and soaking your dentures while you sleep will allow your gums to rest and breathe. 

As the months and years pass, dentures occasionally need to be professionally cleaned at our office. We use a powerful ultrasonic cleaner to efficiently remove tartar buildup and debris that have accumulated on your dentures.

A person's mouth, more specifically their gums and jaw, are constantly changing; gums recede after a tooth extraction, for example. Because of this, occasional adjustments are not only recommended, they are necessary. Good oral hygiene and maintenance of the dentures will help reduce the number of adjustments a patient will need in the long run.

For the majority of people who wear dentures, the first two months serve as a "break-in" period while the tissues in their mouths around the extractions have a chance to heal. During this time a patient may need to be seen several times so that we can properly monitor the healing process. After that, it is very important to have regular periodic adjustments in order to replace and repair any loose, chipped, or cracked teeth on your dentures. If you don't, and your dentures are loose or ill-fitting, pressure points can form which in turn leads to mouth sores and infection. Over time, since your dentures are constantly rubbing against the roof and soft palate in your mouth which causes them to begin to wear down, you may have to have your dentures "re-lined."  

It is understandable to have concerns when using dentures for the first time, but like with many things in life, the more you use them and practice caring for them, the easier the whole process will become.

Over the years dental advancements in technology have helped to craft dentures that look and feel very natural. Even so, when wearing dentures for the first time it is normal for the patient to be a little self-conscious both about how they sound when they talk, as well as how they look. But as the patient gets used to them, their confidence level will build and what seemed scary at first becomes normal.

When wearing dentures, patients can eat almost all foods and not worry that their teeth will shift. However, it is important that they are careful to steer clear of foods that are extremely hot, crunchy, sticky, hard, or chewy. Also, when a patient is still in that two month "break-in" period when they eat food, they should try to chew on both sides of their mouth so as to not throw off the balance of their new dentures.

A well-fitting pair of dentures will still need a small amount of good quality denture adhesive to completely stay put. If the dentures are ill-fitting and older an appointment should be made to replace them as soon as possible because if not, there is a higher risk of damaging the soft tissues in the mouth.

When the natural gum line rests either too high or too low on a patient's tooth, there are a variety of options that are available to them such as gum lifts, tissue sculpting, or soft tissue grafts.

A procedure that is used when a patient has experienced bone loss, which helps to repair the natural contour of the jaw line and gums. When a tooth is lost, it can result in a small dip in the gum line where the original tooth was. Even after replacing the tooth, the gum may still be deformed and the replacement tooth will look longer than the others as a result.

Dental grafts are commonly used to correct a variety of issues such as gum recession, severe gum disease, dental deformities, and other abnormalities. During this procedure, a small section of tissue is removed from, for example, the roof of your mouth, and then surgically placed on the effected area. 

Gingivitis and other periodontal diseases are the main causes of receding gums, which leaves the mouth more susceptible to infection and tooth decay. Unfortunately once gum tissue is gone, it does not grow back. That is why replacing the shrunk or altered tissue is the best solution and the quickest way to restore your smile.

If you are looking to replace a missing tooth, dental implants are the way to go. They are the closest thing to natural teeth on the market today. To be considered for dental implants, it is important that the patient have a strong immune system, high bone density, and, of course, excellent oral hygiene. 

Made from synthetic, bio-compatible materials, dental implants look like screws and mimic the root of a tooth. They are placed deep in your jaw and fuse with your natural bone. Normally they are used as the support of a permanent bridge or artificial tooth, but can also be used with dentures.

Dental implants do require surgery to first prepare the area of your jaw for the procedure and second to actually insert the implant; both steps are typically completed in 1-2 hours during one visit. Since this is a surgical procedure, anesthesia is administered before and during, and then antibiotics are typically prescribed afterwards to prevent any infection. Immediately after the surgery, there is a recovery time of anywhere from 3 to 6 months, depending on the patient, for the implant to be fully anchored and fused with the bone. In special cases a follow-up procedure is required in order to properly connect the tooth, in which case a metal post may need to be placed. 

We all know that smoking is bad for you. There has been study after study published showing the negative effects that smoking has on the body; your oral health is no exception.

Tobacco use, whether inhaled or taken orally, exponentially increases a persons chances of periodontal (gum) disease, cancerous oral lesions, disintegration of bone tissue, and staining of teeth and implants. When a patient smokes when they have a dental implant, they run the risk of peri-implantitis, which is the severe inflammation of the gums and jaw, particularly the area of the implant, which can eventually causes it to fail.

When a patient has cosmetic problems with their teeth, whether it is the color, size, shape, or length, veneers are an excellent option. 

Veneers are special wafer-thin laminates, which can be thought of as customized shells for your teeth, and are used to correct any tooth damage or chipping, to cover stains, and can even help to close small gaps between the teeth. This procedure is typically irreversible since we have to remove about a 1/2 millimeter of enamel from your teeth, so that the customized shell can properly sit on your tooth. Veneers are a popular choice among many people because they last longer and maintain their color longer than bonding, not to mention that they also are highly resistant to staining from cigarettes, tea, and coffee.

When looking to have veneers placed, three appointments are usually needed. They are:

-Diagnosis - During the first appointment it is important that we are able to examine your teeth to see if veneers are appropriate for you. During this visit we may also take X-Rays of your teeth. 

-Preparation - During the second appointment, we prepare your teeth for the veneers. During this visit, which typically lasts 1 to 2 hours, depending on what you want, we may decide to use a a small amount of a local anesthetic, or we may not. Your teeth in this visit will be lightly buffed so that there is room for the shell to sit on top of them. We also will take an impression of your teeth, which is then sent to a lab where a technician makes the veneers. 

-Bonding - During the third and final appointment, which also typically lasts 1 to 2 hours, the veneer is bonded to the natural tooth. First, water or glycerin is placed on the tooth's surface and the the veneer is put on top and checked to ensure that it fits, and also to check the color. If the color needs adjusted, various shades of cement can be applied to make sure that they perfectly match. Then the tooth is cleaned with a special chemical solution, which helps the tooth to bond, and the cement is placed in between the veneer and tooth. Then, using a special light, we cure the cement. 

The next two weeks are referred to the adjustment period. During this time the shape and size of your teeth may change slightly, which is completely normal. Your follow up appointment will be scheduled out a couple of weeks. It is important to note that you must practice good oral hygiene and continue to brush and floss daily. Veneers are not a perfect replacement for natural teeth, and as such it is not uncommon for the color to be a slightly different.