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Teeth whitening is the most common cosmetic dental procedure sought by people primarily to remove the accumulated stains on the teeth. These stains can be removed quickly, safely and with minimal discomfort utilizing In-Office whitening systems or custom home trays. Your dentist or dental Hygienist will be able to determine which treatment or combination of treatments is the best for you after a thorough examination.
For people who have limited time and want instant results, In-Office whitening is the better choice with a high degree of probability. Most patients do the In-Office whitening in combination with custom home trays in order to continue the whitening process, or to help lock the shade that was achieved. With Zoom whitening system, the treatment time is shorter and more comfortable because the system allows us to vary the intensity setting accordingly; to accommodate patients with more sensitive teeth. The entire chair-side whitening process, including preparation, can take up to 2 hours.
While at-Home whitening includes custom trays delivered to the patient along with the whitening material and proper instructions for use, this method lasts about 7-14 days, and may vary according to the result that the patient wants. This method provides a steady result for about 2 years. Patients can keep the product in the fridge and use it later on for a touch-up before a special event of their lives or to just maintain the result.
With good oral care, the procedure’s results may last over two years. Of course, those patients who smoke, drink dark teas and coffee are more likely to relapse sooner and require additional whitening sessions. These patients can benefit more from the At-Home system which provides steadier results.
We recommend you to consult your dentist if you have tooth-colored fillings, crowns or bonding in your front teeth, as it will not change the color of these materials, causing them to stand out in your newly whitened smile.
Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials intended to cover the front (facial) part of the teeth for improved appearance.
are routinely used to fix:
As the name suggests, this is a type of veneers which requires little or no preparation. There are two types of No-Prep Veneer:
1. Lumineers – which we don’t do here at the American dental clinic.
You only have to attend one session as there is no need for you to undergo the ‘preparation’ of the tooth in readiness for the veneer. It preserves the tooth as well as saves you both time and money.
As alternative to the usual silver/mercury fillings, we offer tooth-colored fillings for a more natural look. Porcelain inlays and composite resins create fillings that are not only more attractive, but also add strength to the weakened teeth. These restorations are also quite durable and long-lasting thanks to improved bonding technologies
Aside from its functionality, many people consider aesthetic reasons when it comes to their dental treatment. Hence, the white filling has become popular since it is more natural-looking than the silver fillings.
White fillings have always been considered less long lasting than silver amalgam fillings. But now, there are new materials available with properties comparable to silver amalgam, which are proving to be very successful. The life expectancy of a white filling can depend greatly on where it is placed in your mouth and how heavily your teeth come together when you bite. You can ask your dentist to explain about the life expectancy of your fillings.
It is usually best to change fillings only when your dentist advised you to. If such a situation arises, you can ask to have it replaced with the tooth-colored material.
White fillings are not always appropriate for teeth with large cavities. An alternative would be to place porcelain restorations such as inlays or crowns.
A crown or a bridge is a cap that is placed over a tooth and held in place by dental adhesive or dental cement to treat problems of decay, fractured teeth and malocclusion, as well as to protect teeth which have undergone root canal treatment or large fillings. They can also be used to change tooth color and shape.
A normal process for a full crown restoration needs 2-3 appointments. Although the majority of crowning treatments are completed in two visits, there is sometimes a need for a third visit, to ensure that it is properly fit.
On the first visit, the tooth will be reshaped by filing down the tooth so that the crown can be placed over it. You will be given a local anesthetic before this part of the procedure so that no discomfort is experienced. Next, a mold will be taken of that tooth and of the surrounding teeth to be sent to the lab for the crown fitting. A temporary crown will be placed until the permanent one is ready.
The second visit sees the placement of the final restoration and the permanent crown will be fitted comfortably into the mouth. Every effort will be made to ensure that the new tooth feels exactly like one of your natural teeth before going to the final step, which is to cement the crown into your mouth.
A bridge (also known as a fixed partial denture) is planned when one or more teeth are missing and there are healthy teeth on both sides of the open space.
Porcelain fused to metal (PFM) is a tooth-colored bridge with high strength. Unlike an all-ceramic bridge, the metal core of the PFM makes it stronger. Tooth-colored porcelain of the highest quality is baked on the outside of the metal core. But because there is metal under the porcelain, it blocks natural tooth translucency and is not as pretty (aesthetically) as an all-ceramic bridge.
There are many different marginal configurations (the area where the bridge meets the tooth) of a PFM. How well the margin of the bridge fits, affects the health of the gums and ultimately the longevity of the bridge. We choose to do a porcelain butt margin, which is the most aesthetic (also the most challenging for the dentist and the laboratory technicians to perform well). A porcelain butt joint, when done well, is aesthetic, healthy for the gums, and durable.
An all-ceramic bridge (or porcelain with ceramic substrate) is the most aesthetically pleasing among all the bridges. There is no metal, so translucency is usually excellent (depending on the type of materials used for the all-ceramic bridge). These bridges are usually indicated on front teeth or teeth that are highly visible. We use only the best materials (a combination of beauty, biocompatibility, and strength) for our all-ceramic bridges.
A full gold bridge is composed of gold and looks gold. We only use high noble metal for our gold bridges (about 72% gold or 18 carat gold, 3.5% platinum). High noble metal fits better and is much less likely to result in allergies or sensitivities. Full gold bridges are indicated on back teeth with low visibility and are performed rather than a PFM at patient’s request. The primary benefit of a full gold bridge is durability.
Aesthetic inlays / onlays are the common preference now over traditional amalgam filling. Many people are choosing to replace their fillings with natural-colored inlays and onlays for aesthetic reasons.
The main benefit is that they fit in very well with the rest of your teeth. The material used is ‘tooth colored’ and has a realistic appearance, which is good news from a cosmetic point of view.
This procedure is often part of an overall ‘smile makeover, in which various procedures are performed to enhance the appearance of teeth and provide a huge confidence boost.
There is no risk of the inlays and onlays becoming discolored over time. They are also easy to clean as part of a daily dental routine and provide extra support for a tooth.
There is nothing more attractive on a face than having a beautiful smile, and our teeth play a huge role in that. Aside from white, perfect teeth being associated with youth and vitality, it also gives our face frame and support.
But as time passes by, our teeth wear and naturally turns yellow. Aging and tooth wear can lead to a shortened vertical face dimension, as the distance between the tip of our nose and the bottom of our chin gets smaller, resulting in wrinkles and compressed lips that can make you look older than you really are.
The loss of teeth also results in bone absorption, making your cheeks flat, and inclined; giving you a bony look. The muscles are also weakened.
In the case of tooth bruxism during sleep, the wearing out of the teeth is much faster!
A dental face lift is an anti-aging method that focuses on your teeth to give you a much more youthful appearance.
Aside from teeth restoration, reconstructing a smile involves improving the facial shape, profile and jaw line as well.
Thin lips can appear fuller; without artificial fillers, as they will be supported by your teeth. The face is lengthened, which automatically smoothens out the wrinkles around your lips and the corners of your mouth.
All old fillings, crowns and decays are removed, your teeth are cleaned, and missing teeth are replaced with dental implants. Porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns are also placed on teeth, offering impressive and lasting results.
A dental face lift will restore your cheerful smile, while assuring that your new teeth look completely natural; overall forming a much more youthful and attractive appearance.