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Dental Procedures
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Bleaching
For whitening of dark, dull, or stained teeth, bleaching may be the simplest solution. Whitening is done by taking an impression of your teeth and making a duplicate model of them. On this model, a soft, thin, clear tray is fabricated. This tray is filled with a bleaching gel and placed directly over the teeth.
It can be worn for several hours
during the day or worn at night when you sleep. Results can be seen immediately. To obtain maximum results, most patients must wear the bleaching tray for 1-2 weeks. Another option is immediate bleaching. This is done by placing a light-activated bleaching solution on your teeth. The material is activated with a "zoom" light or a laser.
Bonding
When the teeth are chipped or slightly decayed, bonded composite resins may be the materials of choice. First, the tooth structure is cleaned and etched. Then a clear adhesive is applied to the area needing bonding. Once applied, a tooth colored bonding material is placed on the tooth. It is permanently hardened and fused to the tooth with an ultraviolet light. This process is called photo curing. Bonding makes a great tooth colored filling for small cavities and broken teeth. Additionally, it is used to cover the entire outside surface of a tooth to change its color and shape. For the latter two applications, bonding has its limits. It may not be strong enough, aesthetic enough, or durable enough for certain individual situations. When these problems occur, the next choice would be porcelain laminate veneers.
Computerized Cosmetic Imaging
Dr. Jones has one of only a few offices that offers complimentary cosmetic imaging to all of his new patients when they receive their first dental exam. A digital picture is taken and transferred to the computer. A special dental software, Dolphin Imaging (www.dolphinimaging.com), is used to modify your smile so that you can see what your treatment will look like before you actually proceed. This helps the patient communicate with Dr. Jones about their final outcome before starting treatment.
Dental Implants
When a tooth is removed, the best option to replace it is usually a dental implant. A small, root shaped cylinder is precisely placed below the gums into the jawbone. It usually needs to stay there undisturbed for about 4 months, then it can be restored by placing a crown. Implants may also be used to replace multiple teeth or secure a denture to prevent movement and improve your ability to eat! Dr. Jones has been placing and restoring multiple types of dental implants for over 20 years.
Endodontics or Root Canal Treatment
When the tooth has decay that has extended into the nerve, or if a tooth has a painful crack, the best way to eliminate the pain is usually by removing the nerve tissue inside the tooth. The canal is then filled with an inert material to prevent bacteria from reinfecting the tooth later. A crown is usually indicated after root canal treatment to prevent the tooth from fracturing.
Full Mouth Reconstruction
If a tooth is removed and not replaced immediately, it's possible that all the other teeth will shift to try to move into the empty area, which invites the potential for more problems, or a "domino effect".
Another reason for full mouth reconstruction includes bruxism, where the teeth become so worn down that they all may need to be restored with crowns to regain proper function and esthetics.
Also, Dr. Jones will see patients who have simply neglected their teeth for years and allowed them to break or decay to the extend that they need to be rebuilt.
Lumineers
Lumineers are porcelain veneers that are very thin(as thin as a contact lense).
The advantage to Lumineers over other porcelain veneers is that little to no tooth structure is removed in most cases. This eliminates the need for shots and virtually eliminates the possibility of having any sensitivity. Yes, you can get the smile of your dreams painlessly!
Dr. Jones has been placing both types of veneers for over 20 years and will help direct you toward which type is best for you.
Call our office for a complimentary cosmetic consultation.
Orthodontics: Braces or “Invisalign”
Orthodontics can be beneficial to adults as well as children. All children should be evaluated for orthodontics by the age of seven. Braces are most often used because the dentist has much greater control and can treat more severe malocclusions. Invisalign is usually reserved for adults with minor rotations of teeth and/or minor crowding. When possible, it is almost always better to improve your smile with orthodontics instead of any procedure that involves removing tooth structure. Consult with your dentist to determine which option is best for you.
Periodontal or Gum Treatment
The health of your gums can be determined by a number of factors, but a key indicator is the pocket depth of a tooth.
Healthy gum tissue is pink and firm against the tooth with a maximum pocket depth of 3 millimeters and an absence of bleeding. Unhealthy gum tissue, with pockets greater than 3 mm., is usually caused by tartar buildup on the root surface. Treatment can be a non-surgical "scaling and root planing," or actual gum surgery which could involve placing graft material to enhance new bone growth. Once you have been detected as having gum disease, you should return every three months to ensure your teeth and gums remain healthy.
Periodontal "plastic surgery" or "smile-lift" Procedure
The smile can be compared to a beautiful picture, with the frame serving as the lips, the teeth serving as the subject, and the gums serving as the "matting." If the gum tissue is not even, it can ruin an otherwise perfect smile. Periodontal plastic surgery can overcome smile issues with the gums, and most cases are treated very quickly and painlessly. With a laser " smile lift," a small amount of tissue is removed to even the smile. If there is too much bone under the gums, a "crown-lengthening" surgery would be required.
Porcelain Fused to Metal Crowns
When biting pressure is too great for porcelain jackets or gaps from missing teeth must be filled in, metal alloy must be placed under the porcelain for strength. This is the porcelain fused to metal crown technique. Once an impression is taken, a metal coping is made on the prepared tooth. This is then covered with porcelain. Porcelain fused to metal crowns do not have the translucency of pure porcelain crowns, so the aesthetics may be slightly compromised in some situations. However, a talented ceramist with experience in custom staining can usually overcome these limitations, thereby creating life like restorations.
Porcelain Jackets
When there is not enough tooth structure left, or the chewing demands in the mouth are too great for laminates, a stronger, more extensive restoration is needed. Here we need porcelain jacket crowns. Porcelain jackets are pure porcelain crowns placed on a fully prepared tooth. They are the most life-like of all full crown restorations. The technique initially consists of preparing the teeth. Then, an impression is taken and sent to the dental lab where the porcelain jacket is fabricated. Finally, they are placed in the patient's mouth and permanently cemented onto the teeth.
Porcelain Laminate Veneers
Many times, the demands of cosmetic changes in the mouth are too great for simple bonding. This is when porcelain laminate veneers may be used. Porcelain veneers (also referred to as laminates) can change an entire smile. They are quick, usually painless, and can be quite dramatic. They can change shape, color, size, and arrangement of teeth or any combination of these factors. They can also be used as an alternative for orthodontic treatment. The best part about porcelain veneers is that they can be placed in two visits. The technique consists of first removing a thin layer of outer tooth structure (about the thickness of an eggshell). In some cases, no tooth removal is required at all. An impression is then taken of the prepared teeth and is sent to a dental laboratory. In the lab, a ceramist will make very thin porcelain facings incorporating all of the changes in shape, size, and color that are needed to have a great looking smile. At the second visit, the laminates are bonded onto the prepared teeth with an ultraviolet light. The bonding material acts as an adhesive for the laminates. Porcelain laminates are the most popular technique used for dramatic smile makeovers.
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