Smile Makeovers

If you want to change your appearance, you should consider the possibilities of today's cosmetic dentistry.

A smile makeover to one person could mean something completely different to another. It’s a very individual choice. For example, some people want the perfectly white Hollywood smile makeover, or the celebrity smile with pearly white porcelain veneers. Other people may just want a simple improvement, such as the replacement of amalgam fillings with composite and teeth whitening. The result, no matter what your age, will be an improved appearance, a younger looking you and a boost of self-confidence.

If you are a little nervous or anxious about going to the dentist, do not worry! We offer conscious sedation, which allows you to remain conscious but places you in a state of deep relaxation. An appointment is the best way to determine which dental procedure is right for you. Book yours today! We welcome new patients.

Tooth Discolouration

Your teeth can become discoloured by stains on the surface or by changes in the tooth material. Discolouration can be divided into three main categories:

• Extrinsic discolouration — This occurs when the outer layer of the tooth (the enamel) is stained. Coffee, wine, cola or other drinks or foods can stain teeth. Smoking also causes extrinsic stains.
• Intrinsic discolouration — This is when the inner structure of the tooth (the dentin) darkens or gets a yellow tint. You can get this type of discoloration if:
  • You had excessive exposure to fluoride during early childhood
  • You used tetracycline antibiotics when you were 8 years old or younger.
  • You had trauma that affected a tooth when you were a young child. A fall, for example, may cause damage to the developing permanent tooth.
    
• Age-related discolouration — This is a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Dentin naturally yellows over time. The enamel that covers the teeth gets thinner with age, which allows the dentin to show through. Foods and smoking also can stain teeth as people get older. Finally, chips or other injuries also can discolour a tooth, especially when the pulp has been damaged.

Some tooth discolouration can be removed with a professional cleaning. An example would be the stains caused by coffee. For many stains are permanent, however. We offer in-office and Take-Home professional Teeth Whitening solutions to give your smile a whiter, brighter and healthier appearance. In some cases, if the discolouration is severe, a crown or veneer may be required to cover it.

Cosmetic Crowns

A crown is a dental restoration that covers your entire tooth. While fillings just fill cavities and fit inside your tooth, a dental crown will cover the entire tooth and will replace the entire chewing surface of the tooth. Some people call a crown a "cap."

A crown is placed to prevent a tooth from breaking. As you get older, you teeth are more prone to breaking. For example, If a tooth has a large filling, it is more prone to cracking or breaking. Sometimes, when a tooth breaks, it becomes non-restorable and requires extraction. A crown, especially if it has metal in it, will help protect a tooth against breaking. Some people can break back teeth even if they have small fillings or no fillings at all. Their bite is that powerful.

Back before the days of bonding technology, dental crowns nearly always needed to be made with a metal foundation, usually gold. Today, we can make them out of pure porcelain or other ceramics. There are still occasions on the back teeth when the durability of a metal foundation in the crown makes it the restoration of choice. But when it shows prominently in your smile, wouldn't you rather have one that looks as natural as possible?

Unlike metal crowns, porcelain crowns are indistinguishable from natural teeth both in appearance and function. With proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits, a crown can last 10 years or longer.

Cosmetic Bridges

Form missing teeth, a bridge is a bridge may be a little less expensive, faster to make and almost any dentist can do it.

Bridges are natural-looking dental appliances that can replace one or more missing teeth. They include two anchors or pillars to which a false tooth is attached. Because they are custom-made, bridges are barely noticeable and can restore the natural contour of teeth as well as the proper bite relationship between upper and lower teeth. Porcelain, gold alloys or combinations of materials are usually used to make bridge restorations.

 

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers offer an aesthetically pleasing natural looking smile that is unsurpassed by other restorative options. Veneers are ultra-thin, strong and long-lasting restorations made out of porcelain. They are permanently bonded to the front of your teeth and are highly resistant to coffee, tea, or even cigarette stains.

Porcelain veneers allow you to brighten, lengthen, reshape and cover unsightly tooth discolouration while conserving tooth structure. Veneers can help you create the smile you've always dreamed about almost instantly. They create a beautiful results.

Cosmetic Bonding

Dental bonding is very effective for teeth that are chipped, cracked, broken or slightly misaligned. With dental bonding, you can easily have the natural beauty of your smile restored. Dental bonding involves the spreading of a thin coating of extremely durable plastic or resin over the damaged teeth; this whitens and strengthens the teeth and makes the treated teeth virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

Dental Fillings

There are two types of fillings:

Amalgam

1. Amalgam is commonly referred to as silver fillings because it’s a mixture of metals such as mercury, silver, copper and tin. An amalgam filling may have sensitivity to cold foods and drinks after placement for a few days or even longer. In addition, these silver fillings often discolour the tooth and surrounding gum.

Composite

1. Composite fillings consist of plastic and glass particles and closely match your tooth colour. These types of fillings have become very popular because they solidly bond or glue to the tooth; they don’t contain mercury or any other metal like silver fillings .
   
   There is no one right filling for everyone. In most cases your best bet is to follow Dr. Clemente’s recommendation.

Inlays & Onlays

When more than half of your tooth's biting surface is damaged, a porcelain, gold, or composite resin inlay or onlay may be recommended.

The inlay or onlay pieces are bonded to the damaged area of the tooth. An inlay, which is similar to a filling, is used inside the cusp tips of the tooth. An onlay is a more substantial reconstruction, similar to the inlay but extending out over one or more of the cusps of the tooth.

Porcelain is the material of choice due to its color and strength, which matches the natural color of your teeth. In some cases, where the damage to the tooth is not extensive enough to merit an entire crown, onlays can provide a very good alternative.

Implant-Supported Crowns

When it comes to single tooth replacement in the aesthetic zone, an implant-supported crown is often the treatment of choice. Implant-supported crowns require no preparation or involvement of other teeth and provide a natural, long-lasting result.

Innovations and advancements in implant techniques and technology have greatly added to our treatment options for aesthetic tooth replacement. A dental implant is a small, sturdy, titanium post that can be placed into the upper or lower jawbone with great clinical success. Like a natural root, a dental implant provides a permanent foundation to support a crown or a denture.