Cosmetic Dentistry
Some of the cosmetic dentistry services we offer are below:
Composite Fillings
Composite fillings are also called white fillings. Composites can be made in a wide range of tooth colors allowing near invisible restoration of teeth.
Advantages
- These fillings will be the same colour as your natural teeth.
- They are direct fillings, so they can be done in one appointment, in most cases.
Disadvantages
- This kind of filling can break more easily than amalgam or gold fillings, and may not last as long.
Porcelain Crowns
If your tooth is damaged but not lost, a crown can be used to restore its shape, appearance and function. You may need a crown if you have a root canal, a large filling in a tooth or a broken tooth.
A crown, also called a cap, is a hollow, artificial tooth used to cover a damaged or decayed tooth. The crown restores the tooth and protects it from further damage.
-
- A crown can be used to restore a damaged tooth
-
- To make room for the crown, Dr. Gretzinger files down the tooth to be restored.
-
- The final crown is cemented into place. It looks and works very much like a natural tooth.
Porcelain crowns look the most natural. They are more brittle than metal or composite and may chip more easily. Because of this, they are not usually placed on back teeth.
Porcelain Fixed Bridges
A bridge, also called a “fixed bridge” or a “fixed dental prosthesis,” is a dental restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth. It extends across an area that has no teeth and is typically made up of an artificial tooth fused between 2 crowns. The bridge is held firmly in place by your own teeth on each side of the missing one(s) or by dental implants. A bridge is permanent and cannot be removed.
Porcelain Veneers
Veneers are very thin shells that are attached to the front surface of your teeth. They are often made of porcelain or composite resin. Porcelain veneers are stronger than composite resin veneers and do not change colour or stain. Generally, porcelain veneers take at least 2 dental visits to apply and composite resin veneers can be done in 1 visit. Porcelain veneers generally last longer than composite resin veneers.
-
- Veneers look very much like natural teeth.
-
- The custom-made porcelain veneers are glued to your teeth one by one with composite resin cement.
-
- Veneers can be used to fill in gaps.
Teeth Whitening
In most cases, the natural colour of teeth is within a range of light greyish-yellow shades. Teeth naturally darken with age and their appearance can be affected by the accumulation of surface stains acquired from the use of tobacco products and the consumption of certain foods or drinks.
In addition, the perception of the colour of teeth is severely affected by skin tone and make-up. Independent of the real colour of their teeth, people with darker skin or who use dark makeup will look like they have brighter teeth.
Although teeth are not naturally meant to be completely white, many Canadians want a brighter smile. Responding to this desire, a wide range of “whitening” options has become available to consumers. These products fall into two main categories: surface whiteners and bleaches.
Surface Whiteners
These products use special abrasives to improve the product’s ability to remove surface stains. Most products in this category are either toothpastes or chewing gums. Because the special abrasives in these whitening products are often only finer versions of what is used in regular toothpastes, they are unlikely to cause excessive tooth wear. However, the effectiveness of these products is limited to surface stains and should not be used as a substitute for professional cleaning.
Bleaches
Most bleaching products are peroxide-based and are actually capable of altering the colours of the tooth itself. However, not all tooth discolourations respond to tooth-bleaching treatments. Individuals contemplating tooth-bleaching should consult with a dentist to determine the cause of the tooth discolouration and to determine whether a bleaching treatment will have the desired result. This step is especially important for patients with fillings, root canal treatments, crowns and/or with extremely dark stains on the anterior teeth.
A number of different bleaching techniques and products are available to patients. Your dentist will use one of these two methods to whiten your teeth:
- Vital bleaching is done on “living” teeth and can be used to whiten your teeth if they have become stained by food or tobacco, or if they have become dark with age.
- Non-vital bleaching is bleaching done on teeth that are no longer “alive.” If your tooth has changed colour because of a root canal, non-vital bleaching can lighten your tooth from the inside out.
There are three methods for bleaching teeth. The method that will work best for you depends on the number of teeth that need to be bleached, and on how badly they are stained (or discoloured).
Your dentist may suggest:
- Putting a special bleach on your stained teeth and using heat (or heat and light) to start the bleaching action; or
- Wearing a custom-made mouthguard filled with a special bleach for part of each day; or
- Brushing with a special bleach mixed in toothpaste.
Bleaching should be done only under a dentist’s care. Home-use tooth-bleaching systems are available to the general public, either from a dentist or from various retail outlets. Clinical studies support the safety and effectiveness of home-use bleaching gels when used appropriately.
