Cosmetic & Restorative Dentistry
If you have crooked, worn, discolored, damaged, or unhealthy teeth, dental restoration can help restore functionality and the appearance of your teeth. Cosmetic dentistry procedures can give you the smile you have always dreamed of and that you deserve.
Restore Your Strong, Healthy Smile
Veneers
Gaps, stains, and chips can make you feel self-conscious, causing you to hide your smile from the world. However, with dental veneers, you can achieve the perfect smile that you deserve.
Veneers are thin shells that improve the look of your smile. They are custom-made to lay over your natural teeth for the perfect fit. Veneers are secured to your teeth through bonding and improve the shape, size, color, and length of your teeth for years.
Types of Veneers
Veneers come in two main types: porcelain and resin composite. They work the same way by being bonded to the outer surfaces of your teeth. However, there are some important differences to understand between them when deciding which is best for you. Dr. Mullins and Dr. Owen will help advise you on which type of veneer is best for you and your unique dental needs.
How They Look and Feel
Veneers are custom-made and very thin, allowing them to lay on top of your teeth for a perfect fit. Veneers are bonded to your teeth so they remain securely in place. This allows them to improve the shape, length, size, and color of your teeth for years to come.
Both types of veneers will give you a great look just like your real teeth. Porcelain veneers are more reflective and translucent, giving them the most realistic look. Resin composites are a great alternative, but don’t reflect as much light as porcelain varieties and aren’t ideal for all patients. Along with providing a more realistic look, porcelain veneers also provide more durability than resin composites. A consistent oral care routine is also important for the life of your veneers, no matter the type.
Are Dental Veneers Right for You?
Good candidates for dental veneers will have strong teeth and plenty of enamel to support these thin cosmetic shells. Issues such as tooth decay, fractures, gum disease, or large fillings can disqualify you from getting them.
If you do qualify, veneers can help with a number of issues such as teeth that are:
- Stained or discolored
- Cracked or chipped
- Misshapen, crooked, or have gaps between them
Veneers can also help with teeth that have been damaged due to an accident. Cosmetic dentistry is all about helping you look and feel more confident in your smile.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns restore the look and function of your teeth while protecting them from further damage. These tooth-shaped dental caps are placed over the damaged tooth, restoring its strength, shape, and size. Crowns improve the appearance of damaged teeth, allowing you to smile, bite, and chew confidently.
Crowns do this by covering your natural tooth to reproduce its original size, shape, and strength above the gumline. They cover down to the gumline, ensuring that the exposed area of your tooth remains protected.
Types of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns come in a variety of types. Permanent crowns are made from ceramic or metal material while temporary crowns are made from resin. Dr. Mullins and Dr. Owen prefer porcelain crowns almost exclusively, even for back teeth.
Other types of crowns include:
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal
- Base-metal alloy
- Stainless steel crowns
Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns provide a natural look with the strength to handle the wear and tear of daily life. Base-metal alloys are the strongest type to prevent fractures and corrosion, though they don’t provide as realistic of a look. Stainless steel crowns are usually given to children when they’ve experienced severe tooth decay. While Dr. Mullins and Dr. Owen may use these other types under special extenuating circumstances, porcelain crowns will always be their top recommendation.
Signs That You Need a Dental Crown
You can require a crown for different reasons. This could be for structural reasons such as a root canal, or for cosmetic reasons. The great thing about dental crowns is that they restore both the functionality of your original teeth as well as their look, giving you confidence in every aspect of your smile.
Some common reasons you might receive a dental crown include:
Tooth decay
Broken teeth
Dental bridges
Tooth decay can lead to severe cavities that aren’t treatable with fluoride and fillings. More substantial treatments are required for these cases. For treatment, one of our dentists will remove the decayed tooth structure and add a crown to protect it from further damage.
Broken teeth are also treatable with crowns. Once the broken portion is cleaned up and the tooth is prepped for a crown They cover and support the tooth to reduce the need for an extraction. Crowns are also used to hold dental bridges in place and allow them to fill in any gaps in your smile. They protect your remaining tooth structure and restore their original shape and look, allowing you to chew comfortably and smile confidently.
Recontouring
If there is a small defect in your smile that always draws your eye in the mirror, then tooth contouring may be the answer for you. While chipped or uneven teeth are all minor issues, they can stand in the way of you having a smile you love. Recontouring is one of the most conservative cosmetic treatments. It is a quick and painless procedure, and the results can be seen immediately.
Tooth recontouring is a procedure in which small amounts of tooth enamel are removed to change a tooth’s length, shape, or surface. This procedure can provide you with more confidence in your smile by creating more harmony and balance and giving you the smile you have always wanted.
When is Recontouring Considered?
Tooth recontouring is an effective method to correct minor imperfections such as:
- Small chips
- Smoothing out grooves or pits in a tooth’s enamel
- Adjusting slight irregular tooth shapes caused by too many or uneven teeth
- Adjusting the length of the teeth
- Correcting “pointy” teeth
If you are wanting to change the appearance of your smile and are experiencing any of these issues, Dr. Mullins and Dr. Owen can provide you with the steps to starting your journey to achieving a smile you love and deserve. Recontouring can have a positive impact on your confidence and how you feel about your smile.
Experience the Dentistry You Deserve
At My Family Dentistry, we are committed to creating smiles that make you feel amazing and we believe every patient deserves to have a smile they love. Dr. Mullins, Dr. Owen, and our team are here to listen to your needs and ensure that you receive a comfortable, relaxing dental experience and leave with a smile you love.
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