Teeth Whitening
It’s safe, quick, and less expensive than veneers or crowns. Just let us know at any appointment if you would like to whiten your teeth. You can lighten your upper and lower teeth and improve your smile and appearance.
HOW DO WE WHITEN YOUR TEETH:
In only a day or two your soft custom bleach trays will be ready for you to pick up. We provide you with a special bleaching gel that you put into the clear trays. With only a few hours of wear per day, our special bleaching agent bubbles stains right out of your enamel in a very short time without altering tooth structure or existing dental work in any way. It does NOT weaken your enamel. When your teeth reach the desired brightness, occasional treatment is needed to maintain your new smile.
Dental bleaching can be used to correct tooth discoloration. Discolorations can be caused by staining, aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Using the latest in bleaching technology, we can offer a safe method for creating a beautiful “brilliant” smile. In cases of extreme tooth discoloration, crowns or veneers may be the only choice, but because of the low cost of bleaching treatments, bleaching is nearly always worth a solid try.
Our Whitening For Life Program is setup to get you going and keep you whiten and maintained over the long term.You start with 4 tubes of bleaching gel. Studies show that after 12 months, the whitening effects decreases by about 40%!! That is a lot! So, at each 6 month check up and cleaning, you will received an additional 2 tubes to refresh and sharpen up the color of your teeth, the best part is that those two tubes of gel will be FREE! The cost of the program is $199. Unfortunately, those with significant Tetracycline or Fluorosis stains will not benefit from this program.
HOW IS TEETH WHITENING DONE?
KEY BENEFITS OF TEETH WHITENING
Corrects brown, yellow and spotted tooth staining
Works on people of any age
Is a near-permanent solution for a “dull” smile, restoring brightness and brings a smile alive
An impression is taken to make a specialized clear tray that is soft to hold the bleach against the teeth. The material is used each day or nigh for about 30 minutes at a time for 10-14 days. In some cases, the change is nothing short of brilliant. For confidence in appearance, bleaching technology allows us improvements in yellowing, aging or stained teeth. For very severely stained teeth, crowns or porcelain veneers may be more appropriate.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR TEETH WHITENING
Over-the-counter bleaching agents are available for purchase at drug stores and pharmacies. However, since these products have a low concentration of dental bleach, they can only be successfully used in those who have minimal whitening needs. If you want much better results, it’s better to use products that our practice recommends.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of ceramic that bond directly to the front surfaces of the teeth. They are an ideal choice for improving your smile and have become increasingly popular due to their simplicity and versatility.
Placing custom veneers requires a high degree of technical skill as well as attention to cosmetic detail. We place veneers routinely and design each case individually to match and enhance the characteristics of each patient’s smile. Veneers can be used to alter the teeth naturally and subtly to give you a healthy smile, or they can be used to completely transform your teeth to give you the smile you’ve always wanted.
WILL THEY LOOK LIKE NORMAL TEETH?
When bonded to the teeth, the ultra-thin porcelain veneers are virtually undetectable and highly resistant to coffee, tea, or even cigarette stains. For strength and appearance, their resemblance to healthy, white tooth enamel is unsurpassed by other restorative options.
HOW DURABLE ARE PORCELAIN VENEERS?
With proper care, porcelain veneers will brighten your smile for well over a decade.
Dr. Dawson will ensure that your veneers are crafted from the highest quality porcelains and are bonded with the most advanced and proven materials available.
Refraining from using your veneers as tools to open and cut things will prolong their life, and if accidental breakage or damage occurs, it is usually possible to replace only the veneer involved.
Bonding
Bonding is an alternative to veneers and can be used as a restorative procedure for teeth that are chipped, cracked, discolored or misaligned.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The tooth is prepared for the procedure by lightly etching the surface and applying a bonding liquid. Once the liquid sets, a plastic resin is applied and sculpted into the desired shape by the dentist. Once set, the resin is trimmed, smoothed and polished to a natural appearance.
CONSIDERATIONS
The bonding procedure can often be completed in a single office visit, and can improve the appearance of a tooth significantly. However, since the plastic resin used is not as strong as your natural tooth enamel, it is more likely to stain, chip or break than natural teeth. Bonding typically lasts three to five years before need of repair.
Inlays & Onlays
When more than half of the tooth’s biting surface is damaged, a dentist will often use an inlay or onlay.
WHAT ARE INLAYS AND ONLAYS?
Inlays and onlays can be made of porcelain, gold, or composite resin. These 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.
Traditionally, gold has been the material of choice for inlays and onlays. In recent years, however, porcelain has become increasingly popular due to its strength and color, which can potentially match the natural color of your teeth.
HOW ARE INLAYS AND ONLAYS APPLIED?
Inlays and onlays require two appointments to complete the procedure. During the first visit, the filling being replaced or the damaged or decaying area of the tooth is removed, and the tooth is prepared for the inlay or onlay. To ensure proper fit and bite, an impression of the tooth is made by the dentist, and sent to a lab for fabrication. The dentist will then apply a temporary sealant on the tooth and schedule the next appointment.
At the second appointment, the temporary sealant is removed. Dr. Dawson will then make sure that the inlay or onlay fits correctly. If the fit is satisfactory, the inlay or onlay will be bonded to the tooth with a strong resin and polished to a smooth finish.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR INLAYS AND ONLAYS
Traditional fillings can reduce the strength of a natural tooth by up to 50 percent. As an alternative, inlays and onlays, which are bonded directly onto the tooth using special high-strength resins, can actually increase the strength of a tooth by up to 75 percent. As a result, they can last from 10 to 30 years. 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.
