Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry

Nowadays, people are putting a lot of effort into improving their looks. One of the things that enhances your personality and makes you stand out is a bright smile. Callahan & Klein Dental is a renowned authority in cosmetic dental care. Whatever you need to satisfy your aesthetic needs and improve your oral health, you can count on Callahan & Klein Dental. Call our office now and schedule an appointment to find out which cosmetic dental procedure is best suited for you.

H2: Which Cosmetic Option Is Right For Me?

There are different cosmetic dentistry procedures available to anyone who wants to improve their smile. When determining the procedure that is right for you, we will examine the condition of your teeth. The cosmetic option right for you will depend on several factors, including your age, health status, and susceptibility to certain risks. Each treatment addresses a particular case. For example, if you have misaligned teeth, we shall give you Invisalign, whereas if you have missing teeth, we will provide you with fillings. Some of the cosmetic procedures we offer include:

• Invisalign
• Teeth Whitening
• Fillings
• Veneers
• Crowns
• Amalgam-Free Restorations

When prescribing treatment for you, we shall first listen to your goals. Maybe you want to correct crooked teeth, replace missing teeth, or want to make your teeth a few shades lighter. Whatever expectations you have, we aim to match our treatment options to your goals.  After performing a series of tests to determine your oral health, we shall create a treatment plan that is unique to your condition. The tests will check whether you have conditions such as tooth decay or gum diseases.

Additionally, we shall also determine whether you have sufficient bone and healthy gums for complex procedures. For example, if you have severe stains on the front of your teeth, we shall recommend dental veneers since teeth whitening may not be valid. We will examine the condition of your jawbone and gums and design veneers that will fit the front of your teeth to hide those stains.

H2: Invisalign Clear Braces For Smile Rejuvenation

Invisalign is a treatment that corrects teeth alignment conditions using clear aligners that gradually shift your teeth into the appropriate position. Invisalign is an alternative to metal wire braces. We will require you to wear the aligners for a fixed number of hours a day for a specific period, depending on your condition.

Who Can Get Invisalign Treatment?

While the American Association of Orthodontists states that the ideal time for orthodontics is when a patient is still growing, you can get invisible aligners at any age. We recommend Invisalign braces for adults and teens suffering from mild to moderated cases of tooth alignment. This includes conditions like crooked teeth, overbite, underbite, crossbite, open bite, and crowded teeth. This is because this age gap is highly sensitive when it comes to self-image and self-esteem issues.

The benefits of our clear aligners are:

• Discretion – Clear aligners are inconspicuous. You do not have to worry about wearing obtrusive metal brackets. These aligners are virtually invisible, and it will take someone who is very close to you to spot them.
• Removable – You can remove aligners when eating meals. You can also remove them when you want to brush and floss.
• Easy to Clean – With fixed braces, it is hard for patients to reach all the surfaces of their teeth when brushing, which increases the likelihood of decalcification or tooth decay. Clear aligners are removable and enable you to maintain oral hygiene with ease.
• Comfortable – Conventional braces are uncomfortable because the wires rub inside your cheeks and lips. While wearing an aligner may feel tight at first, you will get used to this pressure as your teeth move into alignment. Clear aligners are smooth and comfortable.

H2: Teeth Whitening For A Sparkling Smile

Teeth whitening involves measures of lightening the color of your teeth either through changing the intrinsic color of your teeth or by getting rid of extrinsic staining. The main benefits of teeth whitening are improved self-esteem and oral health. The teeth whitening options we offer include; In-office whitening and professional take-home kits.

Teeth naturally become discolored as you grow older. Some of the things that stain your teeth over time include:

• Drinking Red Wine
• Smoking
• Drinking Coffee and Tea
• Eating Dark Colored Fruits
• Drinking Dark Colored Beverages

What In-Office Whitening Do We Offer?

We mainly offer Zoom DayWhite and NiteWhite solutions for our in-office treatments. The Zoom formula contains three ingredients: fluoride, potassium nitrate, and ACP (amorphous calcium phosphate). These three ingredients help whiten teeth. The DayWhite treatment consists of hydrogen peroxide, which works for short periods and mainly used during the day. In contrast, the NiteWhite treatment consists of carbamide peroxide that is suited for more extended periods and is primarily suited for night sessions.

In-office whitening is where we monitor your progress and determine whether the solution is working as expected. Furthermore, we shall be able to spot any allergic reactions. However, our solutions have minimal tooth sensitivity and offer a quick solution to teeth whitening.

What Can You Expect From Our Professional Take-Home Kits?

We offer professional at-home teeth whitening kits for patients who prefer to carry out the bleaching process on their own. Our at-home whitening kits contain high levels of either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. These solutions are more costly when compared to over-the-counter whitening solutions but are cheaper than in-office kits.

Custom-fitted dental trays are part of our take-home whitening kits. These trays help keep the whitening solution on the surface of your teeth and prevent contact with your sensitive gum area. Custom trays are easy to use and enable you to whiten your teeth at your own pace at home. Custom dental trays are clear and virtually invisible, meaning you can wear them throughout the day, and no one will notice them. Our at-home kits are also very affordable to maintain. You can stop by our office whenever you need a refill for a reasonable price.

How White Do They Get?

How much your teeth will change after the whitening process depends on several factors. Firstly, it will depend on whether you use our bleaching or non-bleaching methods. It will also depend on the percentage of the active ingredient in the whitener. The whitening effect also depends on the natural color of your teeth and how well you respond to a whitening procedure. For example, you should wear our custom trays for a few hours a day and expect to see results in two weeks.

Our whitening solutions remove layers of surface and deep stain build up on your teeth, restoring the natural shade of your teeth. Our solutions have a higher peroxide concentration than over-the-counter kits, which means you will see results in the shortest time possible. For long-term whitening results, avoid smoking, and dark-colored drinks such as coffee and cola.

H2: Composite Fillings To Restore Your Oral Health

Composite fillings are a combination of powdered glass and plastic that mimics the natural appearance of teeth. We apply these fillings in the front teeth or visible parts of your teeth. You should choose composite fillings if you have broken, chipped, and worn out teeth. For example, when dealing with a cavity, we will remove the decay from the patient’s tooth and prepare the tooth for a composite filling. We shall shape the material to look like your previously healthy tooth before applying a curing light to it to ensure a strong bond.

Some of the benefits of composite fillings are as follows:

• Fillings bond to your enamel to provide more support
• Composite filling procedures require less of your tooth to be removed when compared to amalgam fillings. This preserves more of your healthy tooth.
• Composite fillings also form a tight seal to prevent new decay.
• The color of composite fillings closely matches the natural color of your teeth.

What Are The Other Alternatives To Composite Fillings?

The other alternatives to composite fillings are gold, silver, ceramics, and glass ionomer fillings. Gold and silver fillings are costly and durable. These fillings also do not corrode and can withstand chewing forces. Ceramics are often made of porcelain and last long. These fillings are also more resistant to staining. Glass ionomer consists of a special glass material called acrylic. Ionomer releases fluoride that helps protect the teeth from further decay. Ionomer is weaker than composite resin and is more vulnerable to wear and tear.

H2: Porcelain Veneers To Improve Aesthetics and Function

A veneer is a small piece of porcelain tailored to restore the natural appearance of your teeth. You are a good candidate of veneers if the following conditions apply to you:

• Your teeth are severely stained – We use tooth whitening for mild to moderate teeth discoloration. For dark stains, we recommend porcelain veneers to cover up stains and internal discoloration.
• You have cosmetic imperfections – We use veneers to conceal cracks, misshapen teeth, and chips.
• You have good oral health – We provide this procedure if your teeth and gums are healthy. We can also offer veneers after performing a restorative treatment.
• You have sufficient enamel- When fixing veneers, we will need to remove some of your enamel to create room. If you have insufficient enamel, the porcelain will not have enough bonding surface.
• You do not grind your teeth – Tooth grinding can damage veneers. We only prescribe veneers if you do not grind your teeth or chew your nails or perform any other unhealthy habits.
• You have moderately straight teeth – While veneers are for correcting misalignment, they are not appropriate for malocclusion or severely misaligned teeth. Severe misalignment will exert pressure on the porcelain and cause them to crack.

When Should You Get Veneers?

Veneers are custom made to match your teeth and are fixed into your tooth’s enamel through a series of procedures. Veneers are for correcting minor misalignments and closing gaps. You can also opt for cosmetic solutions to brighten and straighten your smile. Veneers also correct issues like chips, fractures, and discoloration.

Veneers can last between 10-15 years. Depending on the damage they incur, your veneers may require repairs or a full replacement. Generally, biting on hard foods and taking colored drinks will cause chips and stains. The lifespan of veneers will depend on the effort you put into maintaining them.

What’s The Difference Between Porcelain and Composite Veneers?

While porcelain veneers are small shells of porcelain fixed to the outer surface of your tooth, composite veneers consist of resin, which is attached to the outer surface of your tooth. Both veneers improve your smile. It takes a shorter time to fix composite veneers than porcelain veneers, which require at least two visits. However, porcelain veneers are costlier, stronger, and last longer than composite veneers.

H2: Porcelain Crown For Restorative Function

A porcelain crown is a cap that we place over your tooth to restore its size, shape, and strength, and improve your overall appearance. We recommend dental crowns for the following situations:

• To restore a worn out or broken tooth.
• To cover an implant
• To secure a dental bridge in place.
• To protect a weak tooth to prevent it from breaking.
• To support a dental bridge
• To support a tooth with a filling when you do not have a lot of tooth left

Dental crowns last between 5-15 years. However, the life span of a porcelain crown depends on the level of wear and tear and how well you observe proper oral hygiene and your mouth-related habits. We advise our patients to avoid habits like clenching or grinding teeth, biting fingernails, using teeth to open packages, and chewing ice or hard foods.

Veneers Vs. Crowns

Veneers and crowns are dental restoration methods aimed at improving the function and appearance of your teeth. Veneers are limited to the front of your tooth, whereas crowns cover the entire tooth. Veneers leave most of your tooth intact, whereas crowns are highly invasive. A veneer is a thin layer of porcelain or some other material that is bonded to the front part of your tooth. On the other hand, a crown is thicker and covers your whole tooth. Crowns are either made from all-porcelain, an all-metal alloy, or partly porcelain and partly metal alloy.

H2: Amalgam Free Restorations For A Healthy and Natural Smile

Dental amalgam is a filling material used for filling cavities that arise due to tooth decay. Amalgam is a mixture of metals containing liquid mercury and an alloy of tin, copper, and silver. However, a large percentage of amalgam restorations consist of liquid mercury. Exposure to mercury vapor increases a person’s risk of adverse effects in the kidneys and brain. This is the reason we recommend amalgam-free restorations. The most common materials for amalgam-free restorations are gold, composite, and dental ceramics.

The main benefits of amalgam-free restorations are:

• Better Aesthetics – Amalgam free restorations can be easily noticed and match the bright color of the rest of your teeth, unlike amalgam fillings with their dark and silvery color.
• Healthy – Amalgam free restorations do not contain mercury which is a neurotoxin.
• Preserves More Of Your Teeth – When fitting amalgam-free restorations, we will only file and shape a minimal amount of your tooth while the rest is left intact.
• No-Risk of Tooth Fractures – Amalgam fillings expand, which comes in handy when the teeth are under pressure. These fillings are also durable. However, the fillings apply pressure on the treated teeth, which eventually crack. Amalgam free restorations are stable and do not apply pressure on the treated teeth. Therefore, they pose no risk of fracturing.
• Safe – Amalgam fillings pollute the environment. They can pollute water in clinics and also the air when disposed of. Mercury in the environment can lead to neurological problems, especially among unborn babies and children. Amalgam free restorations are environmentally safe and are also pose no risk to pregnant women.

Trust Us To Regain That Lovely Smile

At Callahan & Klein Dental, it is our joy to see you walk out of our doors with a dazzling smile. We provide a wide variety of cosmetic options tailored to suit your specific needs. If you are concerned about your misaligned teeth, you can count on our Invisalign treatment to sort you out. If you have stained or discolored teeth, our in-office, and at-home whitening kits will leave your teeth a few shades lighter. If you are struggling with chipped or cracked teeth, we have composite fillings that will restore your natural smile. We also offer veneer and crown treatments for severe teeth imperfections.

If you are ready to improve your appearance, do not hesitate to contact us for a consultation. So we can determine the appropriate cosmetic procedure to restore the glow on your face with a breath-taking smile.