We keep abreast of new techniques and dental procedures so that we can provide our patients with the latest and most effective dentistry, including techniques such as I.V. or oral sedation, and air abrasion technology instead of the traditional dentist's drill.
We offer a variety of newer technologies such as the Kavo Key 3, Zoom in office whitening and take-home kits, and the Cerec machine by Sirona for convenient in office lab work.
If you are unhappy with your smile due to damage (chips, fractures, cracks or rough edges), misalignment (overcrowding, gaps, or tilting), or stains, we can help you achieve the smile of your dreams.
- Whitening
- For whitening of dark, dull, or stained teeth, bleaching may be the simplest solution. Bleaching is performed by taking an impression of your teeth and fabricating a soft, thin, clear tray from the resulting model. This tray is filled with a bleaching gel and placed directly over the teeth in your mouth. This can then be worn for several hours during the day, or at night while you sleep. Results are usually discernable after a single day, however, for optimal results, most patients use their bleaching tray for 1-2 weeks. This can also be influenced by the different bleaching gels that are used in this procedure.
- Bonding
- When teeth are chipped or slightly decayed, bonded composite resins may be used to repair the damage. First, the tooth structure is cleaned and etched. A clear adhesive is applied to the area and a tooth coloured bonding resin material is placed on the tooth. It is permanently hardened and fused with a hand held light gun. This process is called photo-curing. Bonding makes a great tooth coloured filling for small cavities and broken or chipped surfaces. It can also be used to close spaces between teeth. Additionally, it can be used to cover the entire outside surface of a tooth to change its color or shape. However, bonding has its limits; It may not be strong enough, aesthetic enough, or durable enough for certain individual situations. If so, the next choice would be porcelain restorations.
- Porcelain crowns/veneers and inlays/onlays
- Many times, the demands of cosmetic changes in the mouth are too great for simple bonding. This is when porcelain crowns, laminate veneers, inlays or onlays may be used. Porcelain restorations can change an entire smile and are quick, painless, and dramatic. They can change the shape, color, size, and arrangement of teeth or any combination of these factors and can actually be used as an alternative to orthodontic treatment. The best part about porcelain restorations is that they can be placed in two visits, minimising the amount of time you would need to come in. The technique consists of first shaving a thin layer of tooth structure, and creating an impression of the prepared teeth to send to a dental laboratory. In the lab, a ceramist will use this impression to create a custom-fit porcelain restoration consisting of all the changes in shape, size, color and teeth arrangement that you would like. Upon your second visit, these restorations are then bonded onto your prepared teeth with a high intensity light. Porcelain crowns or veneers are the most popular technique used for dramatic smile makeovers.
- Lumineers
- Porcelain veneers that do not require removal of tooth structure. Lumineers by cerinate are a terrific cosmetic solution for permanently stained, chipped, discolored, misaligned teeth. They are a porcelain veneer that can be made as thin as a contact lens and placed over existing teeth without requiring painful removal of sensitive tooth structure (unlike traditional veneers.)
- Porcelain fused to metal crowns
- Sometimes, porcelain crowns cannot withstand the biting pressure of certain teeth in your mouth. In these cases, a metal alloy must be placed under the porcelain for strength. Once the teeth are prepared, an impression is sent to the lab where a metal coping is made for the prepared tooth. This is then covered with porcelain which and the entire restoration is sent back to be bonded to your prepared teeth. Since these crowns do not have the translucency of pure porcelain crowns, aesthetics may be slightly compromised in some situations, however, a talented ceramist with experience in custom staining can usually overcome these limitations, thereby creating life-like restorations. This technique can also be used to create strong, aesthetically-pleasing bridges to replace missing teeth.