A nice smile is often the first feature that someone notices. If there are things about your smile that you want to improve, there are many ways in which we can help you do just that. You don't have to settle for stained, chipped, or misshapen teeth.

Improving your smile can make a dramatic difference in the way you look and feel about yourself.

DO YOU HAVE:

• stained or dull looking teeth?
• crowded, missing or crooked teeth?
• large spaces between your teeth?
• chipped teeth?

YOU DESERVE A BEAUTIFUL SMILE!

We understand your needs and have many options that can give you the smile of your dreams.

TEETH WHITENING (BLEACHING)

Teeth naturally darken over time. Teeth can also absorb stains from coffee, tea, red wine and soda. Other factors such as childhood medications or illnesses, tobacco use or improper oral hygiene can also affect the whiteness of your teeth.

Awareness of the importance of a pretty, bright smile is growing. Cheap, easy bleaching products are flooding the market. Unfortunately, over-the-counter, "too good to be true" solutions typically don't work, and may even damage the tender gum tissue.

Safe bleaching techniques can be done completely in the dental office or our hygienist may suggest a system for your use at home. Dr. Martin and our hygienist will confer on which system is best for you, and advise you on the likely outcome. Bleaching may not correct all types of discoloration. For example, yellow-ish hued teeth will probably bleach well, brownish-colored teeth may bleach less well, and grayish-hued teeth may not bleach well at all.

First, an examination must be performed to see if you are a good candidate for lightening. The teeth must be free of plaque and tartar, so a good time to start is shortly after a professional cleaning. Any decay in the areas to be bleached must be restored first, and active gum disease must be controlled before bleaching. Tooth-colored fillings and crowns do not lighten with bleaching. They may require replacement after bleaching is complete. Finally, patients with root exposure (receded gums), abraded tooth edges or extremely sensitive teeth are poor candidates for tooth lightening treatment.

The procedure involves wearing a custom-fitted tray at home, usually while you sleep, containing a gel-like material. You will wear the tray nightly or on alternating nights, depending on your comfort level, for a period of several weeks. Tooth lightening is not totally predictable. The treatment may take longer. During the process, you will return to the office for a quick assessment to ensure that the lightening system is working effectively and to assure that your teeth and gums remain healthy.

Also available is our custom, in-office bleaching system. Ask our hygienist about this time saving procedure.

There are several temporary side effects that occur to some extent in most cases. Cold, sensitivity of the teeth and gum tenderness are very common. If either occurs or is more than mild, please stop bleaching and call the office for advice. Some patients’ teeth exhibit a chalky appearance for a short time. Also, minor imperfections such as white lines and white specks, which are present before bleaching, may become more noticeable in the early stages of lightening. Pregnant or lactating women should not undergo bleaching, nor is it recommended for use on children under age 14.

To stay bright, periodic touch-ups may be necessary for one or two nights, once or twice a year. This will depend on your staining habits, such as smoking, and your consumption of coffee, tea, red wine or dark sodas. There is a small fee for the touch-up tubes.

Please be aware that tooth lightening is purely cosmetic and is, therefore, not covered by insurance.

BONDING

With bonding, tooth-colored materials are permanently bonded to the tooth's outer surface, recontouring the tooth. Bonding can improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, broken, cracked, stained or have spaces between them.

VENEERS

A veneer is a porcelain or hard resin "partial" crown which is constructed to improve the appearance of the teeth. Similar to false fingernails, they are a thin layer of porcelain applied to the front teeth.

ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES

• Dental implants - replace missing teeth
• Dental bridge - replace-missing teeth
• Amalgam-free, tooth-colored fillings - replace old, dark fillings
• Dental crown - correct misshapen tooth as well as strengthen broken teeth due to large, defective fillings or decay