Innovative Cosmetic Dentistry in Lynnwood, WA
Having a cosmetic problem with your teeth can be quite embarrassing. Your smile is the first thing people see about you; it leads the way into a room or office or other social setting. Yellowed or chipped teeth can have a negative psychological impact on the person you see every day in the mirror.
Luckily, modern dentistry has developed numerous effective solutions to restore the natural appearance of teeth. Through cosmetic dentistry, patients are able to enjoy a beautiful and healthy smile even after their teeth got decayed or damaged.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF COSMETIC DENTISTRY?
Getting cosmetic dental treatment isn’t just a way to enhance your physical appearance. It can also give the following benefits:
Improved facial attributes.
Your smile isn’t just the only part of your face that looks better with cosmetic dentistry. Your cheeks and eyes will also have a more supple and lively appearance and people will notice that you look younger.
More confidence. Having a beautiful smile will make you feel more confident about yourself. You will have more interest in interacting with your peers because you don’t have anything to hide.
Less insecurity and anxiety.
How embarrassing would it be to show up at a job interview with a broken tooth? Getting cosmetic dental reconstruction will minimize your feelings of insecurity about your appearance and make you less anxious to present yourself to others.
Stronger and healthier teeth.
Damaged or decayed teeth are not only aesthetically unappealing, but also unhealthy. They can become sensitive, discolored, and even deteriorate until they need to be extracted. You can prevent this by getting cosmetic dentistry treatment. The restorations used on damaged teeth not only restore their appearance, but also protect the susceptible parts of the tooth from further damage.
At Alderwood Family Dental, we offer the complete range of cosmetic dental treatments to solve all of your esthetic dental needs. They include:
Dental bonding is a relatively quick fix to small imperfections which have only affected the dentin and enamel. Dental bonding uses composite resin, a material that can naturally adhere to the tooth enamel. Without the need for cement, the bonding material can attach smoothly with the tooth surface, creating an undetectable finish.
Dental fillings also use the same material as that for dental bonding, but the restoration is called a filling when used to fill in drilled out cavities. When the dentist cleans out your cavities, you will be left with holes in your tooth. Bonding material is perfect for covering in these holes because it doesn’t need cement to adhere to the tooth, thus reducing the irregularity and visibility of the filling.
For single missing teeth, dental bridges are one of the solutions you may be offered. These prosthetics contain two crowns on either end of a pontic, or false tooth. The crowns are cemented onto adjacent teeth while the pontic is suspended over the toothless area, filling in the empty space.
Do you have a tooth with a large amount of damage or decay? A dental crown is best suited to restore this kind of damage because it can provide full coverage all around the tooth. It’s also a much more ideal alternative as compared to extracting the whole tooth.
Veneers are superficial restorations that are shaped like thin shields placed on the surface of the tooth. They are often seen as purely aesthetic solutions, but veneers actually have plenty of functions. They can be used to whiten individually discolored teeth, protect decayed or fractured teeth, and improve the appearance of inclined or misshapen teeth.
If you have plenty of issues with your teeth and gums, we have a complete smile makeover program to give you the smile of your dreams. All you need to do is come into our dental office, get a complete examination, and we’ll take it from there. It may take time to get the smile that you’ve always wanted, but the end result will definitely be worth it!
If you love coffee, smoke daily, or drink wine on a regular basis, then you would definitely benefit from teeth whitening. These staining substances can make the teeth yellowish, brown and even grayish in color, but teeth whitening can reverse this discoloration in as short as an hour!
Having white teeth is a dream of many people. Unfortunately, because of the food we eat and our daily habits, it’s easy to turn your sparkly whites into darker yellows and browns. The good news is that today’s teeth whitening solutions are more than capable of fixing all your tooth discoloration problems and transforming your smile.
What Causes Tooth Discoloration?
You may not even know it, but many of the causes of discoloration may be part of your regular habits and lifestyle:
- Eating dark colored foods. Dark pigments in foods such as blueberries, tomato sauce, and cranberries can stick to the tooth enamel and create a film of discoloration.
- Drinking coffee. Coffee has a dark color, even if you put creamer in it. Apart from that, it’s also acidic. The acid can wear down the tooth enamel, allowing the dark pigments to penetrate deeper and cause more visible discoloration.
- Drinking alcohol. Alcohol is also acidic, creating a similar effect as coffee. Red wine is the most common culprit of tooth discoloration caused by alcohol because of its strong
- Smoking. Any tobacco product can cause discoloration, especially when used on a daily basis. Not only that, smoking can also darken the gums and lips.
- Taking certain medications. Some drugs, particularly those for diabetes, asthma and hypertension, can cause the teeth to turn yellowish. In such cases, you may ask your doctor to replace the drugs with another variant that has the same medical effect without causing tooth discoloration.
Other factors which may contribute to tooth discoloration, but are completely out of our control are:
- Age. As we get older, our teeth naturally turn more yellowish because of the erosion of enamel and accumulation of substances that cause discoloration.
- Genetics. If your family members have yellowish teeth, it is highly likely that you will have them, too.
- Illnesses. Some illnesses can affect the health of the dental tissues while others, like cancer, require invasive treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which can also deteriorate oral health.
- Fluorosis. Children who had excessive fluoride during their youth may develop fluorosis. The teeth may appear speckled with yellow spots and the white color may look somewhat translucent.
Is There A Way To Prevent Teeth Stains?
Although some causes are preventable, such as drinking and smoking, others are beyond the patient’s control. That is why teeth whitening solutions were developed. No matter what has caused your teeth to turn yellow, you can always find a way to restore the natural color of your pearly whites.
What Teeth Whitening Solutions Are Available?
There are numerous ways to whiten teeth. Here are the most common teeth whitening solutions used today:
Over The Counter Products
Today, you can buy teeth whitening gels and strips from drugstores without prescription. These over-the-counter products are designed to whiten teeth one step at a time, usually taking 46 weeks to produce relevant results. The product should be used on a daily basis to get the best results. At the end of the treatment period, the teeth may become 23 shades whiter, although the results vary from person to person.
Dentifrices With Added Whitening Features
Dentifrices, or oral cleaning products, are very common and are used on a daily basis. One of the ways that manufacturers attract buyers is by adding new features that promise certain results. Today, you can find tons of whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes in grocery stores, and each one has its own description of how it can whiten teeth.
Some consumers are specifically interested in using products that promise whitening in one use. Although they may work, the results are only temporary. The effect is caused by an ingredient that coats the teeth with a luminous film, making them look as though they are whiter. Others use an abrasive to erase stains which can also etch the enamel and weaken your teeth. Make sure you read and research the ingredients carefully.
At-Home Whitening Kits
For patients who prefer getting at home kits, Alderwood Family Dental offers our customized dental trays and prescription whitening gel. The advantage of using at home kits is that you can comfortably wear the customized dental trays while you’re sleeping. The trays will be fabricated from the exact mold of your teeth, ensuring an excellent fit. The results may also take a few weeks but because the gel is prescription grade, it can make teeth several times whiter than over-the-counter products.