Cosmetic Dentistry
Creating beautiful smiles
Most people realize that a healthy and beautiful smile is an important asset in their personal and professional lives. Some may want a smile that is whiter and brighter . Others desire to change the size, shape or alignment of their teeth.
For three generations, Progressive Dentistry has enhanced and created beautiful, natural-looking smiles for our patients. We not only create beautiful smiles, but we create healthier smiles. With bonding and porcelain veneers, we can close spaces between teeth, lengthen small or misshaped teeth, or whiten stained or dark teeth. We can shape and color a single tooth, or improve your entire smile. When teeth are chipped or beginning to wear, bonding and porcelain veneers can protect them from damage and restore their original appearance.
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Porcelain Veneers
What are porcelain veneers?
A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain or resin composite that is directly bonded to the front surface of a tooth to improve its shape and color. They are an ideal choice for improving your smile and have become increasingly popular due to their simplicity, versatility, and strength. Porcelain veneers are realistic in appearance, virtually undetectable, and resistant to staining (even coffee and cigarette stains)!
Placing custom veneers requires a high degree of technical skill and attention to cosmetic detail. The dentists at progressive dentistry study the most up to date cosmetic techniques and advances in addition to our involvement in multiple study clubs. We place veneers routinely, and design each veneer individually to match and enhance the characteristics of each patient's smile.
| Porcelain Veneers |
| A two visit procedure to give ideal esthetics in a strong, durable, non-painful restoration. |
| Before | After |
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| Chipped, worn teeth veneered. |
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| Lower worn down teeth restored with porcelain veneers |
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Smile Rehab/Smile Makeover
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Bonding
A one visit procedure, non-invasive, painless procedure to eliminate shallow
surface stains, blotches, and discoloration. Stains have formed inside the enamel.
One treatment lasting about 1 hour sufficed to remove the stain from these two front teeth.
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Inlays/Onlays
When more than half of a tooth's biting surface is damaged, an inlay or onlay may be the recommended treatment.
What are inlays and onlays?
Inlays and onlays are used to replace and strengthen damaged areas of the tooth, and can be made of porcelain, gold or resin composite. 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, however porcelain has become increasingly popular due to its strength and color, which can closely match the natural color of your teeth.
What does the procedure involve?
Inlays and onlays require two appointments. During the first visit, 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 and we will make sure that the inlay or onlay fits correctly. Once the correct fit is achieved, the inlay or onlay is bonded to the tooth with a strong bonding agent and polished to a smooth finish.
Considerations
Traditional fillings can reduce the strength of a natural tooth by up to 50 percent. Inlays and onlays on the other hand, which are bonded directly to the tooth with special high-strength resins, can actually strengthen a tooth, giving a long lasting, naturally functioning solution. In some cases, where the damage to the tooth is not extensive enough to require a crown, an onlay provides a very good alternative.
Before - old, broken and leaking silver amalgam
After - filling restored tooth
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