Cosmetic Dentistry
Keeping your smile beautiful
The simple act of smiling can make you feel better and can portray a sense of confidence. But you might not be pleased by the smile you see in the mirror. Being self conscious about your teeth may cause you to hide your smile. Now there is no reason to hide your smile. In the past decade there has been a dramatic interest in cosmetic dentistry. We all realize that having a healthy, bright, beautiful smile enhances our appearance and allows us to smile with confidence. Thanks to the advances in modern cosmetic dentistry, we are able to improve our teeth and smiles with quick, painless and surprisingly affordable treatments.
At Denny Family Dentistry, the talented cosmetic dentist Wesley E Denny DMD offers patients both esthetic treatments, which restore functionality and beauty to your smile, and cosmetic treatments, which are typically elective treatments used solely to enhance your smile’s appearance.
Types of Cosmetic Dentistry
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- Tooth Whitening
- Porcelain Crowns
- Porcelain Fixed Bridges
- Porcelain Veneers
- Dental Implants
- Invisalign
Bleaching and Tooth Whitening
Bleaching or tooth whitening is a simple dental procedure that is used to change the color of natural tooth enamel.
Having whiter teeth is a top aesthetic concern for most patients and bleaching is the ideal way to enhance the beauty of your smile. Teeth whitening only works on natural enamel it will not change the shade of crowns or fillings so it is first important to evaluate if any old crowns or fillings need to be replaced. You will first bleach your teeth and then have any restorations replaced so that they will match the newly bleached teeth.
We offer two types of bleaching
Take home whitening is when we take impressions (molds) of your teeth and we fabricate trays that are custom fit to your teeth. We have either a day white gel that is worn 30 min during the day or a night white gel that is worn over night for a couple of weeks depending on the amount of stain on your teeth and the desired whitening you are looking for.
In office whitening is a procedure that is done in the office we first isolate the tissues and then apply the bleaching solution to your teeth you will sit in front of a light then we will remove bleach and reapply. You will also receive take home trays with this so that you can touch up in the future.
Tooth whitening is not permanent and a touch-up may be needed every several years or more often if you smoke, drink coffee, tea, or wine.
Porcelain Crowns
Crowns are needed when teeth are broken, fractured, decayed, or have large or fractured fillings. Crowns are also needed after a tooth has had a root canal because the tooth is more brittle with out the nerve. Crowns are also used for cosmetic enhancements.
A crown (cap) is a covering that encases the entire tooth surface that gives it stability and restores it to its natural shape and size. If you do not have enough tooth structure for a filling to support a crown is recommended to protect and strengthen the tooth structure.
Porcelain tooth colored crowns are the most popular choice in crowns because they are highly durable and resemble your natural teeth. Crowns will last you many years, but like with most dental restorations they may eventually need to be replaced. We will go over homecare instructions with you and schedule you for regular re-care visits to ensure a longer life to your crown.
PORCELAIN FIXED BRIDGES
A dental bridge is an excellent way to replace missing teeth with a appliance that is none removable. A bridge consists of two crowns that go over two anchoring abutment teeth and are attached to a pontic (artificial teeth) and the fill the gap that is created by one or more missing teeth.
Dental fixed bridges are needed to fill spaces left by missing teeth, maintain facial shape, prevent remaining teeth from shifting and drifting out of position, they restore chewing and speaking ability, and they can restore your smile.
If you have a removable partial denture you can contact us about upgrading your dental appliance to a fixed bridge.
Porcelain Veneers
Veneers are used to cosmetically create a uniform beautiful white smile. They are used for correcting teeth that are crooked, misshapen, severely discolored, stained, worn, chipped, teeth that are too small or large, and they fill in unwanted or uneven spaces. Veneers can completely reshape your teeth and smile.
Veneers are thin pieces of tooth shaped porcelain that are custom made by a dental laboratory to give you the shape and color teeth that you are wanting. They are bonded onto the front of the teeth and create a beautiful smile.
Dental Implants
Implants are the state-of-the-art way to replace missing teeth. A dental implant is great alternative for the natural tooth when it must be extracted. A dental implant is surgically placed into the jaw and overtime it incorporates into the bone and becomes a stable base for crowns. A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that holds a replacement tooth (crown) in place. Implants are typically made of titanium and other materials that are well-suited for the body. Dental implants can be used to replace a single tooth, several teeth or they can also support partial or full dentures.
Advantages of a dental implant are they don’t require dental procedures on neighboring teeth, they have a natural appearance and they are reliable.
The process of getting dental implants requires a number of visits over several months. First, the implant is placed into the jaw and the gum is secured over the implant. Over the next three to six months the implant will fuse with the jawbone. Once the implant and bone have bonded together the dentist will place an abutment. Once healed, the implant and abutment act as the foundation for the new tooth. In the last step the dentist makes a crown to attach to the implant post that is the right size, shape and color of your natural teeth.
Invisalign (Clear Braces)
Invisalign is the invisible way to straighten your teeth without braces. To discuss clear braces in Marietta GA area contact us to schedule an appointment.
Invisalign uses a series of clear removable aligners to straighten your teeth without using metal wires or brackets.
We take impressions and models of your teeth and using 3-D computer imaging technology your aligners are made.
You wear each set of aligners for about two weeks only removing them when eating, drinking, brushing and flossing. As you replace each aligner with the next series, your teeth will move little by little until the have straightened to the final position Dr. Denny has prescribed. You will visit us about once every 6 weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned.