Reasons to Visit a Cosmetic Dentist

Reasons to Visit a Cosmetic Dentist

You may have heard of cosmetic dentistry, but are unsure of how that branch of dentistry can help you. There are many reasons to visit a cosmetic dentist! Just about anyone who is embarrassed or unhappy about their smile can find options for improvement through a cosmetic dentist. A wide variety of procedures and treatments are available for a long list of things that you may dislike about your smile.

Restored smile

Cosmetic dentists can restore the appearance and function of your smile. Gaps, crooked teeth, chips, cracks, discoloration and more can be repaired to give you a flawless new look and renewed self-confidence.

Youthful appearance

The older you get, the greater your chances are of problems like lost or yellowed teeth. Gaps in your smile make you look older, and can even change your face shape as it sinks in around the area of tooth loss. Cosmetic procedures can restore your youth through dental procedures.

Whiter teeth

Dull, yellow, stained teeth from years of consuming dark foods or from tobacco use can make your smile unsightly. There’s no need to hide your smile, because professional teeth whitening is available through cosmetic dentists. It can dramatically improve your appearance in only an hour’s time.

Fresh breath

Various dental issues can contribute to stinky mouth odor. Cosmetic dentistry helps take care of oral health problems to give you a better chance at fresh breath.

Healthier gums

Irritated, swollen, or bleeding gums are both painful and unsightly. Poor dental hygiene or even brushing with excessive pressure can promote gum problems. Cosmetic dentists can diagnose gum issues and help restore them to a healthier condition.

Do not wait any longer. Book your appointment now and achieve the smile you have always wanted. Dr. Cruz is accepting new patients from Toronto and the surrounding area.

Anatomy of a Smile Makeover

Anatomy of a Smile Makeover

Everyone hopes to look younger and more attractive, and one way to achieve that youthful glow is to have a beautiful smile. Teeth free of stains, chips, misalignment, cracks and other problems are more likely to help you feel good about yourself and make a better impression on others. One way to achieve this goal is to see a cosmetic dentist for a smile makeover.

Dentists have been helping patients improve the appearance of their smiles for many years, but advances in techniques and materials allow smile makeovers to be much more advantageous today. Silver fillings have been replaced with tooth-colored composite resin, dental implants securely replace missing teeth, teeth whitening methods produce dramatic results, and computer imaging can provide great predictions for the outcomes of various cosmetic dental procedures.

There are many options for a smile makeover depending on what you need:

  • Discolored or stained teeth benefit from professional whitening treatment. Yellowed teeth can improve numerous shades of white to give you a whole new look.
  • Chips in your teeth can be filled with tooth-colored composite resin in a procedure called bonding. You can choose a shade closely matching your tooth, so that once it is smoothed and polished you can’t even tell it was done.
  • Uneven teeth that are slightly longer or shorter than their neighbors can be shaped in a more appealing way using recontouring techniques.
  • Gaps between teeth can be closed using composite material, or large spaces can be hidden with dental veneers. In fact, porcelain veneers can cover all sorts of flaws that you don’t want others to see in your smile.
  • Cavities or cracked teeth can be filled with tooth-colored material instead of traditional amalgam, making them invisible in the mouth.
  • Broken teeth that are unsightly or weak can be covered with a durable and attractive crown.

Crooked teeth can be moved with orthodontic treatment, employing the latest method of Invisalign. These clear plastic aligners transform your smile without the noticeable metal braces that impact your diet and dental hygiene.

Do not wait any longer. Book your appointment now and achieve the smile you have always wanted. Dr. Cruz is accepting new patients from Toronto and the surrounding area.

CEREC: State-of-the-Art Dentistry

CEREC: State-of-the-Art Dentistry

CEREC digital technology is a revolutionary method of restoring damaged teeth in one dental visit. It delivers fillings, crowns, or veneers to make your smile beautiful and stronger. In just a single appointment, the dentist can diagnose and prepare your bad tooth, create an impression of it, and use CEREC to create a restoration that will be bonded right away to your existing tooth.

The state-of-the-art technology involved with CEREC employs digital equipment to create a 3D impression of your tooth. Instead of the physical impressions that dentists used in the past, the digital imaging replaces it with a modern replica. CAD software is used to design the details of your restoration with a high level of accuracy. It allows customization of the restoration for your exact needs.

One of the greatest benefits of CEREC is that the restoration is milled right there in the office using the precise design specifications. In only about 15 minutes, your ceramic restoration is ready to be placed in your mouth. It is fitted, bonded, and polished so your tooth is restored and you can be on your way.

CEREC is used for several types of dental restorations. Popular choices include:

Crowns – a cap may be placed over a tooth to improve its strength, shape, size, or appearance. CEREC develops an attractive crown using material similar to enamel so that it looks and feels like your real tooth. It is accomplished in one visit, avoiding the messy impression, temporary crown, and subsequent dental appointment customary with traditional crowns.
Onlays – fillings can be achieved using a tooth-colored, smooth replacement of tooth material due to a cavity. Onlays cover a large area of chewing surface of your tooth, and may be similar to a crown except typically not covering the full tooth. CEREC onlays look and feel very natural and provide a durable restoration. This metal-free solution provides an attractive result for a filling in one visit.
Inlays – typically smaller than onlays, CEREC inlays are similar to their onlay counterparts. The inlay serves as an attractive and comfortable tooth filling in a smaller portion of your tooth, created with the CAD technology to ideally restore your tooth.

Ready to transform your smile? Schedule your appointment today at our Toronto dental office.

Enhancing Your Smile using CEREC Technology

Enhancing Your Smile using CEREC Technology

CEREC is a system for fabricating ceramic dental restorations in a single office visit. A permanent, comfortable, attractive restoration is yours after only one trip to the dentist. The most common restorations that CEREC is used for include crowns, veneers, onlays and inlays. This thrilling technology means patients experience less messy impressions, fewer injections, less drilling, and reduced time out of their schedules for dental treatment.

Most dental restorations require multiple visits to the dentist. The first visit typically involves an injection of anesthesia, tooth preparation, impressions, and temporary restoration placement. The next appointment a week or two later means another injection, removal of the temporary restoration, and placement of the permanent one. CEREC avoids all of these hassles!

With CEREC, special computer technology allows the creation of a 3D impression of your mouth that is highly accurate. The exact impression is used to create your restoration right there in the dentist’s office with a milling machine. Your restoration can be placed immediately and you’ll be on your way with a comfortable and appealing result.

Not only is CEREC convenient, it restores your teeth to their natural beauty, function and strength. The ceramic materials used match your tooth structure, so that eating hot or cold items does not damage your restoration. The material is bonded securely to your tooth, saving as much of your healthy tooth as possible. The tooth-colored ceramic makes your restoration go unnoticed in your smile.

There is no reason to waste time and energy at multiple dental appointments when you can achieve beautiful and fully functional results through CEREC technology. Ask your dentist if this innovative restoration method is available to enhance your smile.

Ready to transform your smile? Schedule your appointment today at our Toronto dental office.

CEREC: The Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

CEREC: The Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Questions

Ceramic Reconstruction, or CEREC, provides an alternative to the traditional process for restoring a tooth. Instead of making a physical impression of the tooth, it uses a 3D camera and special computer software to develop a sophisticated image of the tooth. Then a milling machine in the dentist’s office is used to create the restoration. Since CEREC is new to many patients, you may benefit from these answers to frequently asked questions.

Is CEREC better for my oral health?

CEREC restorations allow you to keep more of your real tooth, because usually only the damaged areas of your tooth must be altered. The material is similar to tooth enamel, making it hard and abrasive like a natural tooth. CEREC material is less stressful on your teeth when you consume hot or cold items, because it expands and contracts like a real tooth. It also looks real because it comes in colors you can choose that match your other teeth. With traditional restorations, temporary placements are often required. These are not ideal for your natural tooth because temporary restorations do not support the tooth as well, increasing the risk for your tooth to break. Finally, CEREC restorations have shown to last a long time with proper care.

Is it simpler for me?

CEREC restorations are completed in just one dental visit. There are no temporary restorations, no uncomfortable material in your mouth to create impressions, only one injection, and a single appointment.

What does the restoration look like?

CEREC restorations look like a natural tooth. The tooth-colored ceramic blends right in with your other teeth.

Is CEREC safe?

CEREC has a record of safety and reliability, and the restorations are accepted by dental experts as high quality solutions to dental problems.

How do I know if CEREC is right for me?

CEREC is often a good choice for patients who want to keep as much of their natural tooth as possible, want only one trip to the dentist, want a realistic looking tooth, and want a long-lasting restoration. Your dentist can help you decide if CEREC meets your specific dental needs.

Are dental issues holding you back? Take control of your oral health by booking an appointment with our experienced team at our Toronto dental office.

Frequently Asked Questions About CEREC

Frequently Asked Questions About CEREC

If you have a tooth that needs some reconstruction, you want to have the very best reconstruction process available. For many patients, that process is CEREC. It is an acronym for Ceramic Reconstruction. Here, we’ll answer many of the frequently asked questions regarding CEREC.

  • What is CEREC? It is a process that utilizes computer assisted design (CAD) and computer assisted manufacture (CAM) to enable a dentist to design, manufacture and place single tooth restorations in the mouth.
  • How long does CEREC restoration take? Because of the CAD/CAM technology employed by the dentist, CEREC is accomplished in a single dental appointment.
  • Where does CEREC tooth construction take place? CEREC takes place in the dentist’s office and completely removes the need for a dental lab.
  • What materials are used with CEREC? CEREC utilizes tooth-colored ceramic blocks. The type of ceramic used is dependent upon which tooth is being replaced.
  • How is the tooth restoration created? CEREC utilizes CAM to mill the tooth restoration in as little as ten to fifteen minutes with diamond-coated milling tools.
  • Is CEREC safe? Yes! CEREC is in use by close to 40,000 dentists across the globe. Seven million CEREC restorations take place each year.
  • How accurate is CEREC? CEREC is extremely accurate. The number of patient issues related to poor fit is significantly lowered.
  • Will a tray be used to take dimensions of my mouth? No, CEREC removes the need for goop-filled trays and instead utilizes intraoral cameras that generate mouth scans. For patients with a sensitive gag reflex, this is revolutionary!

If you are considering CEREC, get these and more questions answered by your dentist today.

Fresno CEREC dentist

Do you live in Toronto or the surrounding area? Our team is ready to help you achieve your smile goals. Schedule your appointment today.