At yokinesmilesdental, we provide individualised care with treatment options that are tailored to your needs. We have 30+ years of experience helping over 5,000 people transform their smile.
When you choose yokinesmilesdental you’re receiving a professional team that has years of experience working with thousands of people to shape and profile their face, realign the mouth, whiten the tooth and rejuvenate their lifestyle.
Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments
Nature of a Dental Bridges
A bridge consists of two crowns for the teeth, one on either side of the gap. These anchoring teeth are known as abutment teeth and there is a false tooth or teeth (called pontics) placed in between. The false teeth vary in composition from gold, different alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these. Both natural teeth and implants support bridges.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
The single most important benefit of a bridge is the ability to replace a missing tooth or teeth in minimal time as a fixed option in the mouth.
Other Benefits of dental bridges include:
- Restoring the ability to chew and speak better
- Restoring your smile
- Maintaining proper facial shape
- Properly distributing the forces during eating
- Keeping teeth from drifting out of their natural position
Types of Dental Bridges
Presently, three main types of dental bridges are available
- Traditional Bridges
- Cantilever Bridges
- Maryland Bonded Bridges
Traditional Bridges
These are the most common type of dental bridges, involving a crown for the tooth or implant on both sides of the missing tooth with a pontic between them. Traditional bridges are made of porcelain or ceramics.
Cantilever Bridges
These bridges are used for a missing tooth or teeth so that there are adjacent teeth on only one side of the missing tooth or teeth.
Maryland Bonded Bridges
These are also known as resin-bonded bridges or Maryland bridges. These are composed of plastic teeth and gums with a metal framework supporting them. Metal wings on both sides of the bridge are bonded to the natural teeth.
Process for Obtaining a Dental Bridge
The following steps are followed in obtaining a dental bridges:
- The dentist prepares the abutment during the first visit.
- Teeth impressions are taken as a model for the bridge, pontic, and crowns.
- A temporary bridge is made for you to wear for the protection of your exposed teeth and gums.
- The temporary bridge is removed in the following visit and the permanent bridge is fitted.
- More visits may or may not be required for adjusting the bridge.
White Tooth Fillings Treatment and Procedure
White fillings, also known as composite fillings, are natural-looking and durable dental solutions ideal for small and medium cavities.
White fillings are tooth-coloured fillings that are made from a composite of plastic and glass. They are therefore also known as ‘composite fillings’. Your dentist will tell you if and when you need one, as they are placed when the tooth has decayed.
Whether or not a white filling is the right choice will depend on the area of the tooth decay. If the issue occurs in your molars at the back of your mouth where you regularly bite down hard, your dentist may advise another material, as the plastic option may not be the most suitable material.
When you do get a composite filling, the dentist will start by removing any decay from the tooth. Following this, he or she adds layers of the composite material, using a special light to harden and set each layer along the way. Once the filling is complete, the dentist will shape the material so that it feels normal to bite down on and looks natural in appearance.
Composite Bonding
Composite bonding refers to the repair of decayed, damaged or discolored teeth using material that resembles the color of tooth enamel. Your dentist drills out the tooth decay and applies the composite onto the tooth’s surface, then “sculpts” it into the right shape before curing it with a high-intensity light. Also referred to as simply “bonding,” per the Consumer Guide to Dentistry, this effectively covers the damage to the tooth and gives the appearance of a healthy tooth in its place. Bonding is one of the least expensive cosmetic dentistry procedures available to patients with tooth decay, chipped or cracked teeth and worn-down edges.
Dental Veneers
Typically manufactured from medical-grade ceramic, dental veneers are made individually for each patient to resemble one’s natural teeth, according to Bruce Wilderman, DDS. They look exceptionally realistic and can resolve numerous cosmetic problems, ranging from crooked teeth, to cracked or damaged enamel to noticeable gaps between two teeth. The dentist applies the veneer to the front of each tooth using a dental adhesive.
Teeth Whitening
One of the most basic cosmetic dentistry procedures, teeth whitening or teeth bleaching can be performed at your dentist’s office. Whitening should occur after plaque, tartar and other debris are cleaned from the surface of each tooth, restoring their natural appearance. Teeth can also be bleached to achieve an even lighter shade than this original color, according to the American Dental Association (ADA) Mouth Healthy site.
Over the years, teeth become stained and worn from food, drinks, medication and personal habits such as smoking. Whitening coats the teeth and this procedure can be done in the dental office or at home. Additionally, patients can use toothpastes such as Colgate® Optic White® Platinum to achieve the same effect in a one to two week period. This product is available in four different formulas, and works to whiten teeth more than three shades over a period of two weeks and for optimal results within four weeks.
Implants
Dental implants are used to replace teeth after tooth loss. The dentist inserts a small titanium screw into the jaw at the site of the missing tooth, which serves as the support for a crown. These implants are almost indistinguishable from the surrounding natural teeth, and once the bone and supporting tissue fuse to the implant, they are permanently secured into place. Patients need to practice diligent oral hygiene during the implant placement period to clean plaque and food debris from the area.
If you’re considering cosmetic dentistry procedures, it’s vital to find a cosmetic dentist who specifically offers the option you’re interested in. Talk with family and friends to find out if they can refer to you a dental professional, or check with the AACD for listings of dentists in your area.