Cosmetic

Porcelain Veneers

Your smile is the first thing people notice about you . . . or the lack of a smile. If you've lost confidence in your smile, you may be losing confidence in yourself in general. Fortunately, we have many options to transform your smile, increase your self-esteem, and improve your career success.

Porcelain veneers are used to improve the appearance of teeth that are discolored, chipped, worn, or slightly crooked. They can even be used to correct uneven spacing or unsightly gaps between teeth. Unlike crowns which cover the entire tooth, veneers are thin, hard shells placed over the front of the tooth. They can be placed with a comfortable procedure that only requires a few visits.

The Porcelain Advantage
Porcelain veneers are made from ceramic material that resist stains and are very durable.  Another advantage of porcelain is its translucent appearance and glass-like properties that handle light in much the same way as real tooth enamel, giving your veneers an attractive, lustrous sheen that is similar to your other teeth.

Procedure
After removing little to no natural tooth enamel for fitting purposes, we take impressions and send them to a lab that will craft your custom veneers. The best color shade to match your other teeth is also determined. At a subsequent visit, the veneers will be bonded to your teeth, with adjustments made as needed to fine-tune for comfort and proper fit.

Crowns

Crowns (caps) look and function just like natural teeth. A crown may be recommended if your tooth has enough decay that it cannot hold a filling, or if your tooth is cracked or broken and in danger of fracturing into the root if left unattended. Placing a crown on a compromised tooth will restore its strength, and prevent unnecessary tooth loss and/or expense.

Crowns are most often made of gold, porcelain, or a combination of the two. Porcelain crowns typically are built on a metal base, which fits snugly over the natural tooth. Your dentist will choose a porcelain shade that matches the color of your natural teeth. Porcelain crowns usually are so carefully matched in color, they cannot be distinguished from your natural teeth. Many people choose porcelain crowns for the cosmetic appearance and the confidence it gives them. New materials are now available that allow the use of "all-ceramic" crowns in some cases which gives them a beautiful life-like appearance.

Bridges

With the loss of one or more teeth, there may be more at stake than just your smile. Missing teeth may not only lower confidence, but they can also contribute to other dental problems. If missing teeth are not replaced, remaining teeth shift, and bone loss may occur. With so many options for patients with missing teeth, there's no reason to opt to just live with the gaps.

A fixed bridge (non-removable) can be an ideal option for replacing missing teeth. A fixed bridge looks great, and literally bridges the gap where one or more teeth are missing. A fixed bridge, usually made of porcelain (with gold underneath,) is permanently placed between two healthy teeth. The bridge is held in place by porcelain crowns. A fixed bridge can help put a stop to the domino effect of the many problems associated with missing teeth.

Precision Partials

It was long thought that removable partial dentures had to be rigid to be effective. Precision “claspless” partials offer greater flexibility, adapting to the constant movement in your mouth, yet providing a very secure, snug fit. The result is a comfortable partial that gives you confidence while talking, eating…and smiling!

Unlike traditional partials, precision partials are virtually invisible because there are no telltale metal clasps and the material itself blends with surrounding oral tissue. Additionally, while traditional partials can place stress on neighboring teeth over time, precision partials gently rotate on their attachments during chewing, resulting in less stress on remaining teeth.

Whitening

In Office Whitening:  Zoom

Want something to smile about?
Over time, your teeth may become discolored due to consumption and use of staining substances such as coffee, tea, smoking, tobacco, red wine, etc. There are many products on the market designed to help whiten your teeth. However, only professional whitening systems, available in dental offices, provide the most effective, reliable, and safe way to get the greatest results.

In Office Whitening versus Take-Home Whitening
The primary benefit over home whitening is that you get the same results in about an hour instead of two weeks.   There is no work on your part, you come in to the office and walk out in an hour with a brighter, whiter smile.  All you have to do is show up and we will do the rest! 

Results
Results vary from patient to patient, depending on the structure of the teeth and the level of discoloration. Teeth typically become several shades whiter after the whitening session.  By following some simple post whitening care instructions, your teeth will always be whiter than they were before. 

Please consult Dr. Marquez, or any of our staff, to see if you are a candidate.