Are Porcelain Veneers Right for You?
One hundred years ago, a California dentist was called upon to improve the smiles of actors during a Hollywood film shoot. He invented dental veneers, which were porcelain shells designed to be placed over the actors’ teeth to hide their imperfections. A century later, improved and perfected veneers are still being used. Discover how you can transform your smile with teeth coverings that look like you were born with them.
What Types of Dental Veneers Should I Consider?
Unlike dental crowns, veneers don’t cover the entire tooth. Rather, they are only applied to the front of your teeth. There are two main types: porcelain and composite veneers. And each have their pros and cons.
Are Porcelain Veneers Right for You?
Custom-made for every patient, porcelain veneers provide a more natural appearance — and last longer — than their composite counterparts.
The downside? They tend to:
- Cost more than composite veneers
- Fall off (which means you’ll need to have them reattached)
- Require more than one visit to be installed
Comparing the processes for installing veneers can also help you make an informed choice. If you choose porcelain veneers, your dentist will first make an impression of your teeth during an office visit. Then, they will send the impression to a lab, where technicians will make the veneers specifically for your teeth. While you’re waiting for the permanent veneers, you’ll receive a temporary set to wear. When the porcelain veneers are ready, your dentist will use cement to attach them to the front of your teeth.
Porcelain veneers usually last 10 – 15 years; sometimes more.
Are Composite Veneers Your Best Choice?
Composite veneers, which are made of tooth-colored resin (the same resin used for dental bonding), cost less than porcelain veneers and require less time to apply. Sometimes, though, composite material can chip and is more likely to have to be replaced than porcelain veneers after normal wear and tear.
Applying composite veneers is much like applying porcelain ones but will take only one office visit. After taking impressions, your dentist will apply the composite resin directly to your teeth, which has a clay consistency that allows them to mold it into shape. You and your dentist can work together to pick the color you want for your veneers — sometimes even mixing composite resin colors to help your teeth look natural — and to ensure your desired look is achieved.
You can expect your composite veneers to last about five to seven years.
Here to Help You Achieve Your Best Smile
If you think dental veneers may be right for you, it’s important to schedule a consultation with a dentist. The skilled and caring team at Eastridge Family Dental, which is just minutes from downtown Lee’s Summit, is ready to meet all your dental needs, including helping you make an informed decision about how to enhance your smile — and understanding what it might cost. Contact us.
Five Treatments to Make Over Your Smile
Charlie Chaplin once said, “You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile.” But if you have missing, gapped, or discolored teeth, we know it can be hard to feel confident. That’s where a smile makeover comes in: A dentist can help you look and feel great using a combination of cosmetic procedures. Learn the ins and outs, including the types of procedures that are commonly used, so you can decide what’s right for you.
1. Teeth Whitening
For many, teeth become stained or yellow over time. But it’s not always because of what you’re eating or drinking. In fact, some people’s teeth may naturally have a yellowish tint. No matter the reason, the good news is they don’t have stay that way. Professional teeth whitening can help you have a gleaming smile either in the comfort of your own home or in the office. Our safe, non-invasive teeth whitening system can lighten your teeth by up to eight shades.
2. Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are usually the second step of dental implants, but they can be used in other smile makeover situations, as well. A crown is a cap that fits over the tooth, and it can be made from metal, ceramic, porcelain, or metal. When a tooth becomes badly damaged enough — and a filling or a root canal cannot fix it — a crown can make the tooth stronger and improve how it looks.
3. Dental Veneers
People often decide to have veneers installed if they have chips or cracks in their teeth, or need help with the shape, color, or texture of their teeth. Dental veneers fit over the outside of one or more of your teeth to improve how they look.
4. Dental Bonding
If you have cracks in your teeth but don’t want to have a full veneer fitted over the outside, dental bonding is another option. This procedure uses a tooth-colored resin to help your teeth look their best, and to hide any imperfections. In addition to improving the appearance of your tooth, it can also help you with chewing. Unlike veneers, dental bonding doesn’t do much to improve the color of teeth, so it’s a better option for people who are happy with the color of their teeth, but don’t want cracks or chips to be as noticeable.
Your Best Smile is Just a Phone Call Away
Helping you feel confident in your smile is our passion at Eastridge Family Dental. If you think a smile makeover may be right for you, call us to learn more. We’ll create a personalized treatment plan and ensure you know what to expect every step along the way.
Why You Might Need Dental Bone Grafting
When you need a dental implant or are considering another major dental procedure, the bone in your jaw must be strong enough to support it. So, if you’ve lost a significant amount of bone in your jaw, your dentist may recommend dental bone grafting — a procedure that can help repair the bone structure.
Find out what, exactly, dental bone grafting is and if it might be a good option for you.
What is Dental Bone Grafting?
A dental bone graft is a surgical procedure that transplants bone tissue to the jawbone. There are four different types of bone grafts:
- Autografts use bone taken from another area of your body
- Allografts use bone from a cadaver
- Xenografts use bone from another species, such as a cow or pig
- Alloplasts use bone substitute made in a lab
The bone graft fills the jaw where bone is missing and enhances the growth and healing process.
What Happens During a Tooth Bone Graft Procedure?
During the surgery, which takes less than an hour, your dentist will:
- Numb the surrounding gum tissue, so you don’t feel any pain.
- Make an incision in your gums near the missing bone.
- Clean and disinfect the area.
- Insert the bone or synthetic material between two sections of bone that need to grow together.
- Cover it with a membrane to protect it.
After the procedure, we’ll stitch up the area and send you home to recover.
Most people who undergo dental bone grafting through allografts, xenografts, or alloplasts say they experience little to no pain. However, if you have bone taken from another part of your body, the recovery may take a little longer.
When is a Dental Bone Graft Necessary?
There are a number of dental situations that require a bone graft. Come of the most common include:
Needing an implant to replace a missing tooth.
Before an implant is placed, you may need a bone graft to provide a strong enough base for it in your jaw.
Wanting an improved appearance.
When you lose bone mass in your jaw, your face can look shorter, and your lower jawbone can look like it’s jutting forward, causing your lips and the muscles around them to change appearance. You are more likely to experience bone loss in your jaw as you age, but it may also happen if you have an injury to your jaw or a major infection.
Protecting yourself from additional bone loss.
When we stabilize the jaw with a bone graft, we can prevent additional bone loss. Left untreated, gum disease can lead to more dental problems and heart disease.
Dental Bone Grafting at Eastridge Family Dental
We know that a major dental procedure can be frightening, which is why we walk you through all the steps of dental bone grafting. To learn more about how you can prevent bone loss in your jaw, contact us.