Your smile is one of the first things others notice about you. A beautiful smile influences others to perceive you as friendly, approachable, healthy, and intelligent. At Fresno Dental Studio, cosmetic dentist Dr. Claudia Denes offers in-office teeth whitening, composite bonding, porcelain veneers, and ceramic crowns for patients in need of a smile makeover.
If you’re unhappy with the way your smile looks, Dr. Denes recommends ideal cosmetic treatment after a consultation. Patients with a missing tooth require a dental implant and a ceramic crown to restore function and appearance. Before placing an implant, cosmetic dentist Dr. Denes will take a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan to show the ideal placement for an implant. Once the implant is placed, she’ll attach a tooth-colored ceramic crown to the post to replace the missing tooth.
For stained smiles, Dr. Denes recommends in-office teeth whitening treatment. If you have a severely discolored tooth, she recommends a porcelain veneer. Dental veneers are a permanent procedure. If you’re on the fence about veneers, you can opt for composite bonding instead.
During the bonding procedure, cosmetic dentist Dr. Denes uses composite resin to conceal a flawed tooth. She can alter the color and shape of an imperfect tooth with bonding.
Whitening with Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Denes
Teeth whitening treatment is one of the most requested cosmetic procedures in our dental office. Patients with stained smiles can enhance the appearance of their teeth through our in-office treatment.
Store-bought whitening products are diluted by saliva, which makes them less effective than professional treatment. Teeth whitening with cosmetic dentist Dr. Denes can help patients appear younger and healthier in a short period of time.
What’s Dental Bonding?
Bonding is used to correct chipped or stained teeth. Sometimes, professional whitening products don’t brighten a severely discolored tooth, in which case bonding is used to improve the appearance of a stained tooth.
During the bonding procedure, cosmetic dentist Dr. Denes will mix up tooth-colored composite resin to bond to the surface of a flawed tooth. Essentially, she paints on various layers of the material to create a new appearance. She shapes the resin to reflect the shape of a natural tooth, before curing it with a special light. The light hardens the material so that it’s strong and long lasting.
Why Do I Need Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are permanently bonded over an imperfect tooth to create an entirely new appearance. Dr. Denes will determine the appropriate shade of porcelain before designing the shell. The veneer is created in a shade of porcelain that matches surrounding teeth, or in a lighter shade if the veneer is being used to conceal a discolored tooth.
Cosmetic dentist Dr. Denes recommends veneers to patients with:
- Minor misalignment
- Slight gaps
- Severe discoloration
- Oddly shaped teeth
CBCT Scan and Ceramic Crowns
Although crowns are considered restorative when they’re used to replace a missing tooth, they can easily fall under cosmetic dentistry when used to enhance the appearance of your smile. For missing teeth, Dr. Denes takes a 3D scan of your craniofacial region, using a CBCT scan. This radiograph machine helps her determine the exact placement of a dental implant. From there, a custom-made ceramic crown is affixed to the dental implant to restore oral function and correct the space left from a missing tooth.
Aside from replacing a missing tooth, a crown is used to cover a damaged or weakened tooth. If you have a cracked or broken tooth, Dr. Denes may recommend crowns to protect the tooth from further damage and improve appearance.