Take a look at our offerings and call our office if you’re interested in setting up a consultation with one of our doctors!

Professional Tooth Whitening:

Professional tooth whitening is a relatively inexpensive way to make a dramatic statement.

Take-home teeth whitening is a simple, effective and convenient treatment that may enhance your smile and improve the appearance of your teeth. Our Zoom take-home whitening kits can help lighten the stains and discolorations caused by foods, drinks, tobacco use, medication, poor dental hygiene, age and other factors so that you can once again enjoy the benefits of a brilliant white smile.

Our skilled clinicians will begin by taking an impression of your teeth. This impression will be used to create customized whitening trays. After your trays have been made, we will provide you with a powerful Zoom whitening gel. You may wear your trays when it’s convenient for you, day or night. Over the course of several weeks, you should see noticeable improvement in the color of your teeth.

Dental Bonding:

Dental bonding is a cosmetic procedure wherein composite resin material is used to close spaces between teeth, improve misshapen teeth or restore chipped or cracked teeth.  This is a simple and relatively affordable way to dramatically improve the aesthetic appearance of your smile.

The putty-like resin is color matched to your existing teeth and is then shaped and sculpted by one of our talented dentists. After it hardens, it is trimmed and polished resulting in a lasting restoration and a picture – perfect smile.

Dental Crowns:

Dental crowns are oftentimes used to restore teeth that are badly damaged or decayed; they are also a mainstay in cosmetic dentistry. They greatly improve the appearance of teeth that are cracked, broken or show signs of severe wear due to clenching or grinding.

Dental crowns are long-term, full-coverage restorations that are placed over the existing, prepared tooth. They come in a variety of materials including gold, silver and porcelain. Porcelain is oftentimes preferred as it can be matched beautifully with your existing smile.

Veneers:

Veneers are very thin layers of either composite or porcelain that are bonded to the teeth to provide protection and improve the aesthetic appearance of your smile. Our dentists may recommend veneers to correct several types of smile imperfections:

• Close large spaces and gaps between teeth
• Whiten teeth that are severely stained or discolored
• Improve the appearance of irregularly shaped teeth
• Correct slightly crooked teeth
• Restore teeth that are broken, chipped, worn or fractured

Let us help create that beautiful smile you’ve always wished for! Call our office for a consultation today.

The post It’s Dental Smiles Month! first appeared on Gillespie Dental Associates.

Dental crowns, formally known as “caps,” are dental restorations that are used for a variety of reasons, including both cosmetic and restorative.  Crowns can be constructed using a variety of materials but some of the most commonly used are gold – for its strength and durability, and porcelain due to it most resembling a natural tooth.

What are Dental Crowns Used For?                        

Dental crowns are commonly used in dentistry for a variety of reasons including:

• Restoring a broken or severely worn tooth
• Protect a tooth following root canal treatment
• Secure a dental bridge
• Cover/protect a dental implant
• Enhance the beauty of your smile
• Improve a misshapen tooth
• Strengthen a tooth that is fractured or weak
• Support a large filling when little natural tooth structure remains

How are Dental Crowns Prepared?

Dental crowns typically require two appointments. At your first appointment your tooth will be reshaped to prepare for the crown. How much tooth surface is removed depends on the type of crown and how worn/decayed the existing tooth is. Impressions come next. At our office, we now have the capability to take these impressions digitally. We use an innovative device called an iTero machine which is more comfortable for the patient and alleviates the mess of traditional alginate impressions. The digital scan will then be sent off to the lab to make your permanent crown. In the meantime, a temporary crown is made and cemented to the tooth structure. The permanent crown typically takes about 3 weeks to make and will be cemented at the second appointment. Porcelain crowns are carefully color-matched to your existing teeth.

How to Take Care of Your Crown:

Dental Crowns can last a long time, generally between 5-15 years.  Taking good care of them is essential to their longevity. Remember, tooth structure remains under the crown and decay can still occur. Home care is very important. Continue to brush twice daily and floss daily. Also, be mindful of what you’re chewing.  Chewing especially hard foods or ice can cause damage to your crowns. If you clench your teeth, you may want to consider investing in a night guard as well.

Dental crowns are widely used throughout modern dentistry for many reasons. If you have any questions or think you might be in need of a dental crown, call our office today for a consult at 828-252-9351.

The post What Are Dental Crowns? first appeared on Gillespie Dental Associates.