Tooth-colored Fillings: Enjoy a more natural-looking smile

It’s important to have cavities filled as quickly as possible to protect your oral health. If decay has the opportunity to progress, tooth loss and other complications can occur.

In addition to the health benefits, addressing tooth decay has an aesthetic purpose, too. As cavities get bigger, they get more unattractive. If cavities lead to tooth loss, that will have a seriously detrimental effect on the smile and may warrant an extensive intervention by a cosmetic dentist.

While plugging the cavity, some fillings may mar the smile, though. When silver amalgam fillings are used to seal cavities, the material is quite noticeable and it tends to detract from the smile.

Patients who have had their fillings for years may not have hand any other options at the time. Now, cosmetic dentistry can offer a better solution: tooth-colored fillings.

Tooth-colored fillings made of composite resin materials offer a more natural appearance. In fact, it can be very difficult for an observer to detect a composite filling.

For patients who didn’t have a choice of tooth-colored materials when their fillings were first placed or opted against them for some other reason, an upgrade may be in order. The dentist can remove a patient’s existing amalgam fillings and replace them with composite fillings. 

If you choose to have your amalgam fillings replaced, be sure to talk with your dentist about precautions in place to prevent the negative effects that can occur from exposure to the mercury contained in the amalgam.

Tooth-colored fillings are more versatile than they’ve been in the past. The composite materials have become more durable in recent years, which allows them to be used in more locations on the teeth, including the large occlusal surfaces of the rear teeth.

In addition to the aesthetic advantages, composite fillings can help the dentist preserve more of the biological tooth material while filling the cavity. The composite materials bond better with tooth enamel, reducing the need to drill a cavity extensively before filling it.

If you need to have a new cavity filled or want to update an old filling, talk to Dr. Riad Almasri, serving Dallas Texas, to get more information on tooth-colored fillings

Dental Crowns: Restore a tooth’s natural look and function

Broken or worn teeth can have a negative effect on our appearance. While broken or worn teeth can affect our self-confidence in social situations, they can also affect our speech and the way in which we bite or chew our food, causing damage to other healthier teeth.

However, advances in cosmetic dentistry mean that broken or worn teeth can easily be concealed through the use of a dental crown.

A dental crown is an artificial cap that is custom-made to cover the affected tooth or teeth by a cosmetic dentist. Such caps can completely conceal broken or worn teeth and serve to provide and restore a natural look to the patient’s teeth.

Typically, dental crowns are made of ceramics, but they can also be made from porcelain or metal alloy, or a combination. Your dentist will help you decide which dental crown best suits your needs depending on the location of the tooth to be capped.  They will consider other factors such as the aesthetic appearance of the cap.

Dental crowns involve the cosmetic dentist preparing the affected tooth to receive the cap by first taking impressions of the patient’s teeth, before stripping off the enamel from the affected tooth. After further impressions, a custom-made tooth cap is made and bonded over the tooth to be covered.

The benefits of dental crowns through cosmetic dentistry include:

• Strength and support – a dental crown can restore much of the strength, size, and functionality of the affected tooth;
• Durability – dental crowns are very sturdy and are designed to last several years;
• Tooth preservation – dental crowns can seal the affected tooth and prevent bacteria in the patient’s saliva from penetrating weak spots in the tooth;
• Appearance – dental crowns are custom-made to mimic the look and color of existing teeth, and are virtually indistinguishable from the patient’s real teeth.

Dental crowns can also be used in other dental treatments. They are commonly used in bridge treatments to act as supports for the bridge, and are placed on metal pillars during dental implant treatment. Dental crowns are also commonly used to protect teeth after root canal surgery.

Coupled with good dental hygiene and regular check-ups with our cosmetic dentist, dental crowns can last many years and go a long way to restoring not only your smile but your self-confidence, as well. Call the office of Dr. Almasri, serving Oak Lawn TX and the surrounding areas, to schedule a consultation!

What is a Smile Makeover?

Courtesy of countless advances in cosmetic dentistry, a stunning smile is a possibility for any patient who is willing to commit to the treatments necessary to achieve that goal.

Regardless of their aesthetic concerns, patients can work with a cosmetic dentist to have a complete smile makeover, often with dramatic results.

A smile makeover will mean different things for different patients. Some patients will only need minor enhancements, while others will need major overhauls. If you are considering a smile makeover, it’s important to work with a cosmetic dentist to develop a plan that’s appropriate in your case.

Cosmetic dentists have a number of tools at their disposal to help achieve the patient’s aesthetic goals. Potential treatments include veneers, dental implants, teeth whitening and restorations, among others.

Veneers, in particular, are quite versatile. These devices are thin layers of porcelain that are bonded on top of the natural tooth. Veneers can conceal unsightly flaws like chips or cracks in a tooth. Veneers may also be incorporated to fill in a diastema, or gap between the teeth, or to realign crooked teeth.

If veneers are used as part of a smile makeover, the patient will see results in just a few appointments. For this reason, veneers are sometimes referred to as “instant orthodontics.”

If a patient needs to fill in a space (or spaces) left behind by a missing tooth, dental implants may also play a role in a smile makeover. Dental implants offer the greatest amount of stability and durability available among tooth replacement methods, and dental implants are also the most lifelike in terms of appearance.

Teeth whitening is a useful cosmetic dentistry treatment as well. Dinginess can detract from a smile, so after making the commitment to a smile makeover, patients often want to whiten their teeth for an even greater effect.

Teeth can become several shades whiter in as little as 90 minutes, courtesy of the LUMIBRITE system, which is also the only such treatment to protect patients against tooth sensitivity while whitening the teeth.

A cosmetic dentist may use other techniques, such as restorations or cosmetic gum grafting, as part of the smile makeover, too.

If you want to upgrade your smile in the Dallas area, call the office of Dr. Riad Almasri at 214-521-5900 to learn more about your available options.