Cosmetic Dentist Creating Perfect Smiles
If you are interested in changing the appearance of your smile, cosmetic dentist Dr. Anderson will sit down with you and discuss your options. After Dr. Anderson discusses possible solutions, her professional team will take a special series of Dental Records. These records will include Diagnostic Photographs, Impressions for Study Models, and Dental X-Rays. After Dr. Anderson has developed a specific Cosmetic Treatment Plan for your needs, she will sit down with you again and discuss your options and after she has discussed your options our Insurance Specialist will discuss the cost of your new investment, and will schedule all of your necessary appointments.
Achieving the beautiful smile that you see in the media can be easy or it can be difficult. The complexity of a smile involves the shape of your face, the shape and position of your teeth, and the color of your teeth. This means achieving that great smile can include minor tooth movement by an orthodontist, laser reshaping of your gums, and the intervention of a skilled and experienced lab clinician to create the right smile for your face. This doesn’t mean that to correct your smile we need all of these services.
Aging and stress can cause teeth to become worn, chipped, weak, and discolored. The latest technology allows us to conservatively restore and strengthen these teeth back to their natural strength and beauty. If desired, we can also brighten your teeth for a more youthful, clean, and healthy looking smile.
Porcelain Veneers
For patients interested in a quick, comfortable solution for a number of cosmetic flaws affecting several teeth, porcelain veneers are often a great solution. Veneers are thin sheaths of dental porcelain that resemble egg shells. Placed over the front facing parts of teeth, veneers conceal a number of cosmetic concerns including chips, cracks, breaks, stains, and gaps. The porcelain veneers process takes two visits to complete. During an initial appointment, we remove a small amount of dental structure from the fronts of teeth. This is a fast, comfortable procedure and most patients don’t even need local anesthesia as we prepare their teeth. Once we’ve completed the dental preparation, we capture impressions of patients’ teeth that are used by the lab to craft the custom veneer. Then, we place a temporary allowing patients to get used to the look and feel of their veneer. When we receive the final restoration, patients return to our office to exchange their temporary for the custom crafted porcelain veneer.
Metal-Free Restorations
All-ceramic, metal-free dental restorations offer the most cosmetic smile repair for those patients in need of dental crowns, fixed bridges, inlays, or onlays. Crafted from a single block of dental-grade porcelain, these restorations blend seamlessly into patients’ smiles, and even as they wear over time, all-ceramic restorations maintain their natural appearance. In addition to fully renewing the appearance of patients’ teeth, metal-free restorations are also a durable and reliable way to repair damaged form and function.
Direct Bonding
Direct bonding uses tooth-colored composite resin filling material to repair minor chips and cracks, fill gaps between teeth, and conceal dental stains. The results are similar to what is possible with porcelain veneers, but bonding is a more affordable option that can be completed in a single visit. Additionally, we typically do not need to remove any healthy dental structure, so direct bonding is typically reversible. The process is simple. We place the composite resin, shape the putty-like material to correct or conceal cosmetic flaws, and use a curing light to harden it into position leaving patients with a flawless smile in one short visit.
In-Practice & At-Home Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is easily the most popular cosmetic dentistry solution available. Many patients come to us after trying numerous over the counter whitening toothpastes, mouth rinses, strips, and gels with little or no change to their smiles. Unfortunately, store bought whiteners use a low grade whitening agent and one size fits all application trays that are unable to seal out neutralizing saliva. We use Opalescence in-practice and at-home professional whitening treatments with high-grade whitening gel and custom crafted application trays that completely seal saliva out and whitener in allowing it to remain active on teeth longer. Most patients achieve results up to ten shades brighter over the course of treatment.
Gum Recontouring & Crown Lengthening
There are occasions when the teeth aren’t the problem with patients’ smiles. Sometimes, patients feel their smile is “gummy” or their teeth look “stubby.” For these patients, we may recommend gum recontouring. This procedure removes a small amount of gum tissue in order to make patients’ teeth appear longer or more even. We may need to perform a similar procedure for patients in need of dental crown restoration. At times, there is inadequate dental structure available above the gum line to support the crown. Rather than removing gum tissue only around the tooth being treated, we perform a procedure known as crown lengthening in order to reveal a consistent amount of dental structure from surrounding teeth as well.
ClearCorrect Braces
If you’ve always wanted to straighten your teeth but haven’t had the time to commit to orthodontist visits, have a sensitivity or allergy to metals, or just can’t stand the thought of spending two or more years with a mouth full of metal, the ClearCorrect alignment tray orthodontic system might be right for you. ClearCorrect uses a series of clear plastic aligners to gently shift teeth into position over the course of about a year. These aligners allow patients to continue their regular at-home hygiene routine and diet. Simply remove aligners while brushing, flossing, or eating and replace them after. ClearCorrect alignment trays, as the name indicates, are virtually invisible to the casual observer making them a more cosmetic treatment option compared with other orthodontic methods.
Cosmetic Dentistry FAQs
As a cosmetic dentist in Phoenix, Dr. Anderson wants you to be fully informed about any decision you make to pursue a treatment that will improve and change the way your smile appears. From teeth whitening to porcelain veneers to direct bonding and more, it’s important that you feel confident and comfortable about the entire process of receiving your new and improved smile. In an effort to provide better peace of mind, Dr. Anderson has provided answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about cosmetic dentistry. If you still have questions after reviewing this page, contact our office.
Will my dental insurance cover cosmetic dentistry?
Unfortunately, most dental insurance companies do not provide coverage for cosmetic procedures; however, there are exceptions. Should you require some type of restorative dentistry that overlaps with a cosmetic procedure, it is likely that the restoration will be covered (i.e. dental crown). It’s always best to check with your insurer to find out if any or all of your treatment will be covered. No matter the decision, our dental team will work to help you save the most money while receiving the highest level of quality dental care.
Will my oral health improve after having cosmetic dentistry?
The answer is yes! Anytime you cover or fix imperfections (i.e. cracks, chips, gaps, stains, etc.), you are working to improve the overall state of your oral health. Teeth that are fractured or have breaks can experience worsening problems if left untreated, as can teeth that are stained and discolored. Whether caused by thinning of the enamel, injury, or infection, the step you’re taking to address the problem will only prove beneficial in the long run.
Will my teenager be able to have cosmetic dentistry?
This is dependent upon their individual case and the type of cosmetic dentistry they are inquiring about. Certain treatments such as ClearCorrect, direct bonding, or teeth whitening may be possible for your teen to receive, but it will ultimately be up to the discretion of Dr. Anderson as to whether or not they will be able to move forward with a cosmetic procedure.
How long does each procedure take?
Depending on the type of treatment you are receiving, the timeline can vary. Most cosmetic procedures only take one or two appointments to achieve a transformed smile; however, because many of the solutions require dental lab technicians to create custom restorations, it can take some time in order to receive the finalized versions in-office.
Before you agree to any type of cosmetic treatment, make sure to discuss with Dr. Anderson your ideal timeline. If the initial procedure you considered does not meet your timeframe, it might be possible to consider another form of treatment to ensure you achieve the results you want.
Am I eligible for cosmetic dentistry?
If for any reason you are unhappy with the look of your smile, you will most likely benefit from cosmetic dentistry. Chips, cracks, stains, discoloration, gaps, minor misalignments, misshapen or crooked teeth can all be fixed using one of the many solutions we offer. However, you should have good oral health before starting any type of cosmetic treatment. If your dentist in Phoenix finds that you have tooth decay or gum disease, it will be necessary to address and fix these problems before moving forward with cosmetic dentistry.