Cosmetic Dentistry Mahwah, NJ
Many of us think of cosmetic dentistry as a luxury reserved for big screen stars and runway models. The fact is, we've come a long way since celebrities put on their smiles with cumbersome plastic slip-on teeth known as "Hollywood Splints." Today's modern cosmetic dental techniques are fast, simple, affordable and, best of all, pain-free. There's no reason to put that radiant smile on hold.
Here at Advance Dental Care in Mahwah, NJ, we offer a full range of cosmetic dentistry treatments to help you achieve the smile of your dreams. Call our office today to schedule a consultation!
Dental Bonding
The techniques used to disguise flaws like defects, severe stains, chips and fractures can be done in the dental office as part of a single regular appointment. The method is called bonding or veneering. We can build up a tooth that's too small and fill in spaces between teeth that are too far apart. We can even make fillings that are hard to detect because they are tooth-colored. You can choose to fix just one tooth or spruce up your whole smile - it's up to you.
We use three types of material: porcelain, acrylic (plastic), and composite. All of them are bonded to the tooth with a cement-like adhesive. Depending on how well you take care of your mouth, your new smile can last from five to ten years. That's a little less durable than traditional crowns and fillings, but the extra smile power is worth the trade-off. And there's one other really nice advantage - if a piece breaks off, the tooth can very easily be touched up.
Bonding materials are the closest thing we have to Mother Nature. They can be toned and sculpted to a shade and shape that closely matches your real teeth. The look and feel is so natural the only difference you'll be able to detect is that extra sparkle in your smile.
Porcelain Veneers
Veneers can also:
- Lengthen teeth that are too short
- Shorten teeth that are too long
- Re-proportion your smile
- Strengthen large restorations in front teeth
- Close spaces between some teeth
- Correct color of badly stained teeth
- Restore chipped and cracked teeth and much more…
Sometimes, the ideal treatment is not as simple as bonding, Porcelain veneers may be a better choice. They are one solid piece instead of applied in layers - no chipping for large surfaces. They are stronger and longer lasting - less likely to discolor and completely natural looking.
Unnatural looking materials really are a thing of the past. Porcelain veneers allow light to shine through - just like natural tooth enamel. Discuss your cosmetic dentistry options with our Mahwah dentists.
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Dental Implants Replace Missing Teeth
Teeth that are lost to gum disease, cavities, or trauma from an accident can be permanently replaced by dental implants. Interestingly, implants are considered by many dentists to be a more conservative intervention than traditional bridges or fixed partial dentures. It has two parts, a titanium root and a custom made crown which is attached to it - there is no need to harm adjacent teeth.
Bone loss will always follow the loss of a tooth. And if bone is lost even from only one tooth, the surrounding teeth will shift. This can affect your appearance, speech, ability to enjoy food, and your self-esteem. Like any other cosmetic restoration, we'll take into account your health, where the implant is needed, the best implant design, and it suitability for your lifestyle.
How Can Implants Help?
- Implants really do look and feel just like real teeth.
- Implants help to keep gums looking healthy and young.
- Placing dental implants soon after tooth loss can save bone, teeth, and the look of your smile.
- For people with good overall health and healthy gums and bone, implants can be an attractive alternative to a denture or bridge.
Call us for a FREE complimentary consultation with our periodontist (gum specialist) right here in our Mahwah, NJ dental office. For your convenience and comfort, we do your entire treatment from start to finish. You work directly with our team so that everyone knows exactly what stage you are in with your treatment. Our periodontist places the implant root while our general Mahwah dentist places the crown. With implants, your friends won't know how you're looking so good - but you'll feel so great, you might just want to tell them!
Composite (Tooth Colored) Fillings
Only a few short years ago, silver amalgam fillings were the order of the day. Most of us still sport one or two of these durable but unsightly restorations. White composite fillings offer many benefits other than the absence of mercury: they are natural looking, and never discolor neighboring teeth. Recent years has improved the quality of the fillings so that they are durable, safe, valid and trustworthy option.
Crowns & Bridges
A crown restoration covers or caps a single tooth to protect it from fracture and restore it to its normal shape and size while strengthening and improving the appearance of the tooth. Teeth that have had root canal therapy (RCT) or that have big cavities are weak and if they were to be filled there would not be enough tooth structure to protect it.
Therefore, after removing the infection (cavity) from the tooth and filling it, the tooth needs to be protected by a crown (commonly known as a cap). At Advance Dental Care, we pride ourselves in using the best laboratories available in the nation. We also are able to match the porcelain crown's shade and form to your adjacent teeth to keep your smile natural. We also offer whitening treatments, so you could brighten all your teeth prior to getting your crown.
A bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth. The bridge spans the gap left by the missing tooth and is usually anchored to the two existing teeth on either side of the gap. Immediate replacement of missing teeth can be achieved by a bridge for patients, who have time concerns or who are not candidates for implant surgery. Some of us will, unfortunately, lose a tooth to injury, decay, or gum disease. When that happens, the chewing forces in your mouth can be significantly altered, causing unwanted spaces and shifting. This makes crown, bridge, and implant treatment imperative to avoid changing the structure of your smile and facial balance.
Cracked Teeth
How Would I Know If My Tooth Is Cracked?
If your tooth is cracked it would hurt upon biting and pain likely disappears right away. Cold or hot drinks would cause sharp and immediate pain in the area of the tooth.
How Does It Happen?
- Years of biting down on hard objects
- Teeth clenching and grinding
- Accident that affects the mouth
- Stress on heavily filled teeth
How Are Cracked Teeth Treated?
- Craze lines, the tiny cracks that affect only the outer tooth surface, cause no discomfort and require no treatment, but they can be hidden with cosmetic veneers. In addition, you can prevent them from happening further, if you wear a custom made night guard.
- Deeply cracked teeth may require crowns to reinforce the tooth's structure, or root canal treatment if dental pulp is affected.
At the time of your comprehensive exam, Dr. Maz will evaluate your teeth, and help you plan the appropriate treatment for you.
