A lovely smile can be a great asset in life. For those whose
teeth are less that perfect, modern dentistry can do much to
enhance what mother nature has provided.
 White
Fillings:
If your teeth require filling or repairing,
your smile can look much nicer if tooth coloured (‘white’)
filling materials are used. As teeth come in all shades
and shapes, it is not always easy to achieve a perfect
match,
but modern materials can give very good results. Newer
materials with greatly improved mechanical properties
are now being
used even in the back teeth (molars).
These composite materials
can also be bonded to the front teeth to repairs chips,
and to close small spaces between the teeth. |
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Veneers:
Sometimes the visible surface of front teeth
can be unsightly because they have formed that way, or have
become unattractive owing to ageing, wear or discoloured
fillings. Their appearance often can be improved by covering
all the visible surface with a veneer. Veneers can be made
either of composite or porcelain.
Composite veneers can be applied in a single visit. These
are done by bonding composite filling material to the whole
front surface. Although this may discolour and eventually
wear away in some mouths, it can easily be replaced.
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The best material for veneers is porcelain.
Some shaping of the tooth would be required, and a mould
(impression) taken. The porcelain veneer is then constructed
in the dental laboratory, and bonded in place by the
dentist at the second visit. These veneers are very thin,
looking like false finger-nails, but are strong and will
not discolour in the mouth. |
Porcelain crowns :
When teeth have been heavily filled for a
number of years, they often become weak and unsightly. With modern
technology, it is possible to restore these teeth so that they
are strong and look good.
When a tooth is crowned, it is shaped by the dentist, and then
a impression is taken using a rubber-like material. This impression
is then sent to the dental lab for the crown to be constructed
according to the exact specifications of colour and shape. While
this is being done, a temporary crown is placed on the prepared
tooth to protect it. The new permanent crown is usually fitted
after 2 to 3 weeks.
Procera crowns provide the best aesthetics for the front teeth.
These crowns are all-porcelain, and partly constructed in a production
lab in Sweden.
For more information visit www.nobelbiocare.com/global/en/newPatientInformation/ImprovingExisting/indicationImprove.htm
Tooth
whitening:
Tooth whitening can be a highly effective method of improving
the yellowish or grayish colour of the upper and lower
front teeth, visible on smiling.
There are several products for tooth whitening : home
kits, with or without a custom tray, allow the patient
to apply the active agent to the teeth during the night
over a period of a month. The shade difference is about
2 to 3.
At the Southgate Dental Centre, we offer power whitening
by BriteSmile, the leading tooth whitening system in the
US.
Missing
teeth:
There are a range of options for replacing missing teeth. |
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By far, the ideal replacement is by implant-supported restorations.
Implants can replace from 1 missing tooth, to a whole jaw
with no natural teeth. The Nobel Biocare system is used at
the Southgate Dental Centre.
For more information visit www.nobelbiocare.com/global/en/newPatientInformation/SingleMissing/singleToothMissing.htm
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If 1 or 2 teeth are missing, the patient
may opt for a fixed bridge. In constructing a fixed bridge,
the dentist prepares the teeth on both sides of the space
as if they were to be crowned. At the laboratory, two crowns
are made on the prepared teeth, with an additional tooth
or teeth held in place between them. The bridges are manufactured
from gold and other alloys, with porcelain bonded to them
for best aesthetics. For bridges in the front of the mouth,
all porcelain bridges using the Procera system can be constructed.
The bridges are then fixed in the mouth using a quick-setting
dental cement.
Orthodontics: (braces)
Orthodontics means the straightening of teeth which are
crooked, crowded, prominent or at an unsightly angle. Fixed
appliances (braces) are used to gently move the teeth into
ideal positions. This process usually takes between 9 to
18 months, depending on the severity of the defect.
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Gingival
contouring:
In some cases, gingival contouring is needed to enhance smiles.
Some people would benefit from having ‘longer’ teeth,
with reduced showing of the gum when smiling. This gingival contouring
is achieved by laser, which is completely pain free, produces
no bleeding, and leads to enhanced healing. |
