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Cosmetic Dentistry Techniques These are some of the techniques we use at Quay Side Dental Practice cosmetic Dentistry Clinic. Some other information pages on this site include Replacement of old silver fillings, Looking after your new crowns, Our hygienists and Root canal therapy.
Natural coloured fillings
These are really "tooth coloured" fillings to match your tooth colour so as they do not show. Resin or porcelain can be used. Small resin fillings are made in the mouth and larger fillings and porcelain fillings are made in our laboratory. The fillings are bonded to the tooth not only to keep them in place but to give a close fit at the edges which help resist staining. Modern natural coloured fillings are very hard and last a long time but do take a little longer time in the surgery than the old silver fillings.
Tooth Whitening For brightening dull, dark or stained teeth, whitening is usually the easiest answer. It can be done at home in up to 14 days with thin plastic trays that fit snuggly over the teeth. The trays simply holds the 'whitening compound'. This compound is nothing to do with household bleach but is a mixture of chemicals which will whiten your teeth without doing you any harm. The material penetrates the surface of the tooth and brightens the molecules responsible for the stain. The effects can last as long as 2 years and we can give you more of the whitening material if needed.
Air Polishing Staining from red wine, tea, coffee and food colouring which sticks to the surface of teeth can be removed easily with a spray of air, water and baking soda which does no damage to the teeth. This is a very quick and easy process taking only seconds which gets rid of those horrible stains. Composite Veneers Chipped, discoloured and mis-shapen teeth can be covered partially or completely with a special plastic resin which is coloured either to match the tooth or change the colour or the shape of the teeth. The resin is painted onto the surface of the tooth and bonded to the surface of the tooth with a special blue light gun. Many effects can be achieved with this type of work including lengthening and closing gaps. This is done in one visit. It may not be strong enough, durable enough or aesthetic enough for all situations. When this occurs, porcelain veneers are the next choice. Porcelain Veneers The effect of all veneers, resin or porcelain, can be quick, painless and dramatic. They can change an entire smile by correcting imperfections in shape, colour and size of teeth. They can be used instead of orthodontic treatment to reposition teeth. The veneers are like false finger nails and are very thin shells of porcelain made to fit the teeth exactly and are bonded to the surface of the teeth. The bonding medium can be coloured to change the colour of the teeth. A very thin layer is shaved from the front of the tooth, an impression is taken of the teeth and the veneers are made in the laboratory. At the second visit the veneers are bonded into place. If the biting forces are very heavy or the teeth are too thin for veneers, porcelain jackets can be the answer
Porcelain Jacket Crowns (Caps) These are pure porcelain crowns placed on a fully prepared tooth. The crowns are made in the laboratory on an impression of the tooth. The final crowns are bonded to the teeth with resin. The colour, shape and position of the teeth can be altered. Porcelain Jacket Crowns are probably the most life-like of the all the full crowns made for teeth. Sometimes biting forces are great , on back teeth for example, and porcelain jackets can be too brittle. Here we need porcelain and gold crowns. The invisible gold thimble inside the crown gives great strength and the porcelain on the outside gives the natural look of the tooth.
Implants A method of replacing missing teeth without the need for dentures. A small titanium cage or screw is placed in the bone a crown can be added to the top. Bridges One or more artificial teeth can be attached by crowns to teeth either side of a gap. A bridge can replace teeth without the need for a denture.
At Quay Side Dental Practice Cosmetic Dentistry Clinic we undertake all these procedures so send us an E-mail if you would like to know more. You can ask your dentist to refer you to the Cosmetic Dentistry Clinic or you can refer yourself and go back to your practice after if you wish.
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