Welcome to Lamia Dental:
Cosmetic Dentistry
Tooth Whitening
Modern tooth whitening systems are highly effective and have dramatic results. Clear acrylic trays will be made from models of your teeth. You will then place a special whitening gel in each tray and wear the trays in your mouth for one to two hours per day. (Many patients wear their trays after dinner and before bed.) A significant change in tooth color is usually seen in just two to four weeks.
Accelerated whitening (power bleaching) is another option for some patients. This process can result in whiter, brighter teeth in just one office visit. Please consult with the doctor to see if this procedure may work for you. We have found that a combination of both power bleaching and take-home trays produce excellent results.
Occasionally, teeth may be stained in a way that limits the effectiveness of tooth whitening. In those instances, porcelain laminates or crowns are an excellent alternative
Porcelain Veneers (Laminates)
A porcelain veneer (or laminate) is a thin shell of porcelain that covers the front of each tooth. They bond directly to the front of the tooth, similar to the way artificial fingernails work. Each porcelain veneer is a work of art, carefully crafted in a laboratory to fit your individual smile.
Porcelain veneers can provide you with an incredibly natural, beautiful smile. They are virtually undetectable and can dramatically improve your appearance. They are durable and long-lasting when compared to other cosmetic treatments.
Porcelain Inlays/Onlays (Partial Crowns)
Porcelain inlays and onlays are an excellent way to restore teeth with small to extensive decay. Decay is removed and cleaned from the tooth and a highly accurate impression or mold is made of the prepared surface. This mold is used to create a model of the tooth which is then sent to a special laboratory that will create a gold or porcelain (tooth colored) restoration called an inlay or onlay.
The inlay or onlay is then cemented into the prepared surface of the tooth. This protects the tooth from fracturing and actually strengthens the tooth. In addition, inlays and onlays fit almost perfectly into the prepared surface of the tooth, reducing the size of the seam between the restoration and the tooth. This helps keep decay from eventually occurring under the restoration.
Porcelain Crowns
A crown (often called a cap) covers the tooth and restores it to its original shape and size. Decay is removed and cleaned from the tooth and a highly accurate impression or mold is made of the prepared surface. This mold is used to create a model of the tooth which is then sent to a special laboratory that will create a gold or porcelain (tooth colored) crown. The crown is then cemented onto the prepared surface of the tooth.
Crowns are incredibly strong due to the fact that they are created in a laboratory. This protects and strengthens the remaining tooth structure.
Porcelain Bridges
A bridge is a single appliance that is cemented to two teeth on each side of the space where a tooth is missing. An artificial tooth attached in the middle of the bridge fills in the gap where the missing tooth was. The teeth on either side of the gap are prepared for crowns (see crowns) and a highly accurate impression or mold is made of the prepared area. This mold is used to create a gold or porcelain (tooth colored) bridge in a special laboratory. The bridge is then cemented onto the prepared surface of the teeth, effectively creating the appearance of a “new” tooth.
In some instances, a resin-bonded bridge may be used. In this case, the two teeth on each side of the gap are not prepared for crowns. Instead, the bridge consists of a false tooth with metal brackets on the back of each side of the gap. The brackets are attached to the backs of the real teeth on each side.
Unlike dentures, a permanently cemented bridge is never removed. It is stable in the mouth and works very similar to natural teeth. By filling the gap and stopping the movement of other teeth, a fixed bridge is an excellent investment, providing better chewing ability, heading off jaw joint problems.
Bonding (Tooth-Colored Fillings)
A bonding is a tooth-colored composite resin material. After tooth decay is removed and cleaned, this tooth colored material is layered into the tooth. Each layer is hardened or cured with highly intense visible light, and the final surface is shaped and polished to match the tooth. The final restoration is virtually invisible.
Composite fillings are more than just attractive. They are environmentally non-toxic because they use no metal. They are stronger than metal fillings because they bond directly to the surface of the tooth. They protect the tooth from fracturing because they don’t require the severe “undercut” (removal of healthy tooth structure) of a metal filling.