Cosmetic Dentistry

There are many branches of dentistry available to patients in this day and age. That statement could not have been said even 30 years ago as dentistry has undergone so many breakthroughs and changes over the years. As with so many other fields, technology has made its way into modern dentistry with amazing results. One of the branches of dentistry that has seen the most breakthroughs due to technological advances has been cosmetic dentistry.

Bleaching / Whitening

In years past, if your teeth were discolored, there wasn’t much that the dentist could do to fix it. Today, there are many avenues that Carmel West Dentistry can take to reverse the staining and discoloration of your teeth.  The source of the staining is either attributed to aging, certain drinks such as soda pop, red wine, coffee, and other drinks, and smoking. Dr. Tannous would encourage you to quit those for the sake of your teeth.

In our office, we can use hydrogen peroxide gels placed on your teeth with UV light shining down to work in tandem to break up stains and discoloration. There are also custom-made trays that you can wear at home with whitening gels in them to help whiten your teeth and bleach them over time. Whitening strips can also be purchased to achieve the same aims by placing peroxide gel-laced strips on to your teeth.  

Teeth Bonding

Bonding is a procedure done in our office by placing resin into your teeth to repair a damaged tooth. The tooth could be damaged in a multitude of ways, either by decay, chip, fracture, or discoloration. This resin is placed on your tooth and can be shaped and polished to match your surrounding teeth. It can also be used to close spaces around your teeth to fill in the dental picture of your teeth. Dr. Tannous will use a color of resin to match it with the color of your teeth and will then “rough” up the surface of the tooth to be bonded. This “roughing” up consists of small etches upon the surface of your tooth and a pre-treat liquid which will help the bonding material adhere to the tooth surface. The bond does not last for a lifetime and usually after a few years, it will need to be redone.,

Crowns

A dental crown is a cap we place over your tooth to make a new tooth surface. This is usually done in the case of a large cavity on the tooth or a cracked or damaged tooth. It’s also done as a form of protective aftercare of a tooth that has been restored via a root canal treatment. This crown will look exactly as the original tooth looked like as it’s placed over the damaged tooth.  

Veneers

Dental veneers use the same principle as crowns by “dressing up” the surface of the tooth. Instead of a “cap” placed over your tooth, a veneer is placed on the surface of your tooth on the front-facing side. This form of restorative dentistry “camouflages” chipped teeth or uneven teeth.  It can also be used for teeth that are discolored beyond repair, if professional whitening has no effect, etc. Dr. Tannous will usually remove a small amount of enamel from the tooth to make room for the veneers. The porcelain veneer is then made from a mold of your tooth to make sure it’s a direct match, veneers can also be made out of composite resin as well. Veneers are quite strong after being affixed and will last many years.

Schedule an Appointment

Take charge of your dental health by getting in touch with us. You call us at (317) 253-8631 or reach us through our online contact form.