Crowns
Crowns are one of our most popular Lehigh Valley cosmetic dentistry services. A crown is a permanent covering that fits over an original tooth that is either decayed, damaged, or cracked. Crowns are made of a variety of materials such as porcelain, gold, acrylic resin, or a mix of these materials. Porcelain generally has the most natural appearance, although it is often less durable.
- The tooth is numbed and the decay around it is removed.
- The tooth is re-sculptured to provide an ideal fit for the crown.
- An impression of your teeth is made in order to create a custom-made crown (usually one to two weeks.)
- A temporary crown is made out of acrylic resin and is fitted onto the tooth during the interim period when the permanent custom-made crown is being created.
- The temporary crown is removed and the permanent crown is applied
- After ensuring that the crown has the proper look and fit, the dentist cements it into place.
Once the procedure is completed, proper dental hygiene, including daily brushing and flossing, is required to maintain healthy, bacteria-free teeth, gums, and crowns. This helps in the prevention of gum disease. Given proper care, your crowns can last a lifetime
Tooth Whitening
Tooth whitening is a procedure that lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discoloration. Our Lehigh Valley cosmetic dentistry experts offer an at-home tooth whitening system that involves placing a gel-like whitening solution in a tray that is custom fit to your mouth.
Veneers & Bonding
Today we have exciting new biomaterials that can give your smile a lift without invasive treatments.
Ultra-thin porcelain veneers can correct chipped, weakened, or discolored teeth. No more yellow. No more gaps or embarrassing chips. Veneers can return real structural integrity to damaged teeth while leaving them looking as good (or possibly better) than the originals.
Veneers are custom-made to fit over your natural teeth, with a finish more translucent to blend in with surrounding teeth. So people won’t notice your tooth, they’ll simply see your beautiful, natural smile.
What are veneers used for?
- Spaces between the teeth
- Broken or chipped teeth
- Unsightly, stained or discolored teeth
- Permanently stained or discolored teeth
- Crooked or misshapen teeth
Bonding improves the appearance of your teeth and enhances your smile. As the name indicates, composite material (either a plastic or resin) is bonded to an existing tooth. Unlike veneers or crowns, composite bonding removes little, if any, of the original tooth.
Composite bonds are not as durable and long-lasting as veneers or crowns and may need to be re-touched or replaced in the future. Composite bonds stain more easily and require proper care and regular cleaning. To ensure the longest possible duration of the bonding, composites should be brushed and flossed daily. Common staining elements include coffee, tea, tobacco, foods, and candy.
What is composite bonding used for?
- Fixing or repairing chipped or cracked teeth
- Reducing unsightly gaps or spaces between teeth
- Hiding discoloration or faded areas on the tooth’s surface
What are some advantages of composite bonding?
- It is a quick process, which typically lasts less than one hour.
- It does not reduce the tooth’s original structure and is relatively inexpensive.
- Composite resins come in many different shades and provide better matching of shades to the natural color of your teeth.