There was a time when dentistry’s main concern was treating decayed teeth and extracting severely damage and useless ones. In time, replacing those missing teeth became as important a focus as treating those present, and today, making your smile as beautiful as it is healthy has become a focus of its own within the dental field. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving the myriad blemishes and imperfections that can mar your smile’s beauty, even when they don’t threaten your smile’s health. Your Austin cosmetic dentist, Dr. Steven Van Wicklen, discusses some of the more frequently-used tools in the quest to perfect the smiles of our patients.
Teeth-Whitening
Tooth stains can form naturally from your food and your drink and as you grow older, and teeth-whitening has become one of the most commonly requested cosmetic dental procedures today. In fact, the desire for whiter teeth is great enough that you can purchase a wide variety of whitening products from your local grocery store or pharmacy. However, these over-the-counter options can do little more than lighten the faintest stains. For more satisfying results, Dr. Van Wicklen offers in-office teeth-whitening treatments that can brighten your smile up to ten shades in as little as an hour.
Porcelain Veneers
If your teeth are severely stained, or if you have several teeth with more than one kind of blemish, then Dr. Van Wicklen may recommend giving your smile an entirely new face with porcelain veneers. Then thin shells of durable dental porcelain are custom-crafted to match the ideal size and shape of your smile, then bonded to the fronts of unsightly teeth to cover their various imperfections. Dental porcelain can be tinted to match your natural tooth color, and is specially layered to mimic your tooth enamel’s natural light-reflecting properties for a virtually seamless smile makeover.
Porcelain Crowns
If your tooth is chipped or cracked, or if a majority of it is severely stained, then a porcelain dental crown can be placed over it to fortify its structure and cover those potentially-embarrassing imperfections. Typically, placing a crown requires at least two visits; one to measure and prepare the tooth, and another to place the custom-designed crown once it’s been fabricated in a special porcelain lab. Using CEREC technology with an on-site milling machine, Dr. Van Wicklen offers single-visit dental crowns for patients with a hectic schedule.
A Better Smile with Your Austin Cosmetic Dentist
If your smile is less-than-stunning and you’d like to learn more about how you can improve it, then schedule an appointment with your Austin cosmetic dentist by calling 512-448-3131. Located in the 78704 area, we proudly serve the cities of Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Bastrop, Bee Cave, Cedar Park, and all surrounding communities.
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