Have you ever stood in front of the bathroom mirror, grinned at yourself, moved your head from side to side, sighed and wondered “How can I make my teeth look better?” Who hasn’t?
Your smile can affect your social life, your advancement in your career, and above all -- your self-confidence.
In recent years, the practice of cosmetic and restorative dentistry has developed many new techniques for improving virtually every problem you could identify, including shape, size, color, and position, as well as correcting chipped, damaged and missing teeth.
These new technologies have made many procedures and processes not only less painful but much faster and less intrusive in patients’ lives. For example, the metal braces for straightening teeth and correcting bite—dreaded by children and high schoolers as a source of discomfort and embarrassment—are quickly becoming a thing of the past.
So, what are these new options available to you and your family, and what problems will they fix?
Worst-Case Scenario – Missing Teeth
There are several reasons a tooth might be missing. Possibly, it never even grew in. Or, perhaps, it was severely damaged or decayed and had to be pulled.
Whatever the reason, it needs to be replaced for both the health and stability of your jaw and the remaining teeth, as well as your overall health: You need to be able to chew your food and smile freely.
There are two options for replacing missing teeth:
- Dental implants
- Dentures
Dental Implants
A dental implant is a permanent solution for replacing one or more missing teeth. A post is screwed in the jawbone; an abutment, or connector, is screwed into the post; and a porcelain crown is fitted onto the abutment.
The result is a natural-looking tooth (or bridge, if several teeth are being replaced) that is virtually indistinguishable from the rest of your teeth.
The post in the jawbone stabilizes and helps maintain the structure of the jawbone, and the crown helps maintain the position and spacing of the remaining teeth.
Dentures
Dentures are a separate appliance that consists of a number of teeth, essentially held together by a metal wire that runs along the back of the bridge and/or through it. If it is only a partial denture, the metal connector is shaped at the ends to fit over the adjoining teeth, left in the mouth. The bridge sits on top of the gums, held in place by a flesh-colored resin piece that fits over the gums and is removed and replaced on a daily basis.
Problems You May Have with Existing Teeth
There are myriad other dental problems you can have, including:
- Crowded teeth, a condition in which the teeth do not fit in the mouth, causing them to be positioned crookedly or overlap each other
- Gaps between teeth
- Misshapen teeth, which may include craters or bulges on the sides or front surface
- Overbite, a condition in which the upper teeth protrude out over the lower lip and teeth
- Underbite, a condition in which the lower teeth protrude out over the upper lip and teeth
- Teeth that are disproportionately small or short in relation to other facial features or result in a pinched look
- Discolored teeth
Dental Veneers – The Miracle Fix?
All of the problems listed above, except for underbite and overbite can, in fact, be corrected with veneers - an excellent option for making your teeth look better.
A veneer is a thin piece of porcelain that covers an existing tooth or teeth. While a veneer may be thin, the material is also very strong and durable. This is why a veneer can, in some instances, be used even to straighten crooked teeth.
The process begins with any needed removal of decay or other type of correction, so that it is healthy, then the sides and bottom of the tooth are ground down and made even, so there is room for the veneer. (Short teeth may not need to have the bottom ground down.) Lastly, the veneer is shaped and sized to fit the individual tooth and cemented over the tooth.
Lumineers
You have probably seen Lumineers in the news. The difference between traditional porcelain veneers and Lumineers is that they are so thin, no grinding down of existing teeth is required.
Dr. Maddahi’s Infinity Veneers System
In his 30 years of practice, Dr. Maddahi continued to see certain problems occurring with veneers and set out to correct them with his proprietary Infinity Veneers System, as follows:
- Based on the type of cement that had been used, the color of the veneers would change. His proprietary mix of cements hides the color of the tooth beneath and remains stable.
- Because porcelain is translucent, over time, the color of the tooth would show through. He formulated a porcelain, the color of which does not change.
- To combat the proliferation of staining, Dr. Maddahi developed a type of varnish that increases the stain resistance of the veneers.
Non-Surgical Overbite and Underbite Correction
Traditionally, this orthodontic procedure has been a two- to three-year process for adults. In his never-ending quest for finding faster, more effective solutions to dental problems, Dr. Maddahi has developed a non-surgical technology that can complete the process in two weeks, for most cases.
Teeth Whitening
One aspect of a great smile is having bright, white teeth.
The in-office Zoom! Teeth Whitening process takes approximately one hour, and the results are spectacular.
However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as they say. You can help maintain your bright, white smile with Dr. Maddahi’s Oral Essentials mouthwash, specially formulated for daily, in-home use.
How do I know which procedure is right for me?
Fortunately, you do not have to determine this on your own. Call Dr. Maddahi for a consultation. He will thoroughly review your case, discuss your goals and create the optimal treatment plan to meet them. As a renowned expert in the dental arts, you can be confident that no matter your problem, Dr. Maddahi can create a customized treatment plan to help you have a brilliant, attractive smile.
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