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                | Cosmetic Dentistry |  
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                          |  A smile can be the most eye-catching feature of 
                            your face. Even a subtle change can make a big difference 
                            in the way you look and feel. New techniques like 
                            bleaching, bonding, 
                            enamel shaping, veneers, 
                            and white fillings allow 
                            us to create a beautiful smile with, at times, only 
                            minimal changes to existing teeth. |  
 
                         
                          |  Whitening 
                            is a very popular procedure in cosmetic dentistry. 
                            It is a relatively easy and effective technique for 
                            obtaining a dazzling, whiter smile, at home, in a 
                            matter of days. |  
 
                         
                                |  Bonding is a procedure 
                                  where tooth-colored composite resin material is placed 
                                  to "fill in the blanks." One of the most 
                                  frequent uses of the bonding technique is to fill 
                                in a gap between front teeth. |  
 
                         
                          |  Enamel Shaping (Contouring) 
                            is the process of shaping natural teeth to improve 
                            their appearance. Shaping can be used to correct minor 
                            cases of crowded or overlapping teeth, smooth rough 
                            edges, or make small adjustments to the shape of a 
                            tooth. |  
 
                         
                                |  Veneers are laboratory 
                                  fabricated, porcelain facings that are bonded to the 
                                  front surfaces of teeth to whiten teeth, close spaces, 
                                  straighten teeth, or repair chipped or worn teeth. 
                                  The veneers are only about 1 mm thick (the thickness 
                                  of a fingernail). That same thickness is "shaved" 
                                  off the natural tooth surface so when the veneer is 
                                  bonded to the tooth, the tooth doesn't feel or look 
                                "thicker". |  
 
                         
                          |  Caps (Crowns) are 
                            rarely used for cosmetic correction any more, since 
                            the advent of veneers, but in some cases a crown may 
                            be necessary for a particular tooth. A tooth with 
                            a bad fracture or 
                            a large filling that is 
                            breaking down, or has decay around it, may be a candidate 
                            for a crown instead of a veneer. This patient has 
                            veneers on top, but one of the front teeth had a large 
                            filling and had to be crowned. |  
 
                         
                          |  White 
                              fillings  replace silver or gold fillings 
                              with a more natural looking tooth-colored material. 
                              Since teeth are translucent, dark fillings cause 
                              the whole tooth to appear darker when viewed from 
                              the side. Replacing older dark fillings with white 
                              fillings will keep your smile glowing! |  |  |  |  |  
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        | © Copyright 2005- Dental WebSmith, Inc. and Matthew 
J. Vertin, DDS, PC. All rights reserved worldwide. Disclaimer: 
The information provided within is intended to help you better understand dental 
conditions and procedures. It is not meant to serve as delivery of medical or 
dental care. If you have specific questions or concerns, contact your health care 
provider. |  |