Aesthetic Care
Veneers
What are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of ceramic that bond directly to the front and top surfaces of the teeth. They are an ideal choice for improving your smile and have become increasingly popular due to their simplicity and versatility. With veneers as an alternative, there is no reason to put up with gaps between your teeth, teeth that are stained, badly shaped or crooked. A veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct these problems, simply and quickly, to help you achieve a beautiful smile!
Smile Whitening/Bleaching
Having a beautiful smile may be even easier than you think. Many of our patients achieve the look they’ve been dreaming of with our tooth whitening procedures.
Bonding
Bonding is an alternative to veneers, and can sometimes be used as a restorative procedure for teeth that are chipped, cracked, discolored or misaligned.
Porcelain Inlays & Onlays
When over 1/2 of the tooth’s biting surface is damaged a dentist will often use an inlay or onlay to decrease the risk of tooth fracture and make the tooth stronger.
More about Porcelain Inlays & Onlays
Invisalign
Invisalign uses a series of clear, comfortable plastic aligners to move teeth instead of using more traditonal brackets and wires. So, up close it’s really hard for people to tell you’re wearing Invisalign. This treatment can give you the smile you’ve always wanted without the anxiety of wearing traditional metal brackets and wires.
Porcelain Veneers
Will they look like normal teeth?
When bonded to the teeth, the ultra-thin porcelain veneers are virtually undetectable and highly resistant to coffee, tea, or even cigarette stains. For strength and appearance, their resemblance to healthy, white tooth enamel is unsurpassed by other restorative options. Because they are thin, light can shine through them and they take on the natural color of the underlying tooth.
How durable are porcelain veneers?
With proper care, porcelain veneers will brighten your smile for well over a decade. We ensure that your veneers are crafted from the highest quality porcelains and are bonded with the most advanced and proven materials available.
Porcelain inlays/onlays
What are inlays and onlays?
These are laboratory processed restorations that are bonded to the damaged area of a tooth. An inlay, which is similar to a filling, is used inside the cusp tips of the tooth; an onlay is a more substantial reconstruction, similar to the inlay but extending out over one or more of the cusps of the tooth.
Traditionally, gold has been the material of choice for inlays and onlays. In recent years, however, porcelain has become increasingly popular due to its strength and color, which can potentially match the natural color of your teeth.
How are they applied?
Inlays and onlays require two appointments to complete the procedure. During the first visit, the filling being replaced or the damaged or decaying area of the tooth is removed, and the tooth is prepared for the inlay or onlay. To ensure proper fit and bite, an impression of the tooth taken, and sent to a lab for fabrication.
At the second appointment if the fit is satisfactory, the inlay or onlay will be bonded to the tooth with a strong resin and polished to a smooth finish.
Considerations
Traditional fillings can reduce the strength of a natural tooth by up to 50%. As an alternative, inlays and onlays, being bonded directly onto the tooth using special high-strength resins, can actually increase the strength of a tooth by up to 75%.
Bonding
How does it work?
The tooth is prepared for the procedure by lightly etching the surface and applying a bonding liquid. Once the liquid sets, a plastic resin is applied and sculpted into the desired shape by the dentist. Once set, the resin is trimmed, smoothed and polished to a natural appearance.
Considerations
The bonding procedure can often be completed in a single office visit, and can improve the appearance of a tooth significantly. However, since the plastic resin used is not as strong as your natural tooth enamel, it typically lasts three to five years before need of repair.
Smile Whitening
Key Benefits
- Corrects brown, yellow and mottled tooth staining
- Works on people of all ages.
- Is a conservative solution for a “dull” smile, restoring brightness and
making your smile sparkle.
We offer three alternatives to brighten your smile.
- We can make customized trays for your teeth that hold the bleaching agent and whiten while you sleep or wear the trays around your home or office for a few hours a day.
- We can whiten your teeth in just one office visit using the BriteSmile technique. With this method patients spend about 90 minutes in the office where we apply a whitening agent to the tooth surfaces and activate the bleeching gel with a special “whitening” light. For those who are pressed for time, this is the most expeditious way to get beautiful results.
- Finally, for teeth that are badly discolored or very grey, we offer Power Bleaching, a method that combines the best of tray and in office bleaching procedures.
Either way, a brighter smile will help you feel better about how you feel about yourself.
Invisalign
By using a series of clear, removable aligners, Invisalign straightens your teeth with results you’ll notice sooner than you think. The course of treatment involves changing aligners approximately every two weeks, moving your teeth into straighter position step by step, until you have a more beautiful smile. And unlike braces, these clear aligners can be removed while you eat and brush your teeth as usual.
Since Invisalign is practically invisible, there’s no unwarranted attention to your mouth. In fact, very few people will notice at all – unless you tell them. They’re comfortable to wear and remove easily when you eat, brush, and floss.
Unlike traditional orthodontics or braces, Invisalign has no metal bands or wires to trap food and plaque. Maintaining a good oral hygiene program will also reduce chances of plaque buildup, tooth decay and periodontal disease.
We are proud to add that Dr. Sorin is a certified Invisalign provider. Dr. Sorin has completed the Advanced Certification II Course and has continued to build his clinical expertise by attending numerous Orthodontic continuing education courses.