COSMETIC DENTISTRY
Create the Smile of Your Dreams with Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Kathryn Spencer, Dr Betsy Hill and the entire staff at Cool Springs Family Dentistry believe that each of our patients deserve a smile they can be proud to show off. We offer a variety of cosmetic dentistry solutions to correct such common aesthetic flaws as stained teeth, broken teeth, or teeth that are chipped, cracked, misshapen, or crooked. We invite you to learn more about the cosmetic dentistry procedures offered by Dr. Spencer and Dr. Hill. Contact us at (615) 942-7811 to schedule your smile makeover consultation!
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of tooth-colored porcelain that Dr. Spencer and Dr. Hill can use to cover stains or mask flaws such as cracked, broken, or misshapen teeth. Porcelain veneers are sometimes referred to as “instant orthodontics” because they can also be applied to straighten the appearance of a crooked smile in some cases.
Tooth Whitening
Tooth whitening is perhaps the most commonly sought after cosmetic dentistry procedure. Even the most beautiful smile can appear unhealthy or dull when teeth are stained or yellowed. This is a wonderful, non-invasive procedure we are happy to provide for our patients. To start, there is a brief and painless impression appointment. From the impression taken, custom bleaching trays are made for you. We educate our patient on the use of bleach and how to get the results they desire. Tray bleaching is a safe way to greatly improve dental aesthetics without shots or drilling, and it’s easy to apply! Whitening teeth is an easy way improve the aesthetics of your teeth and we would love to aid in this and hopefully increase your confidence in your smile!
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
By applying a thin coating of a tooth-colored resin composite material to teeth, we can improve the appearance of a number of cosmetic flaws. If a tooth has small chips, we can remove any badly damaged tooth structure and replace it with “tooth colored filling” called “bonding” or “composite resin”. This filling material adheres to the tooth and creates a barrier so bacteria, sugars, and other toxins don’t reach the inside of the tooth. Bonding comes in many shades and colors and match your tooth color beautifully.
Dental Crowns
A dental crown (also known sometimes as a “cap”) is simply a protective covering for a badly damaged tooth. When a tooth has been damaged by severe decay, is badly broken, or has a very large filling that is breaking down… that tooth must be restored with a crown to prevent any further damage. Crowns generally require a minimum of 2 appointments. The first appointment includes numbing the tooth, removing the decay and preparing the tooth for the final restoration, taking an impression to send to the laboratory, and having a temporary crown fabricated and placed for you to wear while the permanent crown is being made at the lab. We then send off your case to the laboratory to create a custom-fit crown for your tooth. The second appointment, which is usually 2-3 weeks after the first, involves trying in the permanent crown to be sure it fits and functions properly. The crown is then cemented on the tooth. Crowns can be made of different materials; porcelain, porcelain-fused to-metal, or gold. Porcelain crowns are the most aesthetically pleasing, and therefore are our most popular crowns.
Dental Bridges
A bridge is an artificial tooth that is held in place by a dental crown on either side of the gap created by the missing tooth. If you are missing one or more teeth and you desire the replacement to be attached in your mouth (rather than a removable option), or you are not a candidate for an implant, a bridge could be a good option.
Full Dentures and Partials
We offer both full and partial dentures to our patients. dentures are removable replacement teeth. For people who are missing teeth, dentures provide a relatively quick and low-cost way of replacing these teeth, regaining chewing ability, self esteem, and the ability to smile. Placing implants under dentures and partial dentures allows them to stay in place more firmly without need for adhesives and is a great way to increase satisfaction of a removable denture.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically inserted into a patient’s jawbone to support permanent replacement teeth. Unlike dentures, dental implants are not to be removed for cleaning, and they allow for more comfortable eating and speaking. We have several trusted surgeons we refer our patients to for the placement of the dental implants — and then our patients return to us for the placement of the abutment and crown on the implant (the part that makes the implant look like a normal tooth).
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Amalgam fillings are composed of metals and trace amounts of mercury, which, in addition to creating an unfavorable appearance, can be harmful to a patient’s health if not properly sealed. For this reason, Cool Springs Family Dentistry only uses composite (“tooth-colored”) fillings. Composite fillings are less likely to cause tooth fractures than large metal fillings. Composite fillings are also virtually undetectable by your eye, which makes your smile healthy and beautiful at the same time. These fillings come in many shades and colors and match your tooth color beautifully.
Smile Makeover or Smile Design
Many of our patients combine a number of cosmetic dentistry procedures to achieve their ideal smiles. To learn more about the smile makeover or smile design opportunities available to our patients, we encourage you to make an appointment to consult with Dr. Spencer or Dr. Hill. Call us today at (615) 942-7811 for more information.