Filling & Cosmetic Dentistry

Replacing missing teeth is more than a matter of maintaining a good smile. Gaps left by missing teeth can cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, which may result in problems with normal biting. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and interfere with the ability to speak and chew.

When a tooth becomes badly damaged or decayed or has been restored multiple times, the result is a tooth composed of more filling than natural tooth. A filling is no longer adequate to keep the tooth strong. The best solution for these teeth is to fit a crown (also referred to as a cap) over it. The crown can also be used to improve the appearance of misshapen or discoloured teeth.

Crowns may be fabricated from cast gold, other metals, porcelain or a combination, depending on the position, function and appearance of the tooth needing to be fixed.

Bridges are employed to replace one or more missing teeth, spanning the gap in your mouth. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants, called abutments, surrounding the empty space. A replacement tooth, or a ‘pontic,’ is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. Porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the colour of your natural teeth. Bridges are cemented over the abutment or anchor teeth and are not removable.

As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges, which is governed by considerations such as the location of the missing teeth, aesthetics, how important the missing teeth are to chewing, and cost.

Your teeth are designed to last a lifetime. As your dentists, we will do everything in our power to preserve them. That said, sometimes tooth extraction (removal) is necessary. This may be because of crowding, decay, infection or an impacted wisdom tooth.

The extraction procedure will be explained to you ahead of time, so you know what to expect. The proper applications of anesthetic and advanced dental techniques should that the procedure be done with the least amount of discomfort to the patient.

After the extraction, we will work to ensure your smooth recovery. The process includes measures to stop infection and bleeding, and recommendations for pain relief, reducing swelling and diet. We will also schedule follow-up care appointments as needed.

Having a white smile is not as easy as Hollywood makes it appear. Teeth can be discoloured by tobacco, beverages, such as coffee and red wine, and a variety of foods. Calculus or tartar can also affect the colour of teeth. Staining under the surface can be caused by certain antibiotics or tiny cracks that hold the stains. Aging can also a culprit.

The truth is, few of us are born with brilliant white smiles. In most cases, the natural colour of teeth falls within a range of light greyish-yellow shades. That said, steps can be taken to brighten your smile.

In our office we now offer 2 popular ways to whiten your teeth:

1. IN OFFICE BLEACHING: This procedure involves a 90 minute visit where the bleach is applied to your teeth and a special light expedites the action of the bleach. The end result is immediate. This method is NOT recommended to patients with sensitive teeth.
2. TAKE HOME BLEACHING: We fabricate custom trays from models of the patient’s teeth. They are given bleach to place in these trays and wear for 30 min, 2X/day for 2 weeks. Brushing with a special bleach mixed in toothpaste. The net result is the same as the In Office Bleaching, but there is less risk of tooth sensitivity, at a lower cost.

Dental veneers are extremely thin, tailor-made shells that cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance by changing their colour, shape, size, or length. Veneers are usually made of porcelain or composite resin.

Porcelain veneers are stronger than composites. A thin layer of the enamel is removed from your teeth to make room for the veneers, which are created from molds of your teeth. While they are being made in the laboratory, temporary veneers may be put in place. Several days later we remove the temporary material and put a mild chemical on your teeth to roughen them a little, helping the porcelain veneers to stick. The porcelain veneers are then bonded to your teeth, using composite resin cement.
They generally last at least 5-10 years and do not stain or change colour. They also better mimic the light-reflecting properties of natural teeth.

With composite resin veneers, the resin is applied on your tooth in layers. When the last layer is hardened, we shape and polish the veneer to form your tooth, colour-matching it to your other teeth. Although there is less removal of enamel, resin veneers generally do not last as long as porcelain (usually not more than 4-5 years) and are not as strong or as colour-stable.

A smile should draw attention to itself and not recent dental work. Tooth-coloured fillings can be matched to your real tooth colour, so no one can tell that you have had work done. In almost all cases, routine restorations (fillings) are now done by bonding composite resin (a type of plastic) to your teeth to fill them.