Our Services

Our Services

Cosmetic Dentistry

The first thing most people notice is your smile.  We offer a variety of advanced techniques to create the smile of your dreams.

Teeth Whitening

Woodbury Smile Design – Teeth Whitening

What is Teeth Whitening?

Tooth whitening is a procedure that lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discoloration. Whitening is among the most popular cosmetic dental procedures because it can significantly improve the appearance of your teeth at much less cost and inconvenience than other techniques.

Every day, a thin coating forms on your teeth and it picks up stains. Also, the outer layer of each tooth, called the enamel, contains pores that can hold stains. Whitening is not a one-time solution. It will need to be repeated periodically if you want to maintain the brighter color.

Why do Teeth Whitening?

The most common reasons for yellowing or stained teeth are aging, tobacco, tea, cola, and coffee, which can stain the surface of the teeth. It is also possible to have stains that are inside the tooth. These are called intrinsic stains. For example, intrinsic stains can be caused by exposure to too much fluoride as a child while teeth are developing. Other causes include tetracycline antibiotics taken during the second half of pregnancy or given to children 8 years old or younger when the teeth are still developing. Tooth whitening is most effective on surface stains caused by age, foods or drinks.

Preparations Before Teeth Whitening

Cavities need to be treated before teeth are whitened because the whitening solution can penetrate decay and reach inner areas of the tooth, which can cause sensitivity. Also, whitening will not work on exposed tooth roots, because roots do not have an enamel layer. Receding gums can cause roots to become exposed. Whitening also does not work on crowns or veneers.

Vital Whitening

The most common type of vital tooth whitening involves placing a gel-like whitening solution, which usually contains hydrogen peroxides, in a tray that resembles a night guard or mouth guard. The tray is then placed over the teeth for an hour a day for about 2 weeks. Then touch ups can be done as necessary.

Zoom

Our in office teeth whitening procedure is called Zoom. The Zoom in office whitening system will make your teeth dramatically whiter in less than an hour. On average, Zoom can whiten teeth up to 8 shades! The procedure is simple. It begins with a short preparation to cover your lips and gums leaving only your teeth exposed. The zoom whitening gel is then placed and designed to be used with a special light. The light and gel work together to gently penetrate your teeth breaking up stains and discoloration.

Contact our office for your teeth whitening

If you feel your teeth would benefit from whitening, contact our dental office to discuss the procedure.

• Porcelain Veneers

• Lumineers

Woodbury Smile Design – Cerinate Lumineers

Woodbury Smile Design – Crowns

Crowns

A crown is a tooth-shaped cover placed over a tooth that is badly damaged or decayed. A crown, which many people call a cap, is made to look like your tooth.

Crowns may be placed for several reasons, but generally the tooth has been extensively damaged by decay or breakage and filling material can’t replace the missing tooth structure and make the tooth strong enough. A crown may hold together parts of a cracked tooth and can be used to hold a bridge in place. Crowns also are used for cosmetic purposes to cover misshapen or badly discolored teeth.

Crowns can be all metal, porcelain fused to metal (PFM), or all porcelain. Metals include gold alloy, other alloys (palladium) or a base-metal alloy (nickel or porcelain). The all-metal or PFM crowns are stronger and are better choices for back teeth. Anterior crowns are indistinguishable from natural teeth.

After a Crown

You shouldn’t feel any discomfort or sensitivity after a crown is placed, though if your tooth still has the nerve in it, you may have some hot/cold sensitivity. If you notice pain or sensitivity when you bite down, you should contact your dentist. Usually this means that the crown is too high on the tooth. This can be fixed easily.

Woodbury Smile Design – Bridges

Bridges

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. A bridge is made up of two crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap – these two anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth – and a false tooth/teeth in between. These false teeth are called pontics.

Bridges can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain or a combination of these materials. Dental bridges are supported by natural teeth or implants.

What are the benefits of dental bridges?

Bridges:

• Restore your smile
• Restore your ability to properly chew and speak
• Maintain the shape of your face
• Distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth
• Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position

What types of dental bridges are available?

There are two main types of bridges:

• Traditional bridges involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic in between. Traditional bridges are the most common type of bridge and are made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics.
• Maryland bonded bridges (also called a resin-bonded bridge or a Maryland bridge) are made of porcelain fused to metal teeth supported by a metal framework. Metal wings or tooth colored on each side of the bridge are bonded to your existing teeth.

Will it be difficult to eat with a dental bridge?

Replacing missing teeth should actually make eating easier. Until you become accustomed to the bridge, eat soft foods that have been cut into small pieces.

Will the dental bridge change how I speak?

It can be difficult to speak clearly when teeth are missing in the front or anterior areas. Wearing a dental bridge with the anterior teeth in their proper relationship will help you speak properly.

How do I care for my bridges?

It is important to keep your remaining teeth healthy and strong as the success of the bridge depends on the solid foundation offered by the surrounding teeth. Brushing twice a day and flossing daily helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease that can lead to tooth loss. Our dentist or dental hygienist can demonstrate how to properly brush and floss your
teeth. Keeping a regular cleaning schedule will help diagnose problems at an early stage when treatment has a better prognosis.

Woodbury Smile Design – White Fillings

ADVANTAGES OF WHITE FILLINGS:

• Since they bond to the tooth, composite fillings restore most of the original strength of the tooth. Silver weakens the teeth, making them more susceptible
  to breaking. Since broken teeth are very expensive to restore, composites can save a lot of expense over the long run.
• Composite fillings restore the natural appearance of the tooth.
• Teeth restored with white fillings are less sensitive to hot and cold than teeth
  restored with amalgam, if correct techniques are used.
• Composites are mercury-free. Mercury in the fillings is viewed by some as being
  toxic.
• Composites require less removal of tooth structure. Especially with new cavities, the size of the hole made for the filling can be dramatically smaller
  with composites.

Endodontics

Occasionally, a tooth’s nerve chamber will become infected, requiring a root canal to save the tooth. This treatment cleans the infected chamber and repairs the damage, saving your natural tooth. Our office utilizes a procedure that is both comfortable and completed in less time than previous methods. Often this procedure can be completed in one visit.

Laser Diagnosis of Cavities – Diagnodent Diagnodent is a major breakthrough that allows us to detect tooth decay that x-rays cannot see.   We can now locate hidden decay in it’s earliest stage, and with treatment stop the spread of the disease before it destroys the tooth from within.

Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy
Proper hygiene care and regular checkups is key to maintaining healthy gums and teeth.  Periodontal disease is a common oral infection.  Gum disease is a painless and slow progressing disease that destroys the bony support of the teeth, and because it doesn’t usually hurt, most patients aren’t aware they have this problem.

Invisalign is a groundbreaking alternative way to straighten your teeth without braces. Invisalign uses a series of removable aligners that are virtually invisible, so you don’t have to worry about your appearance. You can take them out for daily necessities like eating, drinking, brushing and flossing. Comfortable, convenient, and complementary to your smile, Invisalign is the preferred method of teeth alignment for patients

Implants

Dental implants are artificial tooth replacements used to replace teeth. Although there are a number of restorative options for the treatment of missing teeth, none have proven to be as functionally effective and as durable as implants. Dental implants can last the rest of your life. They cannot decay. In most cases, the adjacent teeth do not have to be shaped down.