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, veneers, and white fillings allow us to create a beautiful smile with minimal changes to existing teeth.

Bleaching (Whitening) is a very popular procedure in cosmetic dentistry. It is a simple, effective, permanent technique for obtaining a dazzling, whiter smile at home in a matter of days.

Bonding is simply adding a little tooth-colored material to "fill in the blanks." One of the most frequent uses of the bonding technique is to fill in a gap between front teeth.

Veneers are custom, 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!

Orthodontics is no longer just braces. Arch expanders can sometimes be used in younger children to prevent or minimize any need for braces. A patient that needs braces now has a choice of silver or white/clear brackets. Retainers may be used to help maintain straight teeth.

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© Copyright 2003- Dental WebSmith, Inc. and Robert L. Sweet, D.D.S., P.A. All rights reserved. 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.

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