The Benefits of All-Porcelain Crowns

When you experience significant dental decay or simply have a tooth that doesn't look as good as you'd like, a dental crown provides a cosmetic and functional treatment solution. A dental crown is placed over a damaged tooth and is custom-made for your smile. While many think of a crown as being made of metal, our Campbell, CA dentist's office provides all-porcelain crowns for improved cosmetic effect and durability.

Life-Like Cosmetic Restorations
 
Porcelain crowns are made of a luminous material that is designed to look as close to a real tooth as possible. Their advanced aesthetic quality means they are especially good choices for front teeth that require restoration.
 
Crowns can be used to protect and repair a decayed tooth, restore a severely worn-down tooth, covering for a dental implant to replacing a missing tooth, or cosmetically improve a misshapen or severely discolored tooth. When your all-porcelain restoration is complete, it will naturally complement the appearance of the rest of your smile. 
   
Porcelain Crowns vs. Metal-Based Crowns
 
Before porcelain crowns were widely available or made to be as durable as they are today, metal crowns with a tooth-colored covering were the standard treatment choice. While these porcelain-over-metal crowns are durable, they do not offer the cosmetic benefits that porcelain crowns do. The translucency and color-matching possible with all-porcelain crowns make them ideal for matching the qualities of other teeth in your smile.
 
While cosmetic appearance in dental restorations is certainly important, there are many other reasons to choose a porcelain crown. Metal crowns are not sensitive to hot and cold - they can expand and contract with changing temperatures, which can cause discomfort or negatively impact underlying dental enamel.
 
Metal crowns can also cause soft tissue irritation in those allergic to metals commonly used in dental restorations -- these include nickel, chromium and palladium. Porcelain is not associated with causing allergic reactions and is gentle on gum tissue.
 
Learn More about Porcelain Crowns
 
Porcelain crowns can make damaged teeth look as natural as your own. With advancements in materials and fabrication processes, porcelain crowns are as long-lasting and resistant to wear as metal-based restorations.
 
To learn more about options for restoring teeth with all-porcelain crowns, please contact Hughes Dental Group for your consultation.

When Do I Need a Dental Crown?

If a dental crown has been recommended as a part of your treatment plan, it’s likely that you have a tooth that has been severely decayed. Dental crowns are used for replacing the entire top part of your tooth – what’s visible above the gum line – to stop the spread of decay, and help you regain a strong bite.  But crowns can be used for a variety of reasons, or can be substituted for other dental restorations in some circumstances.

Crowns Used in Cosmetic Restorations

Dental crowns can be used for more cosmetic purposes as well. Crowns are traditionally made with a metal base coated in a porcelain, tooth-colored finish, but can also be made of pure porcelain or ceramic to more closely mimic the appearance of a natural tooth. If you have teeth that are too-small, or if your natural teeth are gapped and crowded, a cosmetic dentist can place a crown on a tooth to alter its shape and alignment. This method requires buffing-down existing dental enamel, so it’s typically only indicated for a tooth that needs restoration in the event of extensive cosmetic damage, like a large chip or crack.

Alternatives to Dental Crowns

The process for getting a dental crown does involve some preparation. In order to correct instances of decay and damage, the affected tooth is buffed and polished to accept the restoration. When dental enamel is healthy enough, however, more conservative restorations are used to preserve natural tooth structure.

Onlays and inlays can treat moderate decay by filling-in only the damaged parts of teeth, as opposed to the entire top part of a tooth. Onlays and inlays offer enhanced cosmetic benefit as well, if they are created from tooth-colored materials like porcelain.

In the event that a flaw on one of your teeth is small (like a very fine crack or a minor chip), composite dental bonding can sometimes be a viable alternative to a dental crown. Composite resin is built-up directly on teeth to hide any damage or replace broken enamel.

Do I Need a Crown? An Onlay? Or Dental Bonding?

Only your dentist will be able to tell you which restorative treatment will provide the best results for your long-term oral health and wellness. At Hughes Dental Group, we’re proud to offer cosmetic restorations that include porcelain crowns, bonding, and onlays and inlays. Contact our office for more information or if you need help deciding if a dental crown is right for you.

What to Expect with Zoom! Teeth Whitening

Getting your smile to look whiter and healthier can be easily achieved with an in-office whitening treatment from Zoom! Unlike hit-and-miss drugstore whitening products, professional whitening from our dental office provides patients with the dramatically brighter results they’re hoping for. If you’re interested in same-day teeth whitening, but aren’t sure what to expect from treatment, consider the following:

During your Teeth Whitening Appointment

To brighten your teeth, our dentists will apply a layer of whitening agent to teeth and then activate the gel with a special light for around 15 minutes. You’ll be provided with eyewear during this phase of treatment. We’ll also use a protective barrier so that the whitening gel does not irritate soft tissue, such as gums or the inside of checks. This application and activation process will be repeated a few times to ensure that your teeth are whitened to the desired shade.

Minimizing any Post Treatment Discomfort

It’s possible for all whitening treatments, even drugstore whitening products, to cause some post-treatment sensitivity. Any discomfort you encounter is temporary and can be alleviated with over-the-counter medication. Patients with especially sensitive teeth may want to consider our at-home whitening with Opalesence, which contains ingredients that help limit sensitivity during and after teeth bleaching.

After Your Same-Day Whitening Treatment

To keep your smile looking fresh, and to avoid staining your teeth immediately after treatment, it’s important to avoid eating and drinking certain things for 48 hours after your teeth have been bleached. Be careful not consume highly pigmented foods and drinks like red wine, tomato sauce, coffee, and dark soft drinks. A good rule of thumb to consider is: if it would stain a white tablecloth, it could stain your teeth as well.

If you have questions about same-day teeth whitening with Zoom! or how you can achieve a brighter smile with any our of whitening therapies, contact Hughes Dental Group for more information.

Tips for Keeping Your Teeth White

We all know that we should be brush twice a day, but if you are among those who want whiter teeth, you’ll have to look beyond a basic healthcare regimen. Keep the following tips in mind when trying to boost the whiteness of your smile:

Kick your Bad Habits

Are you a red wine aficionado? Do you drink cups of tea of coffee each day? Or are you a cigarette smoker? Those drinks and bad habits aren't doing your teeth any favors. Dark foods and beverages, as well as tobacco products, can stain your teeth. Either cut them out completely, or spend some time cleaning your teeth immediately after you’ve finished your coffee, tea, or wine.

Choose More Veggies

Your dietary choices don't just impact your weight and energy levels, they can also impact your teeth. Foods that are fibrous, such as celery, lettuce, and apples, can actually go some way to removing existing stains. Because they are naturally abrasive, they help prevent stain molecules from attaching to teeth enamel.

Find a Whitening Treatment that Works 

Whitening treatments are high on the list of the most popular cosmetic therapies. If you find that your smile needs an extra boost of whitening, there are at-home whitening kits and even whitening treatments that we offer in our Campbell, CA cosmetic dental office that can help.

We use Opalesence® at-home teeth whitening trays that are custom-made just for you. You’ll wear the tray, which holds the whitening solution, for just minutes a day until your smile is the desired shade of white. If you’re interested in same-day teeth whitening, we offer Zoom! whitening. Zoom! only takes an hour to complete – you’ll leave our office the same day with a whiter smile.

Questions about Teeth Whitening?

We’re happy to help you find a way to a brighter smile. Contact our cosmetic dentists to learn more about teeth whitening treatments and at-home care.

How Do I Care for My Invisalign® Aligners?

You're on the path to a straighter, healthier smile –  and,while your Invisalign® retainers are doing all the straightening, it's still your job to make sure your aligners are clean each day. If you’re wearing your clear aligners all the time, what can you do to keep them in top shape? And what happens if you don't?

Cleaning Your Aligners Each Day

We're all familiar with how clear Invisalign® aligning trays are. The clear plastic retainers have been customized to closely fit to your teeth, and other people hardly every notice them. In fact, when placed on a table top or counter, it can be hard to find them – that's how clear they are. But if they aren't cared for properly, their transparency will be affected and so will your smile.

A simple solution for keeping aligners clean is frequent brushing and rinsing. Think you might forget? Try this: For each time you brush your teeth, brush your trays too. Invisalign® aligners can be cleaned using special cleaning "crystals" or tablets (ask our office about these).

To clean your aligners, follow these simple steps:

• Rinse aligners with lukewarm or tepid water. Warm, or hot water can cause the retainers to lose their shape and become uncomfortable, or even unwearable.  

• Using a soft-bristled toothbrush, and using circular motions, brush all of the surfaces of your aligner. Do not use toothpaste, as the abrasive quality of the paste can affect the invisibility of your aligners. Thoroughly rinse the trays in lukewarm water.

• In case of calcium build-up, soak aligners in a cleaning solution as recommended by our office. Do not soak your retainer in mouthwash, as it can discolor the trays. 

Smoking is strongly discouraged, since it can cause discoloration and staining on aligners, just as it does on teeth. 

Clean Teeth = Clean Aligner Trays

Although the trays are removed to eat and drink, leaving food and debris on your teeth can lead to dental problems, including gum disease. Brushing and flossing each time you eat or drink and before you re-insert your trays prevents debris from being trapped on teeth, causing oral health problems.

If you have any questions about good oral health practices for clear braces, contact our office to speak to one of our friendly dental professionals.

Five Benefits of Choosing Lumineers®

Having a set of porcelain veneers fitted to your teeth can make an incredible difference in aesthetic, giving you a bright white and attractive smile. While all porcelain veneers can improve your appearance, some styles of veneers provide offer advantages over others. Lumineers®, for example, are minimal-prep cosmetic treatments that help patients get flawless smiles in only a few dental visits.

Comfortable, Minimal-Prep Treatment 

Lumineers® are laminates, and as such as are much thinner than standard veneers. The process for fitting Lumineers® therefore requires that the dentist buff down only a thin layer of enamel from each tooth to accommodate the veneers. The Lumineers® treatment process is slightly faster and doesn’t require anesthetic or other numbing agents for the sake of patient comfort.

Fewer Problems for People with Sensitive Teeth or Gums

Standard types porcelain veneers cause discomfort to the gum line, but Lumineers® are so thin that they are much less likely to cause similar issues for cosmetic dental patients.

You Get a Naturally Beautiful Smile 

The thinness of Lumineers® provides yet another advantage: they have increased translucency, which means your smile looks more natural than it might with thicker porcelain veneers. Lumineers® are color-matched to blend with any natural teeth, just like traditional veneers, but their high level of translucency ensures that your teeth don’t look obviously treated or fake in any way.

Long-Lasting Treatment

Most porcelain veneers last ten to fifteen years under optimal conditions and with good care. Lumineers® can last up to twenty years if they are cared for properly, with good oral hygiene at home, along with regular dental visits.

If You Change Your Mind, Treatment is Reversible

If, at any time, you decide that Lumineers® don’t help you meet your cosmetic dental goals, they can be removed entirely. Again, this is thanks to the thinness of the veneers and that only minimal amounts of your own tooth structure were altered in preparation for treatment. Unlike most other veneers, Lumineers® can be safely removed at any time, with your natural smile’s structure and integrity in-tact.

Lumineers® help our patients get beautifully restored smiles in just two visits to our cosmetic dental office. If you have questions about getting porcelain veneers, contact our office to schedule your consultation.

The Benefits of Porcelain Cosmetic Dentistry

When searching for cosmetic dental treatments, the outcome must offer resilience, be long-lasting, and natural-looking. The restoration should also function just like a tooth, and provide stability. It's a tall order, but thanks to advancements in cosmetic dentistry, patients have more materials and treatments to choose from – among them, the option to select porcelain restorations as your treatment of choice.

The Benefits of Porcelain Cosmetic Dentistry 

Porcelain is made by heating raw minerals at high temperatures, which produces a strong and highly durable material.

In dentistry, porcelain can be sculpted and custom-designed to closely mimic the look of real dental enamel and functions similarly to a natural tooth. Porcelain is versatile, and can be used in inlays, onlays, crown, veneers, and more. Our cosmetic dentistry patients choose porcelain restorations for any of the following reasons:

• Natural Appearance – Porcelain is opaque and tooth-like in color. It also possesses similar luminosity (or light-reflecting properties) that mimics that of the tooth's enamel. Porcelain can be shaped and colored to resemble the natural tooth to such an extent that it is indistinguishable from neighboring teeth.
• Strength – As a manufactured material, porcelain offers reliable strength and can withstand force, including that of full biting and chewing power 
• Gum Health – Porcelain doesn't aggravate gum tissue, that way that metal amalgam can.
• Versatility – Porcelain can be used for crowns, veneers, onlays, inlays, bridges, and other cosmetic treatments. It offers a conservative approach to changing a tooth's color and shape without compromise. Porcelain is highly stain resistant and provides a long-term solution to dental problems.

If you're looking for a way to get natural-looking cosmetic dentistry, our porcelain dental treatments offer the perfect solution. Contact our office to learn more about cosmetic dentistry and your options for care.