Teeth Whitening
There are a few teeth whitening procedures available that correct discoloration of the teeth by removing the brown and yellow staining. While each works effectively, there are advantages and disadvantages to each procedure depending on your objectives and commitment to the processes. Although teeth whitening is not a permanent change, the results can last up to one or two years, depending on your personal habits.

At-Home Teeth Bleaching
Teeth bleaching is a chemical process used to lighten the color of your teeth. Your dentist creates a custom mouth tray which ensures that the correct amount of whitening solution is used and your teeth are properly exposed to the whitening solution.
A home whitening session can last for two to three hours, during which time you will have the tray and solution in your mouth. Depending upon your needs and desired results, your dentist may instruct you to keep the tray in your mouth overnight. Typically, you will follow your home teeth whitening regimen for two to three weeks.

Laser Bleaching
This in-office bleaching system uses a laser with whitening gel. The translucent bleaching gel is applied to the teeth and a laser light is used to activate the crystals to absorb the energy from the light and penetrate the teeth enamel to increase the lightening effect on the teeth. The length of time in the cosmetic dentist’s chair depends on the degree of discoloration you have.

Zoom!™ Chairside Teeth Whitening
Zoom!™ Chairside Whitening has become popular in recent years due to the publicity on shows like Extreme Makeover. Zoom!™ is an in-office whitening procedure which begins by applying protective covering your gums and lips, leaving only your teeth exposed. The Zoom!™ whitening gel is then applied to your teeth, followed by the Zoom!™ light. The procedure lasts approximately 45 minutes, and you go home with a whiter smile. Rather than using a laser, Zoom!™ uses a mercury metal halide light with an infrared filter.

Veneers
Dental veneers, sometimes called tooth veneers, can be used to correct both color and shape problems. They are offered in different materials and varying application procedures.

Composite Veneer Procedure:
Composite (direct) veneers are usually performed in a single visit to your cosmetic dentist. The procedure is an application of a bond and enamel directly to the tooth’s surface.

Porcelain Veneer Procedure:å
Porcelain (indirect) veneers are a very thin porcelain material. Usually porcelain veneers require two visits and also require a dental laboratory to create the final tooth restoration piece.

Lumineers®
LUMINEERS® BY CERINATE® are porcelain veneers that offer the painless way to a permanently whiter and perfectly aligned smile. Your LUMINEERS dentist can apply these contact lens-thin “smile shapers” to teeth without any grinding or shaving, transforming teeth into a naturally beautiful smile that looks perfect for every individual. LUMINEERS can even be placed over existing crown or bridgework without having to replace them.

Implants
Dental implants are fixtures of titanium which are surgically screwed into your jaw bone. The implant is an anchor for a naturally-appearing false tooth or a set of false teeth. They are typically best placed in the front portion of your lower jaw and are ideal for replacing missing teeth.

Root Form Implant
This screw-type implant is shaped like the root of a tooth. This is the most commonly used implant and is used where there is plenty of width and depth to your jawbone. After you’ve received anesthesia, your cosmetic dentist will expose an area of your jawbone and prepare the bone for the implant. The implant will be set into place and your gums are closed with stitches. It will take three to six months for healing. After you’ve fully healed, your implant is uncovered and an abutment, or base for the crown, is attached.

Plate Form Implant
If your jawbone is too narrow for bone grafting, a Plate Form implant is placed into your jawbone. The Plate Form implant is unique for this purpose as it has a flat and long shape for a better fit into a narrow jawbone. The implant will be set into place and your gums are closed with stitches. It will take three to six months for healing (some Plate Form implants are immediately ready for restoration without the long healing process).

Subperiosteal Implants
If there’s not enough bone width or height for the Root Form or Plate Form implants, the Subperiosteal implant is recommended. The Subperiosteal implant is custom-made to rest on top of your jawbone and under your gums like the Plate Form implant, but the Subperiosteal implant is placed through one of two special methods.

The first method of placement involves your dentist making an impression of your jawbone. After you’ve received anesthesia, your cosmetic dentist exposes your jawbone and takes an impression of it. The impression is used by a dental laboratory to make a custom-fit implant for your jaw. The next procedure is to again expose your jawbone and place the implant. Your gums are then closed with stitches and replacement teeth are installed.

The second method of placement requires a CAT scan of your jawbone. Through computer modeling techniques, a model of your jawbone is made from the CAT information. After your custom-fit Subperiosteal implant is created by a dental laboratory, is to again expose your jawbone and place the implant. Your gums are then closed with stitches and replacement teeth are installed.

Dental bridge
A dental bridge is a false tooth, known as a pontic, which is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in the area left by a missing tooth. The two crowns holding it in place that are attached onto your teeth on each side of the false tooth. This is known as a fixed bridge. This procedure is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed bridges cannot be taken out of your mouth as you might do with removable partial dentures.

Accelerated Orthodontics
Accelerated orthodontics addresses the straightening, spacing, closing of gaps and repositioning of your front teeth. The result is fast, usually only three to eight months. Accelerated orthodontics uses proven orthodontic and periodontic techniques. This treatment involves a team of dental specialists that have been specifically trained in accelerated orthodontics. There is minor in-office procedure in addition to conventional orthodontic treatment. Techniques to “slim” or reduce the widths of your teeth provide the space needed to correct any crowding of your teeth.

Tooth Contouring and Reshaping
Dental reshaping and contouring is a procedure to correct crooked teeth, chipped teeth, cracked teeth or even overlapping teeth in just one session. The dental contouring procedure can even be a substitute for braces under certain circumstances. It is also a procedure of subtle changes. A few millimeters of reduction and a few millimeters of tooth-colored laminate can create a beautiful smile.

Straighten your teeth without braces. Invisalign uses a series of clear aligners that are custom-molded to fit you. The virtually invisible aligners gradually reposition your teeth just like traditional braces. You take them out for daily activities like brushing, eating, drinking, and flossing.