Cosmetic Dentistry for Smile Enhancement
Are you unhappy with your smile?
Is it embarrassing to laugh without covering your mouth?
Do you cringe when someone whips out their camera (or smartphone) and shouts “Say cheese!”?
If your pearly whites aren’t so pearly anymore, or your teeth are crooked, chipped, or missing—cosmetic dentistry is just what the doctor ordered.
While general dental care focuses primarily on the overall health of your teeth and gums, cosmetic dentistry aims to improve the look of your smile so that you don’t have to be ashamed of showing your teeth ever again. Here at Alaska Dental Associates, we’ve been helping patients restore their pearly whites with cosmetic dentistry in Anchorage for years.
Cosmetic Dentistry in Anchorage
There is no one single procedure involved in cosmetic dentistry. Instead, we’ll listen to your needs, examine your current dental health, and then decide the proper course of treatments to give you the smile you deserve. This could involve any combination of teeth whitening, dental veneers, crowns, implants, and more. You can read more detailed descriptions of these procedures further down the page.
Before undergoing any kind of cosmetic procedure, Dr. Triggs must complete a detailed dental examination. This is just to assure that any problems are only visual, and are not the signs of what might actually be a deeper dental health issue. After your oral health is confirmed, we’ll decide exactly what it will take to restore your teeth to their former beauty.
Finding Your Perfect Smile
When getting ready for the procedure, there is one important question that you need to prepare an answer for when you come: What do you want your smile to look like? That’s a very open question, of course, so here are a few more to answer:
What are the problems (or good parts!) about the shape, spacing, size, and color of your teeth?
Do you want a perfect “Hollywood smile”, or do you prefer a more natural look?
Are you happy with how much your gums and teeth show?
Take a close look at your smile in the mirror and consider your answers. Then bring all of that to our Anchorage cosmetic dentistry specialists, and we’ll find a way to give you the best smile possible.
Common Cosmetic Dental Procedures
Given that there are various procedures you can expect or ask for, here is a basic overview of the most common ones we offer for cosmetic dentistry in Anchorage.
Inlays and Onlays
Made in a dental laboratory, these are also known as indirect fillings. This cosmetic dental procedure is used when there is mild tooth decay, or when there isn’t enough structure to support a complete filling.
Inlays are used when there is no damage to the tooth cusps and are applied to the surface. Onlays are used when a great portion of the tooth has been damaged and their entire surface must be covered. They help strengthen the teeth and restore their shape, while also preventing further deterioration.
Composite Bonding
Composite bonding is used to repair teeth that have become decayed, discolored, or damaged. The bonding itself is a material that is very similar to your average tooth.
First, any existing decay must be removed from the affected area. Then the material is applied to the surface, with our cosmetic dentist sculpting it to fit your bite before it is finally cured through the use of a high-intensity light. This procedure is ideal due to its two-fold effect of addressing both the look and the health of your teeth.
Dental Veneers
Made from medical ceramic, dental veneers are designed to resemble each patient’s natural teeth. They’re very hard to distinguish from normal teeth and help solve many cosmetic problems, such as cracked teeth. Our Anchorage cosmetic dentist applies the veneer through the use of a dental adhesive to ensure long life and stability.
Dental Crowns
Also known as a cap, this procedure is used mainly for damaged teeth above the gum line, and helps to restore their former appearance and structure. Commonly, crowns are used to keep teeth from breaking, or for holding a cracked tooth together. They also have cosmetic dental uses: to cover misshapen teeth. Crowns are composed of various materials, such as ceramic, porcelain fused to metal, metal, and resin.
Teeth Whitening
Among the most basic of cosmetic dental procedures available, whitening is also one of the most effective. After cleaning the teeth, a whitening substance is applied individually and helps restore the natural appearance of teeth. If you desire, additional work can be done so that your teeth are even whiter than their original color. But the overall aim is simple: a smile that shines.
Implants
Nothing ruins a smile like a missing tooth. That’s where implants come in. These false teeth look, feel, and function just like the real McCoy, and they’ll be completely indistinguishable to any onlookers.
The procedure consists of a small titanium screw being inserted into the jaw at the location of the missing tooth to help support the implant. Gradually, the supporting bone tissue will fuse to the implant, holding it permanently in place.
Your Journey to the Smile of Your Dreams with Alaska Dental Associates
As you can see, there are a lot of different directions to take on the journey for perfect teeth. Give us a call today and let our professional cosmetic dentistry team help you find your way. Whether your smile is discolored, crooked, or just not up to your standards, we’ll give you a reason to be proud to show off your pearly whites again.
Dr. Triggs truly understands the importance of being confident in your smile. For this reason, he takes a cosmetic approach to every dental solution, ensuring that our patients here at Alaska Dental Associates can feel happy about the health and appearance of their smile when they leave our office. We are proud to be well respected as one of the best dentists in Anchorage, Alaska! Fill our the form below to request an appointment.