Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic Dentistry In Canberra
You may think of the dentist as someone who helps you to improve the functionality of your teeth, but modern dentistry involves so much more than that. No longer do you only go when we need a check-up or when you’re in pain. Many people visit the dentist to improve the appearance of their teeth, mouths and those all-important smiles. After all, not only does improving your smile make you look better, it can boost your self-confidence and make you feel better too.
Cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving the aesthetics of your teeth, including the colour, position, shape, size and alignment. And, all of that goes towards giving you the best possible smile. What’s more, while not every type of cosmetic dentistry improves the functionality of your teeth, many of them do. Cosmetic dentistry is pretty advanced nowadays, with more durable and natural-looking treatments than ever before. So, if you want to smile with confidence, take a look at some of the cosmetic dentistry procedures available to you at Acacia Dental Group, located in Woden.
CEREC – Building Your New Smile In A Day
Often, cosmetic dentistry involves replacing or covering missing or damaged teeth. Previously, patients would need to wait for weeks to have their restorations fitted. They’d need to first have an appointment to shape their teeth and take impressions. Then, those impressions would be sent to a lab for the restorations to be made. Patients would often have temporary restorations fitted, and would have to wait for weeks until their second visit when they could have their final restorations permanently bonded to their teeth. CEREC, however, has changed all of that. The system uses computer-aided design to create crowns, fixed bridges, veneers, dental implants and more. With the help of CEREC technology, restorations are faster, more accurate and longer-lasting as a result.
CEREC technology has revolutionised the way that restorations are made. If you need a restoration, your tooth or teeth will be prepared, and a 3D digital scan will be taken with the CEREC machine. You will be able to see the images on the screen and fully understand the treatment that is required. The CEREC machine is then used to create the restoration there and then. All that is left to do after is for your dentist to polish and fit the restoration and for you to admire your new smile. It offers patients some serious benefits:
- Rapid design process – the fast process enables a same-day service, meaning you can walk out with your new smile sooner than ever
- Permanent solution – with CEREC there is no need for temporary restorations to be fitted while you wait for the real thing.
- Cost-effective – dentists can often eliminate some expenses as the technology reduces the need to send scans to an external laboratory.
- Long-lasting – CEREC produces sturdy restorations that preserve the remaining tooth and prevent breakage; they can last for up to 15 years.
- Natural – CEREC restorations look and feel almost exactly the same as your natural teeth and are biocompatible and stain-resistant.
- High-performance – as restorations are designed using advanced technology they are extremely accurate, meaning they fit and perform well.
While CEREC has been around for some time, not all practices have access to the technology. At Acacia Dental Group, however, we have our own CEREC machine, meaning that you can have the treatment in our Canberra practice. That means you can change your smile in as little as a couple of hours, what could be simpler?
White Dental Fillings – A Hidden Way To Repair Cavities
Fillings are a common treatment that most of us have encountered. And they are indeed a necessary one; they repair cavities and areas of decay in our teeth to stop further problems from developing. However, they haven’t always been a cosmetic treatment. Traditionally, silver amalgam was used for fillings, which made them stand out when you smiled. Today, however, composite resin has become much more commonplace and is almost invisible when it is placed.
Fillings are a relatively quick procedure, the decayed part of the tooth is removed, and the filling placed all within the same appointment. However, while the treatment time is the same, there are some distinct advantages of having composite fillings:
- Appearance – the colour of composite resin matches the natural colour of tooth enamel and can be blended for a seamless finish.
- Stability – composite fillings require very little of the tooth structure to be removed, meaning more of the natural tooth is preserved.
- Durability – composite fillings form a tighter seal with the tooth as the material is bonded to it; this gives the damaged tooth more strength.
- Compatibility – some studies have suggested that the mercury in amalgam fillings poses a health risk, while evidence is inconclusive, composite offers a natural alternative.
After many years of using amalgam fillings at Acacia Dental Group, they are no longer performed. That means that if you come to our dental practice in Woden for a filling, it will be as natural as can be, giving you the best looking smile as well as repairing your damaged tooth.
Inlays And Onlays – More Than Your Average Filling
If you only have a small cavity in your teeth, a filling will probably do the trick. However, sometimes you might find yourself with a larger cavity within the chewing surfaces of your back teeth or decay on your tooth cusps. This is where inlays and onlays come into play.
Inlays and onlays enable large cavities to be filled and work to prevent the need for root canal treatment further down the line. The main difference between the two is that onlays are reserved for larger areas of decay and cover the cusps of the teeth. However, they both involve indirect restoration; detailed impressions are taken of the tooth, a model is sent to the laboratory where a porcelain restoration is made, and the restoration is then cemented onto the prepared tooth surface.
As they are custom made in the laboratory, inlays and onlays fit snugly to teeth. By bonding them in place using high-strength resins, they become incredibly strong. This means you can keep further decay at bay and eat as normal. What’s more, as porcelain is used more frequently these days than gold, inlays and onlays blend in with the natural colour of your teeth and give you a discrete cosmetic solution.
The best way to know what treatment is best for you is to speak with your dentist. However, whatever procedure you need, the team in Woden will ensure your teeth are restored to their full strength and structure so you can smile and eat with confidence.
Crowns And Bridges – The Strength Behind Your Smile
If you have missing or damaged teeth, then chances are it’s having a significant impact on your life. So much so that you might not have the confidence to eat, talk or smile like you used to. This is where crowns and bridges can help, replacing single teeth or bridging the gap to replace several teeth.
Crowns are, effectively, manufactured teeth made of porcelain or ceramic to match the colour and texture of your existing teeth. They are cemented in place to entirely cover up damaged teeth or are placed on top of implants to replace missing teeth. The result is a tooth that is the perfect size and shape to give you the perfect smile. Meanwhile, bridges can be used in a similar way, but when there are multiple missing teeth. Again a restoration made from porcelain or ceramic, bridges are carefully designed and then cemented to supporting teeth that work as anchors.
Crown and bridges offer a highly-effective cosmetic dental solution that is:
- Natural – crowns and bridges are made with materials that look and feel just like your natural teeth.
- High-quality – the material used to make crowns and bridges is entirely biocompatible
- Long-lasting – not only are the restorations durable and stain-resistant but they preserve your remaining teeth.
At our practice in Canberra, you have access to our in-practice CEREC machine. This means that not only can our highly experienced cosmetic dentists design and place your crowns and bridges, they can do it in a single day.
Teeth Whitening – Making You Look As Good As New
When you think of the perfect smile, one of the first things that comes to mind is probably a set of pearly whites. Fortunately, having a beautiful smile can be a lot easier than you think. Teeth whitening doesn’t completely change the colour of your teeth and make them look unnaturally bright, but it lightens them and, in turn, your smile.
While many treatments can improve the look of your smile, teeth whitening offers some great benefits to patients:
- Corrects staining – if you drink a lot of tea, coffee or wine, you’ve probably noticed that it stains your teeth. Teeth whitening can correct brown, yellow and spotted tooth staining, leaving your teeth looking their natural colour.
- Works on everyone – the enamel on our teeth wears down on our teeth as we age, making discolouration more common. Fortunately, teeth whitening works on everyone, meaning that you can reclaim a piece of your youth.
- Cost-effective – the alternatives to teeth whitening, such as crowns and veneers, are more expensive, making teeth whitening a great cosmetic dental choice for a brighter smile.
- Works quickly – many cosmetic dentist treatments take time, teeth whitening, on the other hand, is relatively quick. Within an hour or so, you’ll be sparkling from ear to ear.
- Comfortable – when you opt for in-practice teeth whitening, you know that you’ll be receiving personalised treatment. What’s more, you’ll be made comfortable, so all you have to do is sit back and wait for the magic to happen.
It’s no wonder that people turn to teeth whitening as a low-impact cosmetic dentistry treatment that can quickly make a difference. However, there are many ways that it can be done. Beauty salons offer the treatment, and it can be purchased over the counter too. However, there are safety concerns about the DIY approach. If the mouth guard doesn’t fit correctly, bleaching gel can leak and cause blistering and sensitivity. What’s more, there is no guarantee that the result of an at-home kit will be as strong and reliable as professional cosmetic dentist treatment.
At Acacia Dental Group, we will carry out a bleaching analysis so you can decide which teeth you lighten and by how much, giving you total control. What’s more, not only do we offer safe and comfortable in-chair whitening, but we’ll send you home with a complimentary Zoom whitening kit to keep your smile shining for longer. That means you get the best of both worlds, the professional treatment at our Woden practice, and then a high-quality at-home kit to use at a later date.
Veneers – The Ultimate Cover-Up
If you have discoloured or damaged teeth, you may wish you could cover them up. Veneers are a cosmetic dentistry treatment that does exactly that. Whether you have stained, chipped or crooked teeth, gaps or misalignments, veneers can help. Veneers are, essentially, thin shells of porcelain that are made to fit over the front of your teeth. They are bonded with the tooth’s surface to hold them firmly in place, providing a simple solution to improve your smile.
No longer are tooth extractions, braces or dental crown restorations required. Porcelain veneers provide a superior cosmetic result to other alternatives. Specifically designed for your teeth and tailored to fit perfectly, you’ll benefit from:
- Natural look – porcelain offers the closest equivalent to the look and finish of your natural teeth and delivers the most natural-looking smiles as a result.
- Comfortable fit – porcelain veneers are designed specifically for your teeth, meaning that they will fit perfectly and be as comfortable as the real thing.
- Discreet – once veneers have been bonded to your teeth they are virtually undetectable, so no-one will know that your smile didn’t always look that good.
- Long-lasting – porcelain is durable and impervious to stains, and while veneers won’t last forever, they may be with you for up to 15 years.
By having your veneers planned and fitted by a professional cosmetic dentist in Canberra, you know that you’ll be getting the attention to detail that your teeth deserve. At Acacia Dental Group, we routinely place porcelain veneers and will ensure that they fit perfectly, match your existing teeth and enhance your smile.
Get The Smile You Deserve
No longer reserved for the rich and famous, anyone can have a sparkling Hollywood smile. Get in touch today to find out more about our cosmetic dentistry treatments and plan your smile makeover.
Call us on (02) 6281 2222 and give yourself a reason to smile.
