Everyone deserves to have a beautiful smile that they are confident to show off. We offer several cosmetic treatments to help you achieve the smile you desire. Among the many cosmetic services we offer at Kingston Dental Arts are teeth whitening, Veneers, crowns and bridges, Clear Aligner Orthodontics, cosmetic bonding, dental implants, Botox therapy and dermal fillers. Our team will work with you to design your ideal smile.
Teeth Whitening
If you are looking to brighten your smile, we offer custom-fitted bleaching trays so you can comfortably and safely whiten your teeth in the comfort of your home.
Veneers
Veneers can treat teeth that are:
- Chipped
- Worn
- Discolored
- Misshapen
- Asymmetrical
- Diastemas (gaps between teeth)
What is the difference between veneers, crowns, and cosmetic bonding?
Veneers are partial crown restorations. They are made of a thin shell of porcelain that is bonded to the surface of the tooth.
Cosmetic bonding is a white, tooth-colored resin material that can be used to cover the front surface of the tooth for cosmetic purposes. Bonding is a more temporary restoration that will likely need to be replaced every few years. It is not a good option for every patient because it is susceptible to staining and chipping easily. With veneers as a stronger, more esthetic, and longer lasting option, we typically only recommend bonding as a temporary restoration or for cavities or small chips in teeth.
What is the process for having a smile makeover with cosmetic veneers or crowns?
Cosmetic crowns and veneers can be completed in as little as 3-4 office visits. The first visit is to discuss your esthetic goals. It can be helpful to bring photos to help us envision your ideal smile. At this visit, we will take photographs and impressions of your teeth to send to the lab. The lab will fabricate a model of the final result of treatment. At the second visit, we will review the model and use temporary material in your mouth to give you an idea of what the final look of the restorations will be, and make adjustments as needed. The third visit we will prepare your teeth, send impressions to the lab, and fabricate temporary restorations. The fourth visit will be to permanently cement the final restorations, and complete your beautiful smile.
Porcelain Crowns
A crown is a fixed restoration that surrounds a tooth to restore it to its normal shape, size, and color. Crowns add protection and strength to teeth with large decay, large existing fillings, cracked or fractured teeth, and teeth that have had root canals. Crowns or veneers can also be used for cosmetic purposes, such as correcting discolored, misshapen, crooked teeth or closing spaces between teeth. A crown usually requires two visits – one to prepare the tooth, take a digital scan or impression to send to the lab, and fabricate a temporary restoration. The second visit is to fit and permanently cement the final crown.
Clear Aligner Orthodontics
Clear Aligner Orthodontics (ie. Invisalign®, ClearCorrect®) is a modern alternative to straighten and properly align your teeth without wires or metal. There are many benefits of orthodontic treatment beyond just creating a more esthetic smile. Orthodontic treatment to reduce crowding makes teeth easier to clean and reduces the risk of periodontal disease, and correcting malocclusion can create a more comfortable and functional bite for easier speech and chewing.
Clear Aligner Orthodontics involves wearing a series of custom made trays designed to move your teeth into a more ideal alignment. The trays are FDA-approved and are free of BPA, BPS, latex, and gluten. They are clear, thin, and fit snugly over your teeth, making them virtually invisible.
Botox
What is Botox used for?
Botox® is used to soften or eliminate dynamic wrinkles that are caused by muscle contraction. By relaxing the muscles, it allows the skin to recover and creates a more youthful, refreshed appearance.
In addition to its cosmetic uses, Botox therapy can also be used to:
- Treat TMJ disorder, jaw muscle pain, square jaw, reduce clenching and bruxism (teeth grinding)
- Improve a gummy smile
- Reduce facial pain including frontal and temporal headaches and migraines
Botox® or Botulinum Toxin A is a purified protein / neurotoxin of the Clostridium Botulinum bacterium. When injected into the muscle, Botox binds to the nerve terminal and prevents the nerve from signaling. This causes temporary weakness and/or paralysis of the muscle. The degree of weakness depends on dosage. Botox typically takes 2-10 days to have full effect on the muscle and the effects typically last 3-4 months, but individual results may vary.
Will I still be able to move the muscles and make facial expressions?
Treatment depends on the individual’s preference, but we prefer to treat patients conservatively to allow for a natural appearance that is simply more relaxed and youthful. The muscle activity that causes wrinkles is simply reduced so you can still move the muscles but with reduced wrinkles and creases.
How safe is Botox?
Botox has been used since the 1970s and was first FDA approved in 1989 for correcting strabismus/crossed eyes. Over the years, Botox has been extensively researched with thousands of published studies. Today, Botox Cosmetic has been FDA approved for frontalis/forehead wrinkles, glabella/frown lines (between the brows), migraine headaches, and several other medical uses.
What are contraindications to Botox therapy?
Pregnancy, nursing, muscle weakness, neurological diseases including but not limited to Myasthenia Gravis, Multiple Sclerosis, Lambert-Eaton Syndrome, Bell’s Palsy, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease
Gummy Smile Correction
Many patients are unhappy with the appearance of a “gummy smile.” Sometimes gummy smile is due to hypermobility of facial muscles, which can be improved with Botox injections. In other cases, excess gum tissue may be the cause, in which case a laser Gingivectomy can be performed to remove excess gum tissue. This can reduce the gummy appearance by revealing more of the teeth and improving the appearance of your smile.
Dermal Fillers
Botox may not affect deeper lines and creases that are created by aging and loss of face volume. Areas such as the nasolabial folds and marionette lines may require dermal fillers to restore volume.
What are dermal fillers?
We lose 1% of dermal collagen per year, especially after age 50. Dermal fillers are used to restore loss of volume that occurs naturally with age. Results are immediate. The most common dermal fillers used are Hyaluronic acid fillers (Juvederm, Belotero, Restylane) which typically last 3-12 months. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in our skin that functions in providing volume, pliability, and cell growth. The results of hyaluronic acid fillers are reversible and can easily be dissolved with an injection of hyaluronidase enzyme.
- Smile lines / Nasolabial folds
- Marionette lines / oral commissures / corners of the mouth
- Enhancing lip volume
- Reducing black triangles between the teeth
Contraindications to dermal fillers:
- If you have an important event coming up (ie. wedding), it is best to defer treatment until after the event, since some swelling and bruising is very common for up to two weeks after treatment.
- Face rash, cold sores or blemishes will require treatment to be deferred.
- Contraindications to treatment include pregnancy, severe allergies, allergy to gram positive bacterial proteins, patients under age 18, and susceptibility to keloid formation.
If you think you may be interested in Botox Therapy or dermal fillers, call our office today to schedule a free consultation.