Category: SDDA

There are two great reasons to straighten your teeth: They’ll look better, of course, and they’ll work better when they’re straight and properly aligned. A San Diego Dentist Association member can help. When your teeth are correctly positioned, you will find that you can eat, chew and even speak better than you ever thought possible. And here’s a bonus: Straight teeth are easier to clean, help to prevent dental and oral health problems down the road.

Genetics and simply growing up can cause alignment issues. Developmental issues with the jaws are common and may include overbite, underbite, crossbite and overcrowding. No matter what caused your crooked or misaligned teeth, they can make your overall health worse if they aren’t treated. Problems that can develop from untreated orthodontic issues include:

• Temporomandibular Disorder, often caused by crooked teeth or improper jaw alignment, can be unbelievably painful with symptoms that include headaches, teeth grinding, and even a jaw that won’t open.
• Tooth injury. If teeth are well-aligned and straight, they act as a wall and protect each other. When they’re not, injury is more likely. Teeth that are not lined up with others are vulnerable to chips and cracks.
• Uneven wear. If teeth are properly position, chewing puts approximately equal pressure on each tooth. Crooked or poorly aligned teeth cause uneven wear and accentuate the unevenness.
• Gum disease. Caused by poor oral hygiene, periodontitis is made worse when you have crooked teeth that cannot be cleaned properly. When you don’t brush and floss your teeth well, bacteria and debris are left in the mouth and can develop infections.

The standard today for straight teeth is custom aligner trays, although metal or metal-ceramic braces are still used in some cases. In the case of braces, brackets are attached to your teeth, then arch wires connect them together and are tightened to gently guide teeth into their proper location under the supervision of the SDDA dentist you choose.

Clear aligners are a more appealing choice for mild or moderate alignment issues. The trays are replaced with slightly different ones every two to four weeks that are closer to the goal alignment. Just as effective as fixed braces, aligners are removable and allow for easier cleaning.

If you want straight teeth, there’s no better time than now to reach out to a San Diego Dentist Association member.

Braces offer an obvious improvement in how you or your child looks, and they also bring a healthier smile. Among the many beneficial life changes that are possible when you choose braces from a San Diego Dentist Association member are enhancements to how you feel about yourself. We know that some people are self-conscious about their looks, and braces can make a significant difference.

Another important benefit, however, is the reduction of health problems from crooked teeth, including jaw and teeth problems as well as digestive issues. Crooked or misaligned teeth don’t just look bad. They can make it hard for you to brush your teeth properly, which can lead to tooth decay, tooth infections and eventually tooth loss.

Orthodontic issues that are not treated can cause long-term issues with chewing, speaking and uneven wear of teeth, all problems that can be prevented or eliminated with braces or other alternatives. Even your gums can be impacted if you don’t get your crooked teeth and bite problems corrected, and you can get headaches, neck pain and more. But your SDDA dentist can help.

Diving Deeper Into Braces

Dental Braces – Lingual Braces, before and after

Children should be seen by an orthodontic dentist by age 7 to be assessed for alignment issues, according to the American Association of Orthodontics. Treatment is quickest and most effective when undertaken early, but it works well at any age, so it’s never too late to get braces or Invisalign clear aligners, an alternative to braces.

Technology related to braces has improved dramatically in recent years, and that means dental braces are more effective than ever and easier to wear than in the past. In addition to traditional silver-colored metal brackets, there are now clear brackets, tooth-colored brackets and even heat-activated wires that do not require adjustment by a dental team as often as in the past. Plus, you might be an ideal candidate for Invisalign, which uses clear trays that are similar to retainers and require no brackets or wires.

We recommend that you meet with a San Diego Dentist Association dentist soon to discuss your options in greater depth. There’s always a solution for a better smile.

Who Need Braces?

You may be a good candidate for braces or other orthodontic treatment if you have these conditions:

• Breathing or swallowing issues. When you can only breathe through your mouth at night, for example, sleep apnea, snoring and other problems can result.
• When some teeth of the upper jaw rest and chew inside the lower jaw while some rest and chew on the outside, chewing and speaking problems are possible.
• This unsightly problem involves having too many teeth or major misalignment issues and can make correctly brushing teeth impossible.
• When your upper jaw extends over your lower jaw when you eat or speak, problems can result, including lower teeth biting into sensitive tissue behind front teeth causing injury.
• Misaligned teeth can cause or result from developmental problems, and teeth often need to be fixed before other aspects of the disfigurement can be addressed.
• Jaw pain. Jaw pain may be related to problems with teeth and it can go away or be significantly reduced once orthodontic treatment with braces or Invisalign has been completed.
• Missing or extra teeth. Replacing missing teeth or dealing with extra teeth is something that treatment from an orthodontist dentist, including braces, can work alongside.
• Also simply called protruding upper teeth, an overjet can be accompanied by a short lower jaw and can be dramatically improved with braces or clear aligners.
• Self-esteem issues. Teeth problems may make you self-conscious of your smile, how you talk, and how you eat, but proper orthodontic treatment can take away this cause of embarrassment.
• Some people have a noticeable gap between their front top teeth or in other locations, and this gap can be closed or partially closed with braces. A cosmetic procedure like dental veneers may be necessary to complete the job.
• Speech or chewing problems. These secondary symptoms are caused by crooked or misaligned teeth and can often be completely resolved with braces and other orthodontic treatments.
• When your lower jaw extends beneath your upper jaw, you may experience headaches, jaw pain, and other issues that can be cleared up with aligners or braces.

Additionally, children may need orthodontic treatment because of thumb or finger sucking that leads to protruding teeth as they grow. Teeth can also erupt out of position, and braces can be used to move these teeth to their proper place for a lifetime of good dental position and dental health.

What Steps Does Orthodontic Treatment Involve?

If you’re considering getting braces or other orthodontic treatment, here is a quick overview of the general steps involved:

• Planning phase. At your first appointment, our San Diego dental team will take your medical and dental history. We will also take impressions of your teeth, digital x-rays and pics, helping us fully understand what’s going on what we can do about it.
• Treatment phase. During this phase, we will treat you as agreed with braces or aligners and schedule follow-up appointments for you as needed. As with any long-term treatment, you must be vigilant and follow instructions for best results.
• Retention phase. After treatment is complete, most patients require a removable retainer that is worn at night to prevent teeth from trying to move back to their original positions. You could need this retainer for many months or years, but it will be worth it to retain the results we deliver for you.

Ready to get started? Reach out to us to find an SDDA top rated dental clinic, and get started with braces and other orthodontic treatments.

Dental implants are the modern choice for tooth replacement and are often better than a partial or dentures. You’ll find that the caring, professional SDDA dentists suggest beautiful, natural-looking dental implants in most situations where one or more teeth is missing. At each San Diego Dentist Association member office, the team can give you back the flawless smile you deserve and restore speaking and eating.

Caring for a dental implant is much the same as caring for natural teeth. Your dentist may recommend getting one or more implants if you have a missing tooth or missing teeth that cause:

• Bite or chewing problems
• Your smile to be less than its best
• Problems with speaking clearly
• A bridge or denture that needs better support.

The Dental Implant Process

The first step in getting a dental implant is an exam. If you’re a good candidate for the procedure, the team will take an impression or mold of your existing teeth and gums plus digital x-rays and perhaps photos. When it’s time for the implant, local anesthesia numbs the implant area. Once placed, the length of time for healing depends on whether bone and tissue grafting was necessary to place the implant. Healing time could be 6 months or longer.

Fitting the titanium implant is just the first step. Once it’s healed, the tooth-like crown must be placed in a separate appointment, and you can’t chew on the implant until this crown is placed. While getting a dental implant at a San Diego dental office or any other dentist is a lengthy process, it’s worth it for the permanent results that function like a regular tooth for the rest of your life.

How Dental Implants Keep Improving

Dental implants have been in use for decades, and today’s titanium implants are smaller than ever, requiring less tissue damage to insert and reduced healing time in many situations. Once an emerging choice to replace missing teeth, they’re now everyday procedures for dentists around the world. And because implants are so much better and the implant process has improved so much, the success rate is approaching 100 percent.

Here are some obvious and not-so-obvious benefits of having one or more implants from the right San Diego dental office:

• You’ll look better.
• You’ll speak better.
• You’ll chew better.
• You won’t experience the discomfort or inconvenience of a removable denture.
• Your improved smile can give you back your self-confidence and help you feel better about yourself.
• Your surrounding teeth won’t spread as they would if you had missing teeth.
• Your surrounding teeth don’t have to be ground down for capping as they would for a bridge.
• Your worries about missing teeth are over because dental implants can last the rest of your life.

The Biological Dentistry Alternative To Root Canals

San Diego Dentist Association members are experienced and compassionate dental professionals who serve the Southern California area and practice conservative, gentle dentistry intended to restore your smile with the least radical or invasive procedure possible – so you can look and feel good.

Root canal therapy is intended to save badly damaged teeth, but root canals are invasive procedures that are sometimes difficult for our dentists to recommend. They can lead to infection, and the materials used are not always biologically compatible. Our dentists especially recommend removing old root canals that are giving you problems and instead getting a dental implant or other restoration. It simply isn’t worth leaving something inside your body that doesn’t really fit in.

Implants, however, are made of safe, biologically compatible titanium and other materials that don’t interact with your body. (You may also want to consider a dental bridge as an alternative to a root canal if you have stable and healthy teeth on each side of the missing tooth or teeth.)

If you have enough healthy bone in the area where the implant is needed or something to work with for bone grafting, you may be an excellent candidate for a dental implant. In about 95 percent of cases, your dentist can do a successful dental implant for you.

Understanding Mini Dental Implants

Implants were once much larger than now, in some cases as much as a three-quarter inch in size. These big dental implants required a lot of healthy bone if they are to be inserted stably, so many patients weren’t good candidates for them or experienced failures. Now, implants are smaller and fit better than in the past.

Among the many benefits of mini dental implants is that they’re less invasive, meaning the implant procedure is simpler. They are also less likely to be rejected by the body because they’re smaller, and that means much less chance of infection. Today’s mini dental implants are about half the size of the older ones – only about 10 to 15 mm. Getting an implant still requires surgery, but the process is quicker and carries fewer risks than in the past.

Most San Diego Dentist Association members prefer to use mini dental implants in all cases, if possible. Our dentists have found that these modern implants integrate with surrounding bone and tissue just as well as larger implants but are less intrusive and easier to place in the widest variety of patient types.

They also like that the recovery time for a mini implant is much shorter, and that helps you get back to your normal life quicker while making the procedure cost you less too. Old-fashioned dental implants can be very expensive, especially when extensive gum and bone work is necessary in advance. It may even be necessary to have a sinus lift or a nerve procedure to accommodate a large implant. These things are very invasive and costly, and they increase the risk of infection and complications.

Mini dental implants also fit into spaces where traditional implants could never fit. While dental professionals once questioned whether mini-implants were as durable as larger implants, recent studies have proven that they are efficient, effective, and durable. Mini implants aren’t just the future but are indeed the present preference of the dental industry.

Dental Implants May Be Right For You

If you have missing teeth and are looking for holistic, biocompatible treatment in San Diego or you simply want the best solution for a better smile and better function, dental implants may be right for you. Dental implants are safe, biocompatible, permanent, and smart. In most cases, implants are made of titanium that is inserted into your jaw – the same material that holds together broken bones and replaces bad hips. The crown portion is made of either porcelain or zirconia, also nonreactive with the body.

For missing teeth or to replace failed crowns, root canals, bridges, or dentures, dental implants may be for you. It is even possible to replace a full upper or lower arch with just four to six implants and a permanently mounted prosthetic. For every situation, there is a solution to help you look and feel better.

Learn more about dental implants and arrange your consultation by reaching out to a San Diego Dentist Association member. Each of these San Diego dental clinics offers a team of experienced professionals and a complete line of preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dental services. Dental implants may fit into your total oral and dental healthcare package – and put you on the road to a better smile than you ever thought possible.

Braces were once the only option for straightening crooked or misaligned teeth, but times change. Evolving technology means there is now a better alternative to fixed braces that must stay in the mouth during the entire treatment process: Invisalign clear aligners. Innovative Invisalign aligners are transparent plastic trays that fit over top and bottom teeth to gradually move them to their desired positions. The comfortable trays don’t damage teeth like metal brackets and can be removed for cleaning and special events.

People who need orthodontics often choose Invisalign, the current standard for mild to moderate teeth straightening and alignment correction, because they don’t want metal in their mouths or the discomfort of wires that have to be tightened. With Invisalign from a San Diego Dentist Association member, trays are changed every two weeks over a period of months until the desired beautiful smile is achieved.

The right San Diego dental team can treat many conditions with Invisalign, including crowding, overbite, underbite, malocclusion and crooked teeth.

Invisalign Is Better Than Traditional Braces

Traditional braces aren’t something that everyone can tolerate. For one thing, adults who desire straighter teeth may work in a professional environment and can’t attend meetings wearing braces. High school students may choose Invisalign for tooth positioning correction so they can get treatment without the embarrassment of braces. You can wear Invisalign clear aligners in many situations without them being noticed.

Additionally, metal braces are uncomfortable and often cause soreness, and they certainly aren’t aesthetically pleasing to those who see you. They can even significantly interfere with activities of daily life like talking, eating and even kissing, meaning they interfere with function for the months or years of treatment and impact your social life.

In many cases, the SDDA dentist you choose can offer you Invisalign clear aligners for the healthy, beautiful smile you want without pain, embarrassment or hassles.

Invisalign Benefits

Clear aligners like Invisalign have real benefits that make them superior to traditional braces when appropriate. These advantages include:

• They’re easy to use. Without much impact on your daily life, clear aligners are removable, comfortable and involve fewer dental office visits than braces.
• They’re easy to clean. Since aligner trays can be removed for cleaning, you can clean them and your teeth thoroughly, preventing tooth decay and smells.
• You can eat comfortably. Wires and brackets make eating a painful mess and limit your diet, but clear aligners can be removed for eating.
• You can play sports. Metal braces cause real problems for contact sports because of the risk of mouth cuts, but for sports you can remove your Invisalign and use your sports mouthguard instead.
• They’re biocompatible. If you don’t like the idea of having metal in your mouth for months or years, Invisalign is made of medical-grade plastic that’s safe and BPA-free.

Understanding How Invisalign Works

Your Invisalign journey begins with a consultation with your SDDA dentist, who will determine if you’re a good candidate. If you are, treatment involves three primary steps:

• They construct a 3D image of your mouth and teeth using impressions, photos, and panoramic x-rays to see and understand exactly what’s going on. Next, they plan for how your teeth should be moved for best results and get your approval.
• They then have your aligners made and provided to you along with a schedule of aligner tray changes and appointments. You’ll get smooth, comfortable aligner trays that you can remove to eat or to brush your teeth. Usually, you move to a new set of aligners every two weeks.
• You’ll see results as treatment progresses, a little at a time. For adults, treatment takes about a year in the average case. For teens and children, the timeframe may be a little less.

Why Choose An SDDA Dentist

Invisalign is a safe, holistic, noninvasive treatment offered by San Diego Dentist Association members, each an expert in pain-free dentistry. These practices also have experienced in working with anxious, fearful patients and can help you overcome dental anxiety.

The SDDA dentist you choose has the skills, equipment and experience to offer you Invisalign and other cosmetic dental services in a caring, pleasing environment where you will feel comfortable. Make now the time you step forward for a better smile and perhaps a better life with Invisalign. Reach out right away for your first appointment.

Fear is a normal part of being a human, something that humans and most other forms of life on this planet experience at times. SDDA members are dental professionals who make dentistry as fear-free and painless and possible by helping you overcome your animal sense of fear and feel calm and rational about taking care of your oral and dental health.

We come into the world as helpless creatures, so it’s no wonder we learn anxiety and fear at an early age. While most of us don’t remember before age 4 or perhaps 5, we must have experienced fear from birth – starting with wondering whether our mothers would return to us with the food we needed or whether a predator might be coming for us.

With loving care and over time, most of us learn to trust caregivers and others around us. But we don’t all have the same loving and trusting relationships with the people around us, often causing us to struggle in trusting others. In fact, those who grew up in loving, trustworthy environments may still suffer from anxiety and fear. To function in the world, however, we must learn to balance our anxiety with trust.

Understanding the three regions of the brain can help you understand how humans establish relationships for the best chance of survival and peace of mind:

• The lizard or reptilian section of the brain is responsible for primal urges, including the urge to flee, fight, freeze, feed and reproduce. The lizard brain keeps us alive and allows us to pass on our genetic material to the next generation.
• The limbic or monkey region of the brain allows us to form bonds with our parents and others in a way that reptiles do not. This is also the part of the brain that allows us to act on impulse.
• The cortex part of the brain keeps impulses under control so that we can function at a higher level than other mammals, who may be controlled by their impulses. This section becomes fully developed in our mid-twenties, which is why those under that age may act without thinking about consequences.

Most of us have experienced times when our trust in someone is broken, and the more often this happens, the more likely we are to experience uncontrolled fear and anxiety. Visits to a dental office provoke anxiety in many people because we expect to have pain and do not necessarily trust that the dentist will be kind, caring and concerned about our needs.

When we understand how trust and anxiety work in the brain, however, we can break out of lower brain patterns and courageously seek out dental care designed to keep pain and anxiety-triggering situations to a minimum. At each San Diego Dentist Association member, you’ll find a dental team that is deeply committed to helping patients feel at ease.

Effectively Treating You Despite Dental Anxiety

Dental equipment of yesteryear was almost inevitably painful. Today, the story is much different. In the past, easing dental anxiety was difficult for a dentist because the fear of pain often came true. Even anesthesia administration was painful in years gone by.

Some dental offices are still barbaric and painful places, but largely, times have changed. Things have certainly changed at SDDA member dental offices. As modern, gentle dentists, they use microabrasion, low-heat dental device motors, lasers and techniques that make anesthesia shots unnecessary in many cases. When it is needed, they can apply topic anesthetics and use tiny needles with warmed, pH-neutral formulas that don’t hurt. In fact, you may not feel anything at all.

Just as importantly, they consider mental and emotional health during treatment. They get to know you, answer your questions and reassure you that you can trust them. Our dentists practice these three unbreakable rules for every patient procedure:

• We listen to you. All you have to do is raise your hand if you need us to stop a procedure. Whether it’s because of discomfort, a feeling of being overwhelmed or you just need a minute, we stop when you tell us to because your needs come first.
• We talk to you. We tell you about each step of the process before we do it unless you don’t want us to. We don’t want you to be surprised. You’re an active partner and deserve to be fully informed.
• We never hurt patients.

Specialists In Dental Phobia

Dental phobia is more common than you think. SDDA members take pride in doing everything possible to ease every anxiety. You will gain trust in your chosen dentist each time they’re able to meet your needs without pain or anything scary happening. Soon, you will be able to see that visiting a dentist is a necessary, acceptable and perhaps even pleasant part of life.

Each day, San Diego Dentist Association members help anxious patients, perhaps like you, calm your lizard brain and establish trust in a dentist who can help you have a healthy, bright smile without pain. It’s the mission and passion of good dentists.

Call now to make an appointment with an SDDA dentist, a gentle, trustworthy close-to-home San Diego dentist.

Periodontics is a funny word, but it’s a very simple concept: It’s oral health work that involves your gums and other tissue that surrounds your teeth. If you have gum disease, periodontic services from a San Diego Dentist Association member can help you get your dental and oral health back on track so you can have the beautiful, elegant smile you want and need.

Gum disease may begin as a small area of inflammation of the gums at the tooth line, but can quickly progress, leading to tooth loss and worsening other health conditions. That’s why gum inflammation or tenderness must be taken seriously. If your gums are swollen, bleed easily or hurt, you should contact a dentist right away.

In many cases, gum disease is caused by neglect, perhaps from letting plaque and debris stay in your mouth after eating. If you don’t brush it away quickly, it harbors bacteria that damage teeth and gums. Soon, untreated inflammation becomes full-blown infection that causes gum recession and tooth loss.

You may need periodontal treatment in these situations:

• You have areas where you see the gum line receding around teeth, especially if the recession is present in some areas but not others
• You want a cosmetic gum procedure like crown lengthening – because these procedures can’t be done if you have active gum disease
• You want to have ridge augmentation to correct an uneven gum line but have some signs of gum disease present
• And in other situations too.

You and the best San Diego dental team for your needs can work together to prevent and correct gum disease. The dentist may recommend scaling, a deep cleaning procedure to remove hard-to-reach plaque and tartar and to eliminate the places where bacteria hide. The team can also help you with tooth loss replacement and other services to recreate a healthy, beautiful smile.

Reach out to a San Diego Dentist Association member now for your first appointment – and to get your gum disease corrected for a healthier and more beautiful smile now and in the future.

Orthodontics involves the treatment of teeth and bite irregularities, especially problems with how the teeth look as well as alignment and occlusion issues. If you have crooked or misaligned teeth, a San Diego Dentist Association member can help you look and feel better about your smile. Treatment may include Invisalign clear aligners or, in limited cases, metal braces.

An Orthodontist Defined

Woman with teeth braces

An orthodontist is a special kind of dentist with extra training – usually 3 years additional university and clinical training. When you visit an orthodontist, you can be sure they have the advanced training and skills necessary to help you. Orthodontists are members of the American Association of Orthodontists in most cases, an organization that can help you verify if the dentist you’re considering is an orthodontist.

What Does An Orthodontist Do?

Everyone should see an orthodontist during their childhood. Most experts recommend seeing an orthodontist before age 7 to make sure teeth are coming in correctly. Even if you or your child has never been to this special type of dentist, don’t be discouraged. It’s never too late to be assessed for possible beneficial treatment.

An orthodontist works to resolve a wide range of problems. They function as a cosmetic dentist to make you or your child look better, but they also deal with teeth problems that cause difficulties chewing or properly cleaning teeth. If teeth don’t meet correctly or are visibly crooked, an orthodontist can help.

What Kinds Of Orthodontic Treatments Are Available?

You will find that a wide range of conditions can be treated with orthodontic dentistry at the right San Diego dentist’s office. Here are some examples of what orthodontists can do:

• Dealing with anteroposterior deviations. If you have an overbite, underbite, problems with speaking related to your teeth or can’t chew normally, orthodontic treatment can help.
• Eliminating overcrowding. When you have too many teeth for the jawbone to accommodate them all, orthodontic treatment can move teeth around for better balance.
• Resolving aesthetic issues. If you have cosmetic concerns about your teeth that can’t be resolved with another type of cosmetic dental procedure, an orthodontist can help you have a more beautiful smile.

How Does An Orthodontist Realign Teeth And Jaws?

Orthodontists use innovative procedures and appliances to realign teeth and jaw issues. Before treatment, the orthodontist does simple testing including x-rays to understand your gums, teeth and jawbone. They will also take bite impressions. After examining the images and impressions, the orthodontist can make recommendations. Recommended treatments may include:

• Clear aligners. The standard for misaligned teeth, a series of custom clear aligners can move teeth gently into proper alignment over time without pain, wires or brackets. The most common brand name is Invisalign.
• Metal braces. Still useful in limited circumstances, braces involve wired brackets attached across teeth and slowly tightened over time to move teeth into alignment. Braces are smaller and less visible than in the past.
• Sometimes used to treat overbite or underbite, headgear goes over the head and affixes to braces, encouraging precise jawbone movement to create better alignment.
• After teeth have been moved into alignment, retainers are usually necessary for several months to keep teeth from returning to their previous positions.

For straighter teeth or to correct bite issues, reach out to an SDDA dentist now for affordable treatment you can trust that’s close to home.

Dental restorations from a San Diego Dentist Association member that’s right for your unique needs are the smart way to fix damaged teeth so they look and feel better. Restorations include:

• Fillings
• Crowns, inlays and onlays
• Bridges, dental implants, and other teeth replacements
• And more.

Today’s San Diego dental offices use safe, proven materials for dental restorations, including composite, porcelain and more. If you have missing, damaged or decayed teeth, you don’t have to live with them – and stand by while things get worse. Contact an SDDA dentist for dental restorations that get you back to looking and feeling great.

Interest in cosmetic dentistry has dramatically increased in recent years. That’s partly because the American population is getting older and partly because the social and business worlds are increasingly image-oriented and competitive. For better or worse, we are more aware of aesthetic imperfections than ever before. We recognize that a bright, beautiful smile conveys youth, health, and confidence. Today’s cosmetic dentistry is an affordable and painless way to enhance teeth and overall looks.

When you choose a San Diego Dentist Association dentist for your needs, they can use proven cosmetic dentistry techniques to:

• Correct size, shape, and alignment issues
• Close spaces between teeth for enhanced appearance
• Whiten stained or yellowed teeth to a more youthful color
• Repair chips, decay, and even fractures
• Replace missing teeth with dental implants or bridges
• Swap old, unappealing restorations for better ones
• And more.

The dentist you choose should recognize that your smile speaks volumes before you say a word and provide services that help you face every aspect of life with a nicer smile.

San Diego Cosmetic Dental Services

The best SDDA cosmetic dentist for you is one that can offer a range of specialized aesthetic dental services, some of which you may not realize are possible. The goal is to help you look better and feel great about yourself. These services may include:

• Invisalign clear aligners instead of metal braces
• Dental bonding to fix many types of tooth problems
• Porcelain veneers and thinner, more conservative laminates
• Porcelain and ceramic crowns
• Gum grafting
• Tooth extractions
• Gum depigmentation
• Teeth whitening
• And more.

Simple And Complex Cosmetic Dentistry

At your San Diego Dentist Association cosmetic dentist, expect preventative and restorative dentistry aimed at meeting your unique needs and expectations. The most-requested procedure at most practices is in-office, dentist-supervised teeth whitening. Also popular are bonding procedures, reshaping and sculpting.

In the case of reshaping, some tooth enamel is removed to enhance the look or function of a tooth. This affordable procedure can make a chipped area look better, shorten a tooth that appears too long or help teeth align better when there are problems with the bite. Treatment takes only a couple of minutes but can make a dramatic difference. It’s important to note, however, that removed enamel doesn’t grow back or heal, and this procedure sometimes exposes the dentin inside the tooth. This can lead to sensitivity and other concerns. Still, reshaping can alleviate the need for braces and another complex, expensive procedures.

Bonding is nearly as simple and quick. This procedure involves adhering or bonding composite material to a tooth and then sculpting it to make the tooth look and function better. The bonding material is carefully tinted to match the tooth as closely as possible.

Dental veneers cover old-looking or damaged areas of teeth. Veneers are wafer-thin custom covers that are glued onto teeth to close gaps, hide discoloration that isn’t improved with whitening and restore youthfulness to teeth.

In the case of one or several missing teeth, a fixed bridge or cantilever bridge can fill in the gap, but you may get better results from a dental implant. Your San Diego cosmetic dentist can also perform gum lift procedures to change the gum line, bite reclamation or elongation procedures when too much gums show and more.

Safe Cosmetic Dentistry For Everyone

Today’s advanced cosmetic dentistry uses safe composite or porcelain and other biocompatible materials in most cases. Gold, harmful amalgam and other metals are rarely used anymore, and that’s a good thing. You can get durable results that are more beautiful and safer than ever before when you choose carefully.

You deserve the best, and a San Diego Dentist Association dentist can make a positive difference in how you look – and how you feel.