AESTHETIC DENTISTRY

What is dental whitening?

• Tooth whitening can be a highly effective way of lightening the natural colour of your teeth without removing any of the tooth surfaces.
• It cannot make a complete colour change but it will lighten the existing shade.

Who needs tooth whitening?

• Tooth whitening is ideal for people who have unrestored teeth (no fillings) and healthy gums.
• Individuals with yellow tones to their teeth respond best.
• It is usually done to treat the problem of intrinsic staining such as staining caused by consumption of tetracycline below 12 years old.

How is whitening done?

Professional bleaching is the most common form of tooth whitening.

• First the dentist will put a rubber shield or a gel on your gums to protect the soft tissue.
• They will then apply the whitening product to your teeth, either by painting directly onto your teeth or by using a specially made tray which fits into your mouth like a gum-shield.

• Dental veneer is a thin layer of restorative material that is bonded onto the front side of a tooth.
• It is a conservative method to improve the aesthetics of a tooth, or to protect a damaged tooth surface.
• There are two main types of material used to fabricate a veneer; composite and dental porcelain.
  • Composite veneer is usually directly placed in the mouth (1 or 2 visit)
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  • While porcelain veneer is indirectly fabricated by a dental technician in a dental laboratory (2 or 3 visit).

Who needs Dental Veneer?

Veneers are used as a cosmetic treatment for various dental problems such as:

• Chipped or cracked tooth.
• Very slightly discoloured or stained teeth.
• Gaps or spaces (diastemas) between teeth.
• Misshapened or slightly malaligned teeth.
• Slightly crowded teeth.
• Worn tooth enamel.
• Small teeth.

What are the advantages of dental veneers?

• Veneers can dramatically enhance the appearance of your smile.
• They blend in with your natural teeth for lifelike results.
• Veneers resist staining better than your natural tooth enamel.
• Dental veneers don’t require any additional maintenance.
• They have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years with proper care.

• Resin infiltration is a minimally invasive restorative treatment to treat white-spot lesions on your teeth.
• They usually appear as white spots on the teeth and are also referred to as hypo spots or enamel bruising.
• These white lesions are usually caused by
  • enamel defects
  • trauma
  • infection to the primary teeth
  • results from decreased access of calcium and other ions to the deeper portions of the enamel on the tooth.

How it is done?

• Dental cleaning to remove any substance from the teeth.
• Removal of the outer layer of enamel that is blocking calcium and other ions from entering the tooth.
• Using a finishing substance on any surfaces that do not indicate an improved appearance.
• Application of a drying agent to the areas of the tooth affected.
• Removal of any excess material.
• Material added again for curing and then excess removed.