550 Water Street, Bldg. K-1
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Shirani, Ray R D.D.S.
841 Blossom Hill Rd # 202
San Jose, CA, 95123-2704
DAVID L HILL DMD
1685 WESTWOOD DR # C 8
SAN JOSE , CA, 95125
(408) 723-7700
Silicon Valley Dental Care
5595 Winfield Blvd Ste 210
San Jose, CA, 95123-1220
(408) 224-1333
Jonathan H. Kim
1725 Berryessa Rd Ste B
San Jose, CA, 95133-1173
(408) 259-2900
There's a bright new trend in cosmetic dental offices these days: more people are scheduling appointments because they want to, not because they have to.
In the past 15 years we've seen the development of materials and procedures we could only dream about before. And if you know someone who hasn't been to the dentist in a while, tell them they'll be pleasantly surprised by what they find.
Dental medicine has come a long way from the days when whiskey was the anesthetic of choice. Today's dentistry is virtually painless. Technology, stress control techniques, and some very sophisticated approaches to anesthesia have all contributed to painless treatment - from cleaning to cavity preparation to root canal treatment.
A new discipline has grown up around restorative dentistry procedures. But, does it show in a smile?
The future of dentistry looms exciting, too. Cosmetic laser dentistry, fiber optics, computer-aided design - all are finding applications in dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry - it's a whole new ball game.
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.
We have all seen smiles that you know have dental crowns in the front. You look at them and say to yourself that something is not natural. Many times, it is the dark rim of gum tissue that gives it away. The dark rim of gum tissue does not occur around natural teeth, only around teeth that have been covered with dental crowns.
The dark line is associated with an old porcelain dental crown. This style of dental crown is referred to as porcelain fused-to-metal dental crowns because it uses tooth-colored porcelain on the outside and it uses metal under the porcelain for strength. The dark line originates from the edge of the dental crowns where the porcelain and the metal meet at a knife-edge at the gum line. At the knife-edge, a very thin amount of the metal always shows. One of the illusionary techniques cosmetic dentists have used was to hide the thin dark line under the gum line. Over time, the gum tissue would recede and expose the dark line. In some patients the dark line would show through the gum and make it appear dark as well.
The only way to eliminate the esthetic problem is to replace the dental crowns. When replacing just one single dental crown in the front, you should expect that it might take more than one try-in of the new dental crown before it is permanently cemented into place. Because your central incisors are the most prominent teeth in the mouth, matching them is the most difficult esthetic challenge. Only the best dental technicians are able to mimic one central incisor tooth next to another.
Some of the clever ways dentists and dental technicians have been able to mimic natural teeth is through the new advancements in dental materials. New all-tooth-colored ceramic dental crowns are the latest technological advancement cosmetic dentists have to recreate natural teeth. In comparison to porcelain fused-to-metal dental crowns, all-ceramic dental crowns do not contain any metal, thus no dark line can appear.
Some advantages and disadvantages of all-ceramic dental crowns are as follows:
Dental crowns often need to be replaced after several years of service for esthetic or functional reasons. With the growing esthetic awareness of patients and the available ceramic technology, this type of re-treatment is becoming more common in the dental office.
By Benjamin O. Watkins, III, DDS
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.
