Whitening is a common and popular chemical process used to whiten teeth. Some people get their teeth bleached to make stains disappear, while other just want a whiter shade.
Discolouration occurs in the enamel and can be caused by medication, coffee, tea and cigarettes. Discolouration also can be hereditary or due simply to getting older.
Whitening can be performed by your dentist in the office or, under dental supervision, at home. Many patients enjoy whitening at home because it is more convenient. Treatment begins when your dentist creates a custom mouthpiece to ensure the correct amount of whitening solution is used and that your teeth are properly exposed. Typically, whitening at home takes two to four weeks, depending on the desired shade you wish to achieve. Whitening in the office may call for one or more 45-minute to one-hour visits to your dentist's office.
Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain or plastic placed over the front teeth to change the colour or shape of your teeth. Veneers are used on teeth with uneven surfaces or are chipped, discoloured, oddly shaped, unevenly spaced or crooked. Veneers are used to treat some of the same problems as bonding.
This treatment is an alternative to crowns, which are more expensive. The procedure requires your dentist to take an impression of your tooth. Before the custom-made veneer is cemented directly onto the tooth, your dentist will lightly buff the tooth to compensate for the added thickness of the veneer. Once the cement is between the veneer and your tooth, a light beam is used to harden it. Porcelain veneers require more than one visit because they are fabricated in a laboratory. Veneers have a longer life expectancy and colour stability than bonding.
Bonding is tooth-coloured material used to fill in gaps or change the colour of teeth. Requiring a single office visit, bonding lasts several years. Bonding is more susceptible to staining or chipping than other forms of restoration. When teeth are chipped or slightly decayed, bonded composite resins may be the material of choice. Bonding also is used as a tooth-coloured filling for small cavities. Additionally, it can be used to close spaces between teeth or cover the entire outside surface of a tooth to change its colour and shape.
Invisalign straightens crowded, protruding, or too far apart teeth without metal braces. First, we take an impression of your teeth, then with the impression, the Invisalign lab uses computer technology and your smile prescription to create a series of clear, biocompatible aligners. These will move you teeth in tiny, comfortable increments. You wear each invisible aligner for about two weeks before graduating to the next…until you have the smile you want.
As seen on TV, such as "Extreme Makeover", "Swan", and "Ten Years Younger", beautifying your teeth will enhance your smile and boost your self-esteem. As an Active Member of American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and Founding Member of Canadian Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (CACD), Dr. Chen is capable of performing smile makeovers for you. You can find the smiles he delivered in "Smile Gallery".
