cosmetic dentistry

Tooth Whitening

People’s teeth lose their natural whiteness for a variety of reasons. Coffee, tea, colas, tobacco and red wine can stain teeth. Tetracycline and certain antibiotics may also cause tooth discoloration during tooth formation. Smoking is a cause of stained teeth. Your teeth may also lose their whiteness because of natural aging.

When the enamel (top layer of the tooth) wears down, the dark layer below, called the dentin, becomes more visible, giving the appearance of darker teeth.

It’s no surprise that tooth whitening is the most-requested cosmetic dental procedure today. At Shafaa Integrative Dentistry, we offer our patients both a Quick in-office whitening treatment, as well as our take-home whitening kits.

With successful outcomes time and time again, our teeth whitening methods are both safe and effective. We also take extra measures to ensure tooth sensitivity is minimized while protection of the enamel is maximized.

Dental Veneers

Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin shells made of translucent porcelain that can be bonded to your teeth and are indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

Extremely versatile and durable, and an excellent option if you need to cover chipped / cracked / broken teeth, close gaps between your teeth, cover discolorations or strains, or can be used to create a symmetrical and aligned appearance.

Veneers can completely reshape your teeth and smile. They require little to no prepping and can often be applied in just one dental visit.

Crowns

We all want strong teeth that will last for a lifetime, but sometimes we may need a crown, which is a covering for your tooth. A crown, also known as a “cap,” is usually used to cover a damaged tooth. For example, your tooth may be decayed so much that there is not enough of the natural tooth material to hold a filling.

A crown is also used to protect a broken tooth or can be attached to a dental implant (tiny rod) to replace a missing tooth. A crown may also be used to cover a tooth that is very discolored.

A crown can make your tooth look more attractive, improve your tooth’s shape or alignment, and make your teeth stronger. Crowns made of ceramic, porcelain, or resin can be made to match the natural color of your teeth so most people won’t even know that you have a crown.

There is no one-size-fits-all. At Shafaa Integrative Dentistry, Our experienced dentist will discuss with you which type of crown would be best to suit your individual needs.

Normally, the first step is for the dentist to take an impression/mold of your tooth so that the crown will fit your teeth correctly. Our dentist will also match shade of the crown to your tooth.

After our dental office makes the mold, we manufacture your crown in our lab so that it does not have to be sent out. Your crown will be made with custom-designed material.

Our dentist will carefully attach the crown to your teeth with a special adhesive that will keep in place over your tooth. If you have concerns about any possible pain, our dentist will provide you with a local painkiller.

It may take a while to get used to having your crown, but we’re confident it will look, function and like your regular teeth.

Crowns can last a lifetime if you practice good oral hygiene. That means brushing at least twice a day and flossing once a day. To protect your crown, try to avoid chewing hard foods, ice or other hard objects. Also be sure to get check ups and cleanings.

Dental implant

Millions of Americans suffer tooth loss in their lifetimes. This usually happens because of tooth decay, gum disease, or injuries. Most people have at least one gap in their teeth by age 35. Losing a tooth can increase your chances of losing more teeth, ruin your beautiful smile and make you self-conscious. The good news is that a dental implant is an effective way to replace your missing tooth.

An implant blends in with your other teeth so most people won’t even know that you have an artificial tooth. Implants are an excellent long-term solution for restoring your smile.

Implants are tiny rods that are made of titanium and other materials. The rod actually acts as the new root for your artificial tooth.

First, the implant (rod) is surgically attached to your jaw in the area of your missing tooth.

Our dentist will use local painkiller, so you should only feel pressure, no physical pain. Depending on how much jawbone you naturally have, you may also require a bone graft made artificial material to thicken up your jawbone where the implant will be placed.

You will want to eat soft foods during the healing process, which is called osseointegration. This is when the jawbone actually heals around the implant (rod). The growth of bone around the implant gives it a secure anchor. This healing can take several months. Our dentist may give you a temporary crown during this period.

In the next step, a small connector post, also called an abutment, is attached to the rod. Then an artificial tooth (permanent crown) is attached to the abutment. This artificial tooth will be carefully created in a lab to match your other teeth.

Your implant, with the jawbone healed around it, will provide a strong foundation for your artificial tooth.

Dental implants have changed dentistry over the past 25 years, and provided a high tech solution for missing teeth. The success rates of dental implants vary, but are usually very high, 95-98 percent.

Dental Bridges

If you are missing one or more teeth, a bridge could bring back your smile. A bridge actually helps bridge the gap caused by missing teeth. A bridge is an artificial tooth that is cemented to two natural teeth, one on each side.

Both of these surrounding teeth will have crowns attached to them, and then the artificial tooth is attached to the crowns.

A bridge can also be used to replace more than one missing tooth, as long the bridge has surrounding teeth for support. A bridge can be made of gold, metals, porcelain, ceramic or a combination. You and our dentist can decide which kind is the best for you. As we are a biomimetic dentistry, we do not condone the use of metals in the mouth. For front teeth, porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the color of your real teeth.

The surrounding/supporting teeth for your bridge can also be dental implants, which are full crowns attached to metal posts (root) that look like real teeth.

Bridges make your smile complete, give you confidence and fill in the gap left by a missing tooth. If the gap is unoccupied, then the remaining teeth around the gap will eventually shift to fill it in and create a bad bite. This can lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

A dental bridge is a non-removal appliance intended to replace missing teeth consisting of two crowns that reside over anchoring teeth are affixed to pontics (artificial teeth).

At Shafaa Integrative Dentistry, our dentist will take an impression of your teeth to create an exact mold for your bridge. The dentist will also match the shade of your teeth to the bridge. You may be given a temporary bridge while the permanent bridge is created in a lab. Later, the temporary bridge will be removed and the permanent bridge will be cemented in.

There are three types of bridges:

• Traditional bridge – when a crown, also called a cap, is made for each of the surrounding teeth (natural or implants) and the artificial tooth is placed in between, as mentioned above. Traditional bridges are the most common type these days.
• Cantilever bridges – performed when there are teeth on only one side of the missing tooth. These types of bridges are not recommended for back teeth because of the amount of pressure they must endure.
• Maryland bonded bridges – have metal or porcelain wings on each side of the bridge that are attached to the two surrounding teeth.

Proper oral hygiene can determine how long your bridge will last, so it’s important to brush and floss no matter what type of bridge you get.

Invisalign

When it comes to “invisible” braces, Invisalign braces are the gold standard. Unlike traditional dental braces, which use brackets and wires to straighten teeth, Invisalign braces use a custom-made a series of clear plastic aligners that are completely removable. The comfort and convenience of Invisalign braces are unbeatable. You can eat whatever you want; you can remove Invisalign braces whenever you need to; and you can brush and floss more effectively. Invisalign braces are effective for patients who have problems with crowding, spacing, crossbites, overbites and underbites.

If you’re experiencing bleeding, swollen gums and/or gum recession, you may have gum disease, also known as gingivitis and periodontitis. When bacteria gets inside the gum area, the gums can become infected and inflamed. Gum disease causes destruction of gum and bone tissue around the teeth. Over time, a pocket develops, which allows bacteria to accumulate far below the gum line. This is virtually impossible to clean by brushing and flossing. Laser treatment is a gentle and conservative way to revitalize tissue, eliminating infection and stimulating healing of the pockets.

At Shafaa Integrative Dentistry, we offer painless laser periodontal therapy (Laser gum surgery). This is a minimally invasive technique, which is very precise and has a more comfortable, does not cause much bleeding, pain or swelling, faster healing time than traditional gum surgery. Laser surgery has many benefits. In addition to removing the diseased tissue with exacting accuracy, it also kills bacteria to detoxify the area.

The laser technique is used in scaling and root planing, which removes tartar and plaque from the tooth root surface, below the gum line. It effectively smooths the surface, making plaque less likely to accumulate.

Laser therapy can also be used to treat ulcers in the mouth, also known as cold sores. These ulcers are caused by the reactivation of a virus called HSV-1. The virus actually lays dormant, but is triggered by trauma, stress, illness or changes in the weather.

When this happens a group of small blisters rupture to form small ulcers on the lips and gums. For some people, these mouth ulcers can be quite painful.

The best time for laser therapy is when your ulcer is burning. The laser destroys the virus particles, dries the mouth lesions, kills nerve endings and promotes healing. Laser therapy is fast and painless, so no painkiller is necessary.

People experience immediate pain relief with this type of laser treatment, and their healing time will be significantly shortened. The frequency and intensity of ulcers should decrease after laser therapy.

One of the most common cosmetic complaints is a gummy smile. It may seem as if the teeth are too short, but this is usually caused by excess gum tissue. When too much tissue covers part of the teeth, the esthetic balance of the smile is upset. This can be corrected with a minimally invasive laser surgery, which not only removes the excess tissue but also sculpts the gum line to create a symmetrical and attractive shape. In many cases, the hard bone or tooth tissue needs to be sculpted as well. Thanks to laser technology, this can be done without the use of scalpels. Crown lengthening or gum recontouring may also be used in conjunction with restorations or implant therapies.