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Everyday we see people with broken teeth and toothaches by old silver fillings that have expanded with temperature and time like the mercury in old thermometers.  These teeth now need crowns, root canals or extractions.  Frequently, there's decay under the fillings due to the fact that they were done before recent advances in caries (decay) detectors and bonded restoreations to seal out the decay from forming at the margins. 

We follow the IAOMT protocol for removal of amalgam fillings.  We remove amalgam fillings under a rubber dam for isolation and your protection.  We use special air filters and an oxygen mask (with or without nitrous oxide) to help reduce your inhalation of mercury.  Generally speaking, teeth that have been prepared for silver fillings have holes that are simply too big or undercut to replace with direct bonded composite fillings.  We remove the silver fillings, use a decay detector to eliminate any decay, insulate the tooth, take an impression and fabricate a piece of polymer resin in the laboratory under heat, pressure and light, and then bond it in the same appointment.   Rather than "cut the teeth down for crowns", we prefer to put the tooth back together like a jigsaw puzzle with a one-appointment onlay.  The more we save of your natural tooth, the better you feel.  Of course, in certain circumstances, crowns are necessary. 

For patients who have excessive gum tissue, teeth can appear stubby. What you may not know is that beneath that overgrown soft tissue, your teeth are just waiting to be revealed! If you have a gummy smile, we may recommend a gumlift, otherwise known as esthetic crown lengthening.

A simple cosmetic procedure called esthetic crown lengthening can be performed by our board-certified periodontist, Dr. Mark Margolin, to correct the gummy smile. He'll talk with you about your options and what to expect during the procedure and then discuss the outcome you want to achieve.  The improved results are noticeable instantly. Your new smile will look bold, beautiful, and better than you thought possible!

This young lady was told by several cosmetic dentists that she needed 10 porcelain veneers or Lumineers which would require the removal of good tooth structure, shots and anesthetic, and several appointments as well as temporaries. And not even one of them noticed her uneven gumline! All she needed was a cosmetic gumlift, "Deep Bleaching™", and minimal cosmetic bonding, and in two weeks, she had a better smile than she had ever dreamed was possible! Read below for her testimonial:

"I have had consults with 2 other "cosmetic dentists", as well as with my dentist (a personal friend) that does veneers.  They all talked about complete veneers to perfect my smile.  I have never been able to go for it because it never felt right.  No one has ever suggested altering my gum line.  After my consultation with you, I am really, really surprised about this.  When I saw the digital pictures and you talked about the gums, it all clicked.  I didn't want a "Miss America" smile, I just wanted an improved smile for me.  I felt you and Dr. Mark understood exactly what I wanted.

I have never been a spur of the moment person, but after your suggestions, and the trust factor I felt with you and Mark, it felt perfectly normal to say "Can we do it today?".

The results 4 days post-op are already almost exactly what I wanted, and I can't wait to see the results after the bleaching & bonding.

I am thrilled I found you.  Thank you!"

If you have a chipped, slightly misaligned, or otherwise imperfect tooth that needs cosmetic restoration, we may suggest one-appointment bonding. We can apply composite resin, shaded to blend with your tooth's color, to rebuild a pleasing shape to your tooth. After hardening the resin with a curing light, our dentists will artistically sculpt and polish the restoration. In just one visit, you can enjoy a beautiful new smile! Cosmetic bonding can be a viable, affordable alternative to porcelain veneers.

Bonding is the least invasive way to correct a myriad of cosmetic dental problems in a single visit and with no injections. In the right situation, bonding and Deep Bleaching(TM) can be combined to create a sensational smile. This is not just dentistry, it's Dental Art!

Minimal bonding was added to the bottom edges of the upper four front teeth to eliminate the gaps and to give the teeth a more natural shape, thus creating a more esthetic, fuller-looking smile - all in one appointment - and all additive!

One-appointment onlays can help save teeth and possibly avoid more dentistry such as crowns, gum surgery, and root canal treatments.  Chipped, broken or damaged teeth typically require full crowns, partial crowns or some other kind of restoration.  And while it's important to repair these conditions, most people would rather not have to undergo the multiple dental visits normally required to get the work done.  But now, thanks to our in-office dental laboratory, we can perform these conservative restorations in just one visit!  That means no temporary fillings/crowns, faster service and more conservative treatment!  While the turnaround is short, the list of benefits is long: it is minimally invasive, it preserves a maximum amount of natural tooth structure, and it results in a stronger, healthier and more natural-looking tooth.  How?  This technology saves you tooth, time, and money, and can even prevent future emergency dental visits that may require crowns, root canals or extractions.