Teeth Whitening
The easiest way to improve the appearance of any smile is to make it whiter and brighter. We offer two effective ways to erase stains and discolorations: Zoom! Whitening and take-home whitening.
ZOOM! Whitening
This in-office smile whitening system involves a special light, which accelerates the bleaching of the teeth. The powerful, yet gentle, bleaching gel is activated to provide fast and effective whitening of teeth stained by food, beverages, the natural aging process, and some medications.
Zoom! whitening takes about an hour, and the results can last years when properly maintained. All Zoom! treatments include a take-home kit for touchups, making it easy to maintain your smile’s brilliance and manage sensitivity at home.
Please note: Whitening is not recommended if there are any signs of disease present on the teeth or soft tissues of the mouth.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening (Trays)
If you prefer gradual whitening of your teeth, bleaching at home offers a safe, easy, effective way to get your smile its whitest and brightest. This treatment involves a gentle whitening gel placed in custom made bleaching trays that fit perfectly over your teeth. Home bleaching lets you control when and how often you whiten.
A short appointment, in our downtown Toronto office, is needed to create your trays. The take-home teeth whitening treatment is then used for an hour or two each day until you achieve your desired tooth shade. Results are often achieved in as little as two weeks.
Please note: Whitening is not recommended if there are any signs of disease present on the teeth or the soft tissues of the mouth.
Veneers
A porcelain veneer is a thin layer of ceramic that covers the front portion of your tooth to improve the aesthetics of a smile. They mimic the tooth enamel in a way that makes them look natural.
Veneers are often used to cover up flaws such as deep staining that can’t be removed through bleaching, gaps between teeth, cracks etc. Sometimes they can even be used to align front teeth.
For more details, see: dental veneers
Crowns
Crowns are also known as “caps”.
They are "cemented" onto an existing tooth to become your tooth's new outer surface. Crowns can be made of porcelain, metal, or both. They are indicated sometimes for cosmetic reasons in order to change a tooth’s shape but are mainly recommended for functional purposes because of their strength.
When a tooth is badly broken/cracked, worn down or destroyed by tooth decay, a crown is needed to restore the tooth to proper form and function. A crown is also indicated for teeth that have been root canal treated, as they are more prone to fracture.
Two appointments are needed to make a crown:
The tooth is first prepared to receive a crown. Is most cases, a tooth first has to be built up, prior to preparing for a crown.
Then, an impression is taken of the prepared tooth and a temporary crown is placed. The impression is sent to the lab for the technicians to use to make the permanent crown.
Crowns can be made of:
- All metal.
- All ceramic.
- a combination of metal and ceramic.
At the second appointment, the temporary crown is removed and the permanent crown is cemented in place.
Once a crown is placed, meticulous oral hygiene is required to increase the longevity of the crown. If plaque isn't removed daily from the crown margin, a new cavity can form under the crown. In most cases, if this occurs, the only way to fix it is to remove the existing crown, fix the decay and cement on a new crown.
FAQs on Crowns
Q: What type of crown is best?
A: Every case varies.
-All ceramic crowns are used where esthetics is the primary concern.
-All metal crowns are used where strength is required.
-Ceramic/metal crowns are used where a combination of aesthetics and strength is required.
Post/Core
Teeth that have had root canals need to be strengthened with a crown because they are brittle and prone to fracture.
Sometimes a root canal treated tooth doesn't have a solid base on which to place a crown. In these cases, a post is placed into the root and then a core material is added, providing a stable and secure base for the crown.
Implants
When you lose a tooth, there are a lot of ways to replace it, but a dental implant is usually the best option for the following reasons:
- It is the most natural looking replacement.
- It doesn’t involve cutting into any of your existing teeth.
- It will help preserve your bone levels around the area.
The implant is made out of titanium, which is bio-compatible with the bone. The bone grows right around the tiny implant threads and locks it in place. This is the key to keeping the artificial tooth firmly in your mouth.
Once healing has occurred, a crown is cemented on.
Bridges
A bridge can be described as two crowns placed on the teeth, surrounding a missing tooth space, with an adjoining “fake tooth” in the middle. It is, made of porcelain and/or metal.
Fixed bridges can restore missing teeth to their natural form, function and appearance.
Two appointments are usually required:
At the first appointment, the teeth on either side of the space are prepared.
An impression is taken of the prepared teeth.
A temporary bridge is then placed, ending the first appointment.
The impression is used by a lab technician to make the bridge.
At the second appointment, the temporary bridge is removed and the permanent bridge, received from the lab, is cemented in place.
Q: Do bridges require special care?
A: It is important to maintain good oral hygiene including brushing and flossing (please refer to our oral hygiene section to see how to clean under a bridge)
Dentures
Dentures (also known as false teeth) are a way to replace multiple missing teeth at the same time. They are retained and supported by the surrounding soft and hard tissues of the mouth. Conventional dentures are removable. However, there are many different denture designs, some which rely on bonding or clasping onto teeth or dental implants. Please consult our Denturist to find out more!