Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry is a discipline within dentistry in which the primary focus is the modification of appearance of a patient's oral cavity and surrounding structures, in conjunction with the prevention and treatment of organic, structural, or functional oral disease. Through cosmetic dentistry, the appearance of the mouth can be altered to more closely match the patient's subjective concept of what is visually pleasing.

Today's common cosmetic dental treatment options include:

  • Whitening, or "tooth bleaching", is the most commonly prescribed cosmetic dental procedure. While many whitening options are now available, dentist-supervised treatments remain the recommended procedures for lightening discolored teeth.
  • Enamel shaping removes parts of the contouring enamel to improve the appearance of the tooth. It may be used to correct a very small chip. The removed enamel is irreplaceable, and may sometimes expose dentin. It is also known as enameloplasty, odontoplasty, recontouring, reshaping, slenderizing, and stripping.
  • Bonding is an option for chipped or cracked teeth. It is a process in which an enamel-like dental composite material is applied to a tooth's surface, sculpted into shape, hardened, and then polished.
  • Veneers, ultra-thin, custom-made laminates that are bonded directly to the teeth, are an increasingly popular procedure. They are an option for closing gaps or disguising discolored teeth that did not respond well to whitening procedures.
BEFORE   AFTER
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Veneers

santa monica dentistThis procedure is more conservative yet a highly effective way to
dramatically improve the appearance of your smile and boost your self-confidence.This is one of the quickest and most dramatic way to renovate your smile, but can be used for minor repairs only, compared to a full crown.Veneers can make crooked teeth appear straight, and can make uneven
teeth match up; correct gaps and spaces between teeth, unsightly old fittings, and whiten yellow, discolored or permanently stained teeth.Porcelain Veneers are thin, semi-transparent, natural-looking sheets of porcelain, which are bonded over the surface of the teeth.Composite Veneer is constructed from composite material, which costsless than Porcelain.

A composite laminate dental veneer is provided for attachment to the labial enamel surface of a human tooth. In one form of the invention the dental veneer comprises an outer lamination composed of stain-resistant, chemical-resistant and erosion-resistant material and an inner lamination composed of a material having the capability of efficient bonding to the labial enamel surface of the tooth and having the capability of permanent attachment to the outer lamination in such manner as to define an integral veneer mass. The outer lamination may be composed of dense, stain-resistant materials such as cross-linked polymer and various vitreous materials such as ceramic material, glass and the like. The inner lamination may be composed of a noncross-linked polymer or a porous and cellular ceramic, glass or vitreous substance. The laminate veneer also employs a color system embodying an additive color system which includes color pigments of an enamel blend and a subtractive color system which includes color pigments of a dentin color blend. These color pigments would be distributed in color centers or microdots of color that are layered within an matrix.

Teeth Whitening

santa monica dentistTooth bleaching, also known as tooth whitening, is a common procedure in general dentistry but most especially in the field of cosmetic dentistry. Many people consider white teeth to be an attractive feature of a smile. A child's deciduous teeth are generally whiter than the adult teeth that follow. As a person ages the adult teeth often become darker. This darkening is due to changes in the mineral structure of the tooth, as the enamel becomes less porous. Teeth can also become stained by bacterial pigments, foodstuffs and tobacco.

As white teeth are subconsciously associated with youth, they have become desirable. This has been made more apparent with the spread of American culture worldwide[1], where an especially white smile is coined a "Hollywood smile". The procedure to bleach teeth uses oxidising agents such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to lighten the shade of the tooth. The oxidising agent penetrates the porosities in the rod-like crystal structure of enamel and oxidises interprismatic stain deposits; over a period of time, the dentin layer, lying underneath the enamel, is also bleached. Tooth bleaching lasts for a period of some months, with variations from factors such as cigarette smoking, and tea and coffee consumption.

 

Tooth Colored Fillings

santa monica dentistA dental restoration or dental filling is a dental restorative material used artificially to restore the function, integrity and morphology of missing tooth structure. The structural loss typically results from caries or external trauma. It is also lost intentionally during tooth preparation to improve the aesthetics or the physical integrity of the intended restorative material. Dental restoration also refers to the replacement of missing tooth structure by restoring dental implants.

Dental restorations may be fabricated out of a variety of materials, Common direct restorative materials include dental amalgam, glass ionomer cement and composite resins. Common indirect restorative materials include acrylic, porcelain, zirconia, gold and other metals.

Dental restorations can be divided into two broad types: direct restorations and indirect restorations. All dental restorations can be further classified by their location and size. If decay is spread beyond dentin, in that case root canal therapy is used, and a crown is fit.

 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 

santa monica dentist testimonialsMany thanks for helping me smile once again. Everyone has been very kind in my hour of need. You have amazing skills. You have given me so much service. Now this smile is very precious to me that i could ask for nothing more. - Emily M. -Encino

santa monica dentist testimonialsI am a former patient. I agree with the comments that i read about your service and care. It is the best service one can ever recieve. There is no reason to find someone else. Dr. Chaves is the best that you can see. I am forever grateful for this smile. - Robert J. -Westhills

santa monica dentist testimonialsI have seen dentists here and abroad. It was so painful. Then i met Dr. Chaves. He promised that i wont feel a thing, and he's right not even a pinch. I am very thankful for that and now im not afraid of dentists anymore. -Lanie F. -San Fransisco

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SMILE GALLERY

 

 

 

santa monica dentist smile gallery

Our expertise and attention to detail can be seen throughout our dental gallery. Each patient is treated with the utmost care and respect. Our work is extremely well planned out so that each operation is quick and as painless as possible.
Feel free to browse through our dental gallery and marvel at just how much a person can change with a great smile.
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You can trust the name Santa Monica Dentist to give you the perfect smile you want
 
Our Specialty is Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments for patients in the Woodland Hills Area
 
 
Santa Monica Dentist, 5312 Comercio Lane, Suite A, Woodland Hills, CA 91364, 818-961-0051