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Not many people know what cosmetic dentistry entails or what sets it apart from other specialties within the field of oral health care such as general dentistry, restorative dentistry, neuromuscular dentistry, and sedation dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry is a major part of what we do here at Trillium Dental in Ottawa, and we are proud to have given many patients the beautiful smile they’ve been dreaming of for years.

From administering professional teeth-whitening treatments and contouring gums to providing dental crowns and bridges, we do it all. In this blog post, we will discuss all the different cosmetic dentistry services we offer, as well as what each one aims to accomplish. But first, let’s start with a basic definition of what cosmetic dentistry is and the benefits it has for those who are looking to improve their smile.

WHAT IS COSMETIC DENTISTRY?

Simply put, cosmetic dentistry is a specific kind of dentistry that aims to improve or nearly perfect the appearance of a person’s mouth, teeth, and smile. There are many ways of accomplishing this, and each one depends on the patient’s unique oral structure and own specific needs.

Say you have stained teeth, for example. The appropriate cosmetic procedure would be a professional teeth-whitening service, during which your dentist would safely and effectively apply teeth-whitening gel and an LED light to the stained surface. On the other hand, if you happen to chip or break a tooth or two, porcelain veneers can be applied to seamlessly even out the teeth so no one will ever know they were broken. Either way, cosmetic dentistry can restore your confidence and provide you with a stunning smile in no time!

Given that everyone has a different mouth structure and aesthetic, recent technology has made it possible for a wide range of cosmetic dentistry services and procedures to become available to the public. Here are some of the ones we offer.

TEETH WHITENING

Professional teeth-whitening services are one of the most common types of cosmetic dentistry. At Trillium Dental, we provide both in-office Zoom!® whitening treatments and take-home teeth-whitening kits. Upon visiting our dental clinic for a teeth-whitening treatment, one of our highly skilled dentists will apply Zoom! teeth whitening gel to your teeth in 15-minute increments, and shine a Zoom! light on your teeth to enhance its effectiveness. This safe, non-invasive teeth whitening service is completed in an hour and produces incredible results. If you prefer whitening your teeth in the comfort of your own home, you can also pick up a take-home teeth-whitening kit from our office at any time.

PORCELAIN VENEERS

As previously mentioned, dental veneers are used to cover up broken, chipped, cracked, or otherwise imperfect teeth. At Trillium Dental, we use extremely thin porcelain veneers that can be bonded to the teeth, giving our patients a stunning white smile that looks entirely real. In fact, no one will even notice that your teeth were flawed in any way because our porcelain veneers are strong, long-lasting, and very closely resemble real teeth.

INLAYS & ONLAYS

Another common cosmetic dentistry procedure we offer is the implementation of porcelain cavity fillings, as opposed to traditional metal fillings. No one wants to talk with dark, visible fillings, and we make it possible for no one to ever know. There is no better way to hide the fact that you’ve had cavities than with white fillings that look like part of your real teeth!

SMILE MAKEOVERS

For those who want the full package, we also provide total smile makeovers, complete with any combination of teeth-whitening treatments, porcelain veneers, Invisalign®, dental bridges and crowns, and more. This option is fully customisable and is contingent on each patient’s individual needs.

DENTAL BONDING

Dental bonding refers to the administration of any material to your teeth that is meant to stay. This could mean porcelain veneers, white cavity fillings, or any other kind of permanent or semi-permanent cosmetic dentistry service.

GUM CONTOURING

Some people have gums that, in their opinion, extend too low or rest too high up on their teeth. This can cause them to feel self-conscious and result in them hiding their smile — until they seek a professional gum contouring procedure, that is. For those who have a “gummy smile,” we can even out and remove parts of the gums with a dental laser that is made for these kinds of small, non-invasive procedures. We can also perform gum grafting to add a little more tissue to overly exposed teeth that hardly have any gums.

DENTAL BRIDGES & CROWNS

Last but not least, we also offer dental bridges and crowns for patients with brittle or decayed teeth. During this procedure, we place a temporary crown on the affected teeth to reinforce and protect them while permanent dental crowns are being made. Once we have crafted them from an impression, you will be sent home with better functioning teeth and a better looking smile.

If you are thinking about pursuing a cosmetic dentistry treatment or procedure, request an appointment today! Cosmetic dentistry is one of the most fun parts of our job, and we love helping our patients achieve their best smile.

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In part one of this blog series, we defined periodontal disease and some of the gum treatments our periodontists provide for patients with gingivitis, or early-stage gum disease. These include a preventative method called root planing, where we gently remove tartar from the gum line with a small metal tool called a dental scaler, and laser gum treatments, which involve the removal of bacteria and infected gum tissue without the need for local anesthesia. Both of these periodontal treatments have the potential to reverse minor gum damage by allowing the gums to naturally reattach to the freshly cleaned and disinfected teeth.

At Trillium Dental in Ottawa, we also offer other kinds of periodontal treatments that pertain to those with moderate- and late-stage gum disease, or periodontitis. When the gums have receded to the point where the roots of your teeth start showing and deep pockets of bacteria begin to form, professional periodontal attention is required to alleviate symptoms and prevent further damage to your gums, teeth, and jawbone.

PERIODONTAL TREATMENTS FOR GUM DISEASE

Once gingivitis has worsened to the point of periodontitis, the patient may be eligible for surgical gum treatments. Given that the roots of your teeth are not meant to be exposed, they might become very sensitive when your gums weaken and recede due to the infection. Fortunately, we have many gum treatment options available for these patients, including:

• Gingival grafts: A surgical procedure where oral tissue is taken from the cheek, the roof of the mouth, or another donor area, and added, or “grafted,” to the patient’s receding gums. This procedure aims to patch gum areas that have weakened and receded to the point of no return, where they expose the sensitive roots of the teeth. It requires the use of local anesthesia, takes anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour, and has proven to be an effective way of regaining gum strength due to the fact that the body is far less likely to reject its own tissue post-surgery.
• Gingivectomy: A form of oral laser surgery that rids the gums of underlying bacteria in the “pockets” that were created as a result of gum recession, as well as all the infected gum tissue. When these pockets become filled with bacteria, plaque, and tartar, the teeth and supporting jaw structure are at jeopardy of deteriorating, which is why it’s so important to have them cleaned out and removed. Like gingival grafts, local anesthesia is also applied during gingivectomies for the comfort of our patients.
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In the event that a patient’s periodontal disease has advanced to the point of tooth loss and jawbone deterioration, among other painful and even life-threatening oral health conditions, other periodontal treatments may be required that don’t deal specifically with the gums. If you are experiencing any of these things, visit our dental clinic today and we may suggest one of the following surgical procedures:

• Crown lengthening: The surgical process of using a soft-tissue laser to trim extra gum tissue from around the missing or deteriorated teeth in order to increase the potential for restoration. Our periodontists perform this procedure when a patient’s tooth has degraded or broken to the point where it cannot host a necessary cavity filling or dental crown. Many people who suffer from gum disease require a crown lengthening procedure in order for their periodontist to provide these fillings and crowns, which help protect diseased teeth from further decay.
• Smile-In-A-Day: A surgical alternative to dentures where a periodontist removes loose, decayed teeth and replaces them with a temporary, hybrid denture that is secured to the underlying bone structure with dental implants. This stimulates the jawbone in a less invasive way, allowing natural bone regrowth and strengthening without the need for invasive bone grafts. Not only does the Smile-In-A-Day dental implant procedure fill in missing teeth, replace decayed teeth, and assist with jawbone regrowth, but it is also performed much quicker than other implant procedures, leaving our patients with a perfect smile when they leave our dental office the very same day.

Strong teeth and a sturdy, stimulated jawbone are critical for basic daily oral functions, like speaking, chewing, and drinking fluids. Smile-In-A-Day is one of the most effective tooth replacement options to date, as it closely mimics the support and stability of natural, healthy teeth. Plus, they look very similar to real teeth, making them an attractive option for people who want to feel confident in their smile while also regaining their strength.

CHOOSE TRILLIUM DENTAL FOR A PERIODONTAL TREATMENT

When it comes to pursuing a periodontal treatment for gingivitis, periodontitis, tooth loss, or jawbone decay, choose our friendly and experienced periodontists at Trillium Dental in Ottawa. As your local family dentistry provider, it is our mission to ensure that each of our patients has access to exceptional periodontal treatments that will help them heal and improve their overall quality of life. Request an appointment through our website or give us a call today!