While your teeth may be healthy enough, you may have issues with certain aspects of their cosmetic appearance. You may have badly stained teeth from a reaction to tetracycline when you were a kid. You could have a chipped tooth. There may be a gap between teeth. Nothing seriously wrong, just aesthetic issues.
At McDowell Dental Group we refer to addressing these types of dental problems as cosmetic dentistry. The goal is to improve the overall beauty of your smile.
With cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Gary McDowell and Dr. Ashley McDowell work to improve the appearance, but not necessarily the function, of a person’s teeth and overall smile. Cosmetic dentistry improves aesthetic issues such as whiteness, correcting misshapen teeth, alignment, reducing a gummy smile, and the like.
Here are some of the cosmetic dentistry services we perform at McDowell Dental:
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are applied to the front side of the tooth or teeth. They mask any imperfections and can change the shape of the tooth, fill gaps, correct alignment issues, and more. Porcelain closely resembles natural tooth enamel, and a full set of veneers can give you a perfect smile.
Porcelain crowns overlay the entire tooth down to the gum line. Crowns can be thought of as tooth lifesavers because when they are placed over a tooth they return strength, along with chewing and biting capability. Crowns can also be used as purely cosmetic treatments, covering a tooth that is misshapen, has a chip, or is badly stained from tetracycline in the tooth interior.
At McDowell we offer both in-office and at-home teeth whitening treatments. Both of these options can whiten your teeth from three to eight shades. Our in-office treatments use hydrogen peroxide gel that is painted onto your individual teeth by our hygienists. It is then activated with a special light and left on the teeth for 15 minutes and then removed. This process is repeated three or four times. For our at-home whitening, we create custom trays based on dental impressions. We provide carbamide peroxide gel that you then place in your trays and wear for 30 to 60 minutes while watching TV or reading. You do this every day for one to two weeks, depending on how much whitening you need.
At McDowell we offer both in-office and at-home teeth whitening treatments. Both of these options can whiten your teeth from three to eight shades. Our in-office treatments use hydrogen peroxide gel that is painted onto your individual teeth by our hygienists. It is then activated with a special light and left on the teeth for 15 minutes and then removed. This process is repeated three or four times. For our at-home whitening, we create custom trays based on dental impressions. We provide carbamide peroxide gel that you then place in your trays and wear for 30 to 60 minutes while watching TV or reading. You do this every day for one to two weeks, depending on how much whitening you need.
When your oral health has declined to the stage that all of your teeth need attention just to prevent the slide to eventually needing dentures, that is full-mouth reconstruction. This involves extractions, replacing teeth with dental implants or bridges, gum restoration, and possible partial or full implant-supported dentures.
A smile makeover is simply a term for a series of cosmetic procedures done in combination to give your smile the full cosmetic treatment. These treatments can be done usually in just a couple of appointments. They will involve everything from placing veneers to applying composite bonding. We may replace amalgam fillings with composite resin, which is invisible once in the tooth. Whitening will be a part of every makeover.
We now offer Botox, Juvéderm, and Restylane injections with Dr. Ashley McDowell, who has specialized training in total facial aesthetics. Botox is one of the world’s most famous brand names, renowned for its ability to erase crow’s feet, frown lines between the eyebrows, and forehead lines. It does this by relaxing the muscles that form these wrinkles on the upper third of the face when we make certain expressions, such as frowning or showing surprise. Juvéderm and Restylane are dermal fillers made from hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring protein in the body responsible for hydrating, plumping, and firming the skin. When Dr. Ashley injects these popular fillers, the hyaluronic acid instantly binds with nearby water molecules and fills in the depression under the lines or creases pushing the skin back upward. Dermal fillers are used on lines and creases from the cheek area down around the mouth area.
Schedule Your Consultation With McDowell Dental Group Today!
If you would like to schedule a cosmetic dentistry consultation, please call our office at 215.885.0555 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We provide patients with general and cosmetic dentistry services in Abington, Jenkintown, Horsham, Upper Dublin, Willow Grove, Lower Moreland, Bluebell and Philadelphia, PA.
