Showing posts with label dental crowns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dental crowns. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Complementary Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry at Work

Complementary Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry at Work
By Mina Levi, DDS, 09/18/2014

In order to have a beautiful, radiant smile, the first and most important thing is to ensure that the mouth is healthy. This may require some restorative dentistry such as tooth colored composite fillings, Zirconia metal free implants and/or porcelain crowns. Restorative dentistry can complement cosmetic dentistry so that the patient can have the healthy smile that they’ve always wanted. 45 year old female patient S.K. presented to Dentist San Francisco Mina Levi, DDS with a complicated cosmetic and restorative case. The patient was missing her left and right lateral incisors and had discolored and crowded teeth. The first step in the treatment plan with Dentist San Francisco was to go through Invisalign orthodontic treatment to straighten the teeth and at the same time, place Zirconia metal free implants in the spaces of the lateral incisors. This allows the teeth to be straightened and the bone to heal around the implants.

Dentist San Francisco Missing Teeth


After the implants were placed and the Invisalign orthodontic treatment was finished, S.K. had Zoom whitening performed to whiten the teeth. Then, abutment supported porcelain crowns were placed over the implants to finish the smile.
 
Dentist San Francisco Zirconia metal free implants 

The patient was very happy with her new beautiful, healthy smile.

Dentist San Francisco Cosmetic Dentistry

If you have any questions or concerns about Invisalign orthodontics, Zirconia metal free implants or Zoom whitening, visit Dentist San Francisco Mina Levi, DDS on the web at www.minalevidds.com or give us a call at (415) 513-5066.


Treatment for Peg Lateral Teeth

Treatment for Peg Lateral Teeth
By Mina Levi, DDS 08/28/2014

What is a peg lateral tooth? Peg lateral teeth are terms used to describe a condition where the lateral incisors (second tooth on either side of the very front upper teeth) are undersized and are smaller than normal. This condition occurs when the incisors to not fully develop. In some cases, permanent adult lateral incisor teeth do not develop at all, leaving only the baby teeth. Peg lateral teeth refer to the under-developed adult tooth erupted in the incisor place.

35 year old female patient S.M. presented with a peg lateral incisor on the upper right side.

Dentist San Francisco Peg Lateral Teeth


There are multiple ways to treat a peg lateral tooth to make it look more fully developed. One is cosmetic bonding, and the other is porcelain veneers. Cosmetic bonding is the application of a composite material that is matched to tooth color (usually, Zoom whitening or at-home whitening kits are recommended before this procedure) to the surfaces of the teeth. This composite material is then sculpted into the shape that is so desired by the patient to achieve the highest aesthetic value. Porcelain veneers are thin “shells” of porcelain fabricated in a laboratory that cover the front surfaces of the teeth. The teeth are prepared for the veneers, molded impressions of the teeth are then sent out to a laboratory so that the veneers can be made to fit the exact tooth structure. Then the veneers are applied to the teeth with an adhesive.

In this patient’s case, the porcelain veneer was the best option. After a quick preparation, Dentist San Francisco Mina Levi, DDS took impressions of the tooth for Lumineers by DenMat, which are very thin veneers that do not require removal of a large amount of healthy tooth structure. After about two weeks, the Lumineer was fabricated and Dr. Mina Levi the permanent restoration.  

Cosmetic Dentist San Francisco

 
If you have questions about peg lateral incisors, cosmetic bonding or Lumineers, visit Mina Levi, DDS on the web at www.minalevidds.com or give us a call at (415) 513-5066.