Dentistry by Michelle S. Weddle, DDS FAGD
This patient chipped her front tooth. She also wanted to brighten her smile without it looking fake.
The first step was to whiten her teeth using Opalescence gel and a custom-made whitening tray. This brightened her smile by whitening only a couple of shades in order to maintain the natural appearance of her teeth. Composite was then matched to her new teeth color and bonded to her existing tooth structure to repair the chip. Composite bonding is used to fix minor defects on a tooth. It does not require grinding of a tooth as with veneers or crowns. Depending on the patient's diet and habits (grinding, using teeth to open bags, biting nails, etc.) bonding can last a few years. The disadvantages of composite bonding is that it usually needs to be replaced earlier compared to porcelain veneers. It also stains or discolors quicker than natural teeth and porcelain.
Patient Photos Depicting:
Note: Patients depicted in photos have provided their consent to display their pictures online. Results may vary.
The space between this patient's 2 front teeth is bothering her. Her teeth are perfectly aligned and to do braces to close the space would take a long time and increase the expense unnecessarily. Composite bonding was used to close the space (diastema) between the two front teeth. This was accomplished in one 45 minute appointment and cost considerably less than orthodontic treatment (braces). Most diastema closures can be performed without anesthetic, depending on patient preference. Dentistry by Michelle S. Weddle, DDS, FAGD. Copying prohibited.
Patient Photos Depicting:
Note: Patients depicted in photos have provided their consent to display their pictures online. Results may vary.