What is involved in a Smile Makeover?
At Southridge Dental, we provide a complimentary consultation to discuss the goals and expectations that each client has for their smile makeover. There are many concerns that clients come and share with us such as: missing teeth, crooked teeth, unwanted spaces, stained/discoloured teeth (teeth whitening), chipped/fractured teeth, old crowns, porcelain veneers, etc.
During the consultation, all of the relevant and available options are discussed. For example, Invisalign and Invisalign Teen to straighten crooked teeth or to close undesirable spaces, a professional 1-visit in-office teeth whitening to whiten the teeth from 2-8 shades lighter, Dental Implants, Implant Supported Dentures, or Porcelain Bridges to replace missing teeth, and our most popular treatment for our smile makeover patients, Porcelain Veneers/Crowns. These can be used for repairing chipped, broken teeth, correcting the colour of stained or discoloured teeth also known as permanent whitening, correcting the disproportionate teeth sizes as well as an option for correcting unwanted spaces or crowding known as instant orthodontics.
After we have determined the treatment option that matches your goals and expectations, our Financial Treatment Coordinator will then do the same in regards to our financial options available.
One of our favourite parts of our Smile Makeover is the SMILE TRY IN. For this appointment, we take full diagnostic records that include models of your teeth and a full set of cosmetic pictures. Rather than just showing our clients before and after pictures of our previous smile makeovers, we want our clients to be able to see what their new smile can look like in their own mouth without cutting any teeth. So together with your input towards your customized new smile and our diagnostic records, we have our lab design one set of models that resembles your current teeth. Then they design another set of models of your new customized smile in wax. The lab also provides us with a customized mould of your new smile in which we then place our SMILE TRY IN temporary crown material, from which you will pick the shade of tooth color that you prefer. We then place this mould, with SMILE TRY IN material in it, onto your teeth, both upper and lower if needed. Within a minute, we remove it to show you what your new SMILE MAKEOVER can look like, without having touched your teeth. We then take a new set of pictures with this SMILE TRY IN in place and email you a before and after set of pictures. We encourage SMILE TRY IN clients to bring a significant other along with them to see first hand what the new smile will look like, and to give feedback on how it can be improved if needed. We then discuss the new smile and made adjustments, if necessary, such as a whiter color or less white color, to make certain teeth longer or wider. Almost anything can be customized to the clients liking.
All of our smile makeovers include a complimentary professional in-office Teeth Whitening, and a customized Night Guard to help protect the new smile from chipping and to protect the opposing teeth from wearing. At Southridge Dental's Surrey dentistry clinic, our revolutionary teeth-whitening procedure is safe, effective and completed within one hour - the perfect teeth-whitening choice for busy Surrey families and professionals with tight schedules!
Enjoy Our One-Hour Surrey Teeth Whitening Spa Treatment
Our SurreyTeeth Whitening process is ideal for anyone looking for immediate results.
The procedure is simple and painless. Our whitening process begins with a short preparation to isolate your lips and gums. The Whitening Gel is then applied, and the specially-designed light aids in activating the hydrogen peroxide (the gel's active ingredient), helping it to penetrate the surface of the teeth. This light increases the effectiveness of the Gel by 26% or more, providing an average improvement of up to eight shades. A five-minute fluoride treatment completes the procedure. In many cases, teeth become even whiter the first few days following the procedure.
Almost anyone can benefit from teeth whitening; however, treatment may not be as effective for some as for others. Your dental professional can determine if you are a viable candidate for this procedure through an oral exam, including a shade assessment.
For an extra-special pampering, treat yourself to our Whitening Spa Treatment - sit back, relax and pick a movie to watch while having your teeth whitened dramatically (6-10 shades whiter) by the system. Brighten your smile and de-stress at the same time!
Extensive research and clinical studies indicate that whitening teeth under the supervision of a dentist is safe. Most dentists consider whitening the safest cosmetic dental procedure available.
Our teeth whitening process is not recommended for children under 13 years of age and pregnant or lactating women.
Our 'Free Teeth Whitening 4 Life' Program
Each patient who undergoes one of our Surrey Tooth Whitening Spa treatments receives a complimentary whitening tray on each subsequent 'maintenance' appointment with the hygienist, i.e., every 6 months for the rest of his/her life.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Southridge Dental's Surrey cosmetic dentistry experts are able to combine various modern, effective cosmetic dentistry procedures to give our Surrey and White Rock dental patients that perfect, beautiful smile - crowns, composite and porcelain tooth veneers, bridges and implants.
Composite and Porcelain Tooth Veneers
videos: veneer color correction
Often an alternative to crowns, veneers are very thin pieces of specially-shaped porcelain or plastic, which are glued over the front of your teeth. Little or no anaesthesia is required for this process. Veneers are the solution for the correction of unwanted or uneven spaces between teeth, or for teeth that have small holes or pits, are severely discoloured, chipped, misshapen or crooked. Veneers are ideal for teeth that are too small, too big, or have uneven surfaces. In most cases, little of the tooth itself needs to be removed.
Veneers are created from an impression (mold) taken in the dentist's office. The custom veneer is then glued directly to the tooth. Veneers are a popular solution for many people seeking that perfect smile, as they typically cost less than crowns and don't stain. Strong and very durable, they also generally last 10 to 15 years.
Composite (direct) plastic veneers are usually performed in a single visit. A bond and enamel is applied directly to the tooth's surface.
Porcelain (indirect) veneers are composed of a very thin porcelain material. Two visits are usually required. A dental laboratory creates the final tooth restoration piece.
Dental Bridges
videos: bridge | cantilever bridge | maryland bridge
A dental bridge is a false tooth, known as a pontic, which is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in the area left by a missing tooth. The two crowns holding it in place are attached to the teeth on each side of the false tooth. This is known as a fixed bridge, and is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Unlike removable partial dentures, fixed bridges cannot be removed from your mouth.
In areas of the mouth that are under less stress, such as the front teeth, a cantilever bridge may be used. These are used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space.
Bridges can reduce the risk of gum disease, help correct some bite issues and even improve speech. They can last as long as 10 years or more. If spaces are left unfilled, they may cause the surrounding teeth to drift out of position, and can also cause your other teeth and your gums to be more susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.
Dental Crowns
videos: 3/4 crown | crown | crown no buildup
Grinding your teeth, an improper bite, age, fillings and tooth decay all contribute to the wearing down, cracking or breakage of teeth. Dental crowns cover the entire visible surface of the affected tooth and add strength, durability and tooth stability. In some instances, crowns may be used to replace a missing tooth. Typically, crowns are anchored to the teeth on either side, with a bridge section connecting the two crowns. In lieu of bridges, single tooth dental implants may be used, eliminating the need for crown support.
The dentist makes an impression of the tooth and a dental lab creates the crown. Typically, our patient leaves our Surrey dental office with a temporary crown while the permanent crown is being constructed. This takes about two weeks. The permanent crown is then cemented to the tooth.
Crowns usually last 10-15 years.
Tooth Implants
videos: cemented crown | fixed crown
Dental implants are a very effective, permanent solution for replacing missing teeth. These are fixtures, usually made of titanium, which are surgically screwed into the jaw bone. The implant is an anchor for a natural-looking false tooth or set of false teeth. Implants are typically best placed in the front portion of the lower jaw. It is essential that there be enough bone in the area of the missing teeth to which the implant(s) can be attached. If there is insufficient bone for this purpose, a bone graft may be necessary. People missing most, if not all, of their teeth benefit greatly from this procedure. Implants are also being used, increasingly, to replace certain types of bridges and removable partial dentures.
There are three types of dental implants: root form implants, plate form implants and subperiosteal implants. The Root Form, screw-type implant is shaped like the root of a tooth. It is the most commonly used implant, and is used where there is plenty of width and depth to the jawbone. Bone grafting may be needed if the jawbone is too narrow or short for implant placement.
The Plate Form implant is used when the jawbone is too narrow for bone grafting. It has a flat and long shape for a better fit into a narrow jawbone.
If there's not enough bone width or height for the root form or plate form implants, the Subperiosteal implant is recommended. It is custom-made to rest on top of the jawbone and under the gums, similar to the plate form implant. There are two methods of placement, the first of which involves taking an impression of the jawbone and having a dental laboratory make a custom-fit implant for the jaw. The second requires a CAT scan of the jawbone. Through computer modeling techniques, a model of the jawbone is made from the CAT information. A custom-fit subperiosteal implant is then created by a dental laboratory.
In all types of implants, the healing process takes 3-6 months. Dental implants will last a lifetime.
