Teeth rarely fracture in a perfectly predictable way. Sometimes a break is too big for a filling, but not big enough for a crown. Porcelain onlay provide an excellent solution for teeth that need extra reinforcement without being covered entirely. Bonded into a place, they provide years of natural feel, function, and esthetics.

When we consider the options to preserve even a single broken tooth, we use a conservative philosophy in our approach. Fortunately, modern dental materials open doors to rebuild teeth to full strength less invasively than ever before.

Sometimes teeth undergo significant damage due to cavities, heavy bite forces, trauma, or even normal functioning. Many situations can leave teeth in danger of loss if treatment is bypassed. While teeth may need to be fully “capped” with a dental crown, some smaller fractures can be perfectly formed back to health with an onlay. A crown requires a little more tooth preparation while onlays allow the unbroken portions of a tooth to be left uncut. A custom piece of porcelain, like a partial crown, is bonded to the damaged area.

Onlays blend seamlessly with the natural enamel and enhance both function and appearance. When the most conservative option fits your treatment plan, Dr. Reed may suggest an onlay for ultimate restoration.

Your gums form a flowing framework around your teeth providing support and esthetic value. Sometimes a little gentle recontouring of the gum line bring a nice boost to your smile. Plus, properly shaped gums contribute to a healthy environment that supports your overall dental health.

A perfect smile results when multiple parts blend for one stunning presentation. The gums surrounding the teeth form a stark contrast to the white teeth, framing their appearance. Gums flow around the neck of each tooth in a scalloped fashion, dipping naturally around the front and back to expose the fullness of each one. Texture, thickness, height, and color tone all influence the appearance of the gums serving their vital supporting role.

Sometimes specific areas of the gum detract from a pleasant smile. The scalloped flow may be uneven, sitting too high around certain teeth. Or a thick area may protrude unnaturally, causing a visual distraction.

Just as a piece of art benefits from reframing, gums can gently be contoured to complement the smile. Fortunately, laser technology often makes this procedure quick, painless, and dramatic. The results can be observed immediately and within a few days your gums look perfectly natural. In some cases, more extensive contouring may be discussed. Dr. Reed evaluates numerous factors before deciding which approach will give you the finest smile.

Damaged teeth might seem hopeless, but there's often still a solid foundation that leaves you with options. A crown, or cap, can bring a compromised tooth back to full function. And with modern porcelains, you'll probably have a difficult time trying to find where the crown ends and the tooth starts.

Modern dentistry offers more options than ever to help you restore and maintain an optimal level of health. While the strength and beauty of materials continue to advance, the skill of the practitioner makes a significant difference in every outcome. Dr. Reed focuses on utilizing the best techniques for comprehensive care, returning even the most damaged mouths to full health.

Sometimes teeth undergo significant damage due to cavities, heavy bite forces, trauma, or even normal functioning. If a root canal is needed to salvage a severely compromised nerve, the tooth may be especially fragile. Many situations can leave teeth in danger of loss if treatment is bypassed. Dental crowns, or caps, allow these teeth to be rebuilt and covered with materials that mimic nature. Not only are most “capped” teeth indistinguishable from natural teeth, but they're also extremely secure and comfortable.

Nothing boosts your confidence like a terrific smile. But when yellow stain dims the brilliance, it's time to give it a lift. Professional whitening systems provide the ultimate in whitening results, quickly removing years of discoloration with quality controlled materials.

If you're confident, you smile more. If you smile more, you feel more confident. But what if you don't want to flash your smile because you're embarrassed by yellow teeth?

Sometimes a new smile emerges from the simplest steps. Teeth whitening removes years of dingy stains from your teeth. Coffee, tea, wine, tobacco, and chocolate dull white enamel surfaces. A brilliant boost along with some gentle polishing and reshaping of chipped, uneven edges can create an easy transformation. Simple and safe, most patients don't realize how much discoloration embeds into their teeth until they see a new shine emerge.

Numerous products crowd supermarket shelves. While we don't discourage these methods, you may want to consider the advantages of professional whitening:

• Customized system: We offer in-office whitening that removes years of stain within an hour or less. We also can make trays that fit your teeth like a comfortable glove for whitening at home. Together we'll find the right system for your situation and the best results, sometimes even combining the two methods for maximum short and long-term benefits.

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Cavities, chips, and fractures occur on any tooth surface throughout the mouth. Composite filling material provides a versatile solution to many common problems. Blended into a prepared area, the composite polishes to a smooth, undetectable surface.

Cavities and small fractures leave many teeth with defects that progress over time if untreated. In the past, metal restorations served a need but left many teeth discolored and strained from the wedging effect of the metal. Today, tooth-colored composites blending into tooth structure provide an excellent option for restoring defects. Composites can often be placed in thinner layers than metal, preserving more of the natural tooth.

Composites serve both functional and aesthetic roles, often at the same time. For example, a cavity invading the front of a tooth along the gum line may be visible in your smile. By gently cleaning out the soft, discolored area the decay ceases to destroy healthy mineral surfaces. And when a composite shade matching the tooth is sculpted into place, the tooth looks better than ever.

Composites contain a mix of liquid resin embedded with finely ground glass particles. After being molded against conditioned tooth structure, blue light applied directly to the composite leads to a firm set within seconds. Shaped and polished, a high shine reflecting the beauty of natural enamel results in an invisible restoration: strong, smooth, conservative.

Veneers provide an artist's touch to your smile. Custom-crafted, these ultra-thin porcelain creations work in magical ways. Regardless of your vision for your smile, chances are veneers offer an answer. When today's modern materials meet our passion for cosmetic excellence, you'll be amazed at what you see smiling back at you in the mirror.

At Waterloo Dental, watching patients discover a brilliant new smile highlights our days. Veneers can transform a smile dramatically, sometimes referred to as “instant orthodontics.” A set of veneers can correct chips, stains, and even deeply discolored teeth. But they can also alter the length and size of teeth, or help teeth that seem rotated suddenly appear straight. While it sounds dramatic, only the stunning visual outcome is surprising. Veneers provide a highly conservative approach to esthetic smile makeovers.

Veneers display the ultimate in dental art and science, handcrafted and customized to fit your smile. Like a contact lens, these paper-thin pieces of porcelain bond to the outside of your natural teeth. But don't be fooled by the thin characteristics of this material. Many unique features can be incorporated into the ceramics, replicating any look you want to create.