Advancements in dentistry enhancing restoration of smiles

Sun Publications / November 29-30, 2001

Lisa Kunkes had been thinking about it for a long time. And then she finally made the decision.

“I want to enhance my smile," she said.

Kunkes, on staff at Mario Tricoci Hair Salon and Day Spa, fully understands people's desires to look and feel good. She was never happy with her own smile. “There were a lot of things about my smile I didn't like – the color, crowding and shape of my teeth. I also had mercury fillings that showed," she said.

After only a few short months, Kunkes achieved her dream smile. “I love my new smile. I thought I would need braces for several years along with metal-based crowns. I can't get over how natural they look," she said.

Dentistry has come quite far in just the past few years. We now work with a person and have them appear as if they were blessed with absolutely perfect teeth. More than ever, people can choose restorations without compromising the cosmetics. Everything is bonded to the natural teeth. We can restore teeth to their original strength, beauty and color.

Bleaching is one way to enhance your smile. Old-fashioned teeth-whitening
procedures consisted of taking impressions, pouring models and fabricating custom trays, then wearing the trays for weeks, sometimes up to a few months to achieve their desired results. Now we have revolutionary procedures such as Brite Smile (www.britesmile.com), which is a fast and simple procedure that can remove years of yellowing and staining from coffee, tobacco and red wine in about one hour. This has proven to be a safe procedure with no long-term detriment.

Though bleaching is the most popular and usually the first step it still is very limited. When unsightly, discolored fillings, tetracycline staining, gaps or crowding of teeth are present, metal-free porcelain crowns and veneers will correct these problems. Bonded porcelain has now replaced metal to repair decay, straighten teeth and lengthen them without weakening solid tooth structure.

Kunkes first completed the Brite Smile procedure, then with the help of Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, we began recreating her smile with all-porcelain veneers and crowns. Her teeth were slightly lengthened and the crowding was eliminated. The result was a beautifully natural and youthful smile. “The reaction from my colleagues and clients was 'Wow!' They were just amazed,” Kunkes
said.

Cosmetic dentistry is not just focusing on the teeth. Often it can be a life-changing decision. There are a host of sell-esteem issues tied to the appearance of teeth.
People often develop the unconscious gesture of putting their hand over their mouth when they speak or only chew on certain teeth because of pain and old dental work. With this state-of-the-art dentistry we can provide results that will look good, feel good and last a long time and improve the quality of life. There has never been a more exciting time in dentistry than today.

"This has definitely changed how people respond to me, but most importantly, how I feel about myself," Kunkes said.

This article was submitted by Ogden Dental
1767 Ogden Ave., Naperville, IL
Call: 630- 983-2600 for information.