Having a beautiful smile may be easier than you think. Many people achieve the look they've been dreaming of with our simple "bleaching" procedure.

It's hard to imagine anything more appealing than a sparkling white smile. Yet our teeth rarely stay as white as we would like them to without a little help. Fortunately, that help is available right here at the dental office.

Teeth whitening in a professional dental setting is a safe, effective way to brighten your smile. It's also perhaps the most economical cosmetic dental procedure.

Professionally supervised whitening will work faster, and protect sensitive gums and tooth root surfaces better than over the counter whitening products. Having an oral exam before you begin the whitening process is an important first step, as we want to make sure your tooth discoloration is not the result of a dental condition in need of treatment.

Crowns are used to reconstruct a single tooth broken down by tooth decay, or one that has simply fractured. If the tooth was in good alignment before the crown was prepared, the crown will be in good alignment. If the tooth was misaligned before the crown, sometimes the crown may be made to obtain a more ideal shape and position. It is cleaned and flossed just like a natural tooth.

Our goal at Oceanspray Dental Health's office is to provide dentistry that is undetectable. One of the most esthetic ways to restore teeth today is to use a full cast ceramic or porcelain crown. This type of crown contains no metal, so it approximates the total appearance of an undamaged, natural tooth.

These are beautiful restorations, and they are possibly the most beautiful full coverage restorations available. You can expect them to last for a long time. If you need a full coverage restoration, and aesthetics is of maximum importance to you, porcelain and ceramic crowns should be considered.

Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology has been revolutionizing industries, including dentistry. With the CEREC system a digital scanner is used to record a 3-D image of your teeth instead of gooey impression materials. We are also able to make the crown in the office, avoiding the need for a temporary crown. Now, with our Cerec system, that is all a thing of the past.

The doctors at Oceanspray Dental Health can now complete beautiful restorations like crowns, inlays, onlays, and veneers in-office, in only "ONE" appointment. Benefits for our patients:

• "ONE" visit
• no impressions
• no temporaries
• highly aesthetic
• long lasting

Our Cerec system allows us to replace conventional impression methods with a clean, fast digital scan that is obtained in just a few minutes through a series of photographic images taken in the mouth. Combining this scanned date with our advanced software, we're able to design a custom, permanent restoration. A milling unit then fabricates your restoration design quickly and conveniently, right in our dental office.

Your final result is a natural-looking restoration of superior strength that perfectly matches the surrounding teeth, making your crown, veneer, or filling virtually undetectable. The elimination of impressions, temporaries, and second appointments enhances the entire dental experience for our patients. As an added bonus, many of our patients love watching their new tooth come to life in the milling unit right in front of their eyes!

When people speak of "bonding" their teeth to make them look better, they are usually referring to porcelain veneers. Veneers cover only the outside portion of the tooth, the part that shows when you smile or talk. Porcelain veneers are placed in order to correct slight or severe defects in tooth alignment, shape, or color. This is done when there is still enough enamel on the tooth to allow the veneer to be placed. The most common use for porcelain veneers is to improve the cosmetic appearance of the patient.

If you have any questions about porcelain veneers, please feel free to ask us.

Thirty-five years ago, if someone described how teeth could be replaced with implants, it might have been called a miracle. Twenty years ago, the use of dental implants to replace missing teeth might have been called astounding. Today, implant procedures are called routine.

Dental implants are metal anchors, which act as tooth root substitutes. They are surgically placed into the jawbone. Small abutments are then attached to the implant, which protrude through the gums. These abutments provide stable anchors for artificial tooth replacement. Implants can be used to replace a single missing tooth, replace several missing teeth, or provide added retention to a removable dental appliance such as a full denture.

Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat virtually anything and can smile with confidence, knowing that the replacement tooth appears natural. In addition, implants can help preserve facial bone, preventing the bone deterioration which occurs when teeth are missing.

If you have any questions about dental implants, feel free to ask us.