Cosmetic Dentistry Yellowknife, NT
Your teeth do a lot of work for you. As you age, the daily wear-and-tear on your teeth can cause them to weaken or become damaged or discoloured. Frame Lake Family Dental’s experienced dental professionals use the latest technology to give you a brighter, more youthful and healthy-looking smile. Count on us for professional cosmetic dentistry in Yellowknife, NT.
Frame Lake Family Dental’s services in Yellowknife include a range of proven techniques that will bring your teeth back to their natural strength and beauty. Our staff believes that each of our patients deserves a smaile they can be proud to show off. We offer a variety of cosmetic solutions to our patients in Yellowknife.
Cosmetic Solutions To Common Dental Problems
If you are considering cosmetic treatments, we invite you to meet with one of our Yellowknife dental professionals to discuss your individual circumstances and find a treatment that best meets your needs.
Problem: Staining, Discolouration, & Dullness of Teeth
This may be due to aging, food stains, smoking, or genetic factors.
Solution: Teeth Whitening/Bleaching - We offer treatments that you can undergo at the clinic or at home.
Problem: Gapped Teeth, Chipped Or Worn Teeth, Discolouration That Doesn't Respond To Whitening Treatment
Solution: Bonding Or Porcelain Veneers - Your teeth can be re-surfaced with compounds that are very like the natural enamel of the teeth themselves, restoring a healthy appearance.
Problem: Missing one or more teeth or need to repair severely damaged teeth
Solutions:
Crowns - Crowns can be fitted to a damaged tooth, replacing the damaged portion and strengthening the remaining tooth. Crowns may be used to improve appearance or repair damage.
Bridges - If you are missing one or several teeth, we might suggest building a ‘bridge’ of strong, natural looking replacement teeth to replace the missing ones.
Dental Implants - If a bridge is not the most appropriate option for you, the best long term solution would be a dental implant.
Problem: Crooked Or Crowded Teeth, Uneven Teeth, Over/Undersized Teeth
Solution: Recontouring or Polishing
These problems may be solved through non-orthodontic procedures that include recontouring the teeth to better fit with the others in your mouth. Recontouring may be used in combination with polishing, veneers, crowns and bonding to achieve the best possible balance and appearance for your smile.
Cosmetic Dentistry Services Yellowknife, NT
Porcelain Veneers
Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are wafer thin, custom made shells of tooth-coloured materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve their appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth. changing their colour, shape, size or length. Dental veneers made from porcelain resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light-reflecting properties of natural teeth.
What types of problems do dental veneers fix?
Veneers are routinely used to fix:
- Teeth that are discoloured – either because of root canal treatment; stains from tetracycline or other drug, excessive fluoride or other causes; or the presence of large resin fillings that have discoloured the tooth
- Teeth that are worn down
- Teeth that are chipped or broken
- Teeth that are misaligned uneven, or irregularly shaped (for example, have craters or bulges in them)
- Teeth with gaps between them (to close the space between these teeth)
What are the advantages of dental veneers?
- They provide a natural tooth appearance
- Gum tissue tolerates porcelain well
- Porcelain veneers are stain-resistant
- The color of porcelain can be selected such that it makes dark teeth appear whiter
Veneers from our Yellowknife dentist offer a conservative approach to changing a tooth’s colour and shape; veneers generally don’t require the extensive shaping prior to the procedure that crowns do, yet offer a stronger, more aesthetic alternative.
What are the disadvantages of dental veneers?
- The process is not reversible
- Veneers are usually not repairable should they chip or crack
- A veneer’s colour cannot be altered once in place. If you plan on whitening your teeth, you need to do so before getting veneers
- Although veneers can dislodge and fall off, to minimize the chance of this occurring, do not bite your nails, chew on pencils ice or other hard objects; or otherwise put excessive pressure on your teeth
- Individuals who clench and grind their teeth are poor candidates for porcelain veneers, as these activities can cause the veneers to crack or chip
Dental veneers do not require any special care. Continue to follow good oral hygiene practices, including brushing and flossing as you normally would.
Dental Crowns
When a tooth is broken and is beyond repair with a filling, a crown (or cap) is often the chosen restoration. Crowns strengthen and restore the remaining tooth structure and improve the appearance of teeth.
It typically takes two dental visits to have a crown placed. During your first visit, the tooth to be capped is prepared for the crown by reducing it in size. Your dentist then takes an impression of your tooth and will use that to create a perfectly fitting crown. A temporary crown is placed to keep your tooth protected and you comfortable while your permanent crown is fabricated. On your second visit, the temporary crown is removed and the permanent crown will be fitted over your tooth and bonded or cemented in place.
Newer technology, such as computer-designed crowns, are now very popular in dentistry. The biggest benefit of this is that a crown can be prepared and cemented in one visit.
Dental Bridges
A bridge is a custom device anchored to neighbouring teeth that replaces one or more missing teeth. When a lost tooth is replaced with bridgework, the teeth on either side of the missing tooth are prepared as crowns to serve as abutments to hold the prosthetic (replacement) tooth in place. Crowns and bridges are most often made from superior materials such as semiprecious or precious metals, porcelain, or a fused combination of the two. Aesthetics, function, and tissue compatibility are considered when selecting the material most suitable for you. Bridges are bonded to the teeth and are not removable. Frame Lake Family Dental does not use semi-precious metal.
Bridge Process: What To Expect
First Appointment
The first appointment usually takes between 1-3 hours, depending on how much work you are having done. During the preparation, a small amount of the surface of the tooth is usually removed under local anaesthetic. After impressions are taken, temporary restorations are fabricated, which remain on your teeth until the fit appointment. If the tooth/teeth have existing fillings, the dentist may need to remove those as part of the procedure. The temporary material is porous and may stain with heavily coloured food and drinks, (i.e. curries, red wine and black coffee) so try to avoid these if possible.
How to Clean Temporary Restorations
Brush your teeth as normal; if the temporaries are joined together you will not be able to floss. Using a mouthwash such as Listerine® Total Care or Colgate® FluoriGard will help.
How Will My Teeth Feel After the Appointment?
Whenever dental treatment is carried out, there is a risk that inflammation of the dental nerve or gums may occur. This may result in sensitivity or soreness and will settle within a few days or weeks.
In a small portion of cases the nerve may be damaged, and the area may not settle. The risk is increased where there is a history of decay, damage or trauma to the tooth. In these cases, it may be necessary for the tooth to have root canal treatment.
There can be a 2-3-week interval period between the preparation appointment and the fitting of the porcelain restoration. In the rare circumstance there can be unexpected delays, so please allow an additional 2-3 weeks before significant social events.
During this phase it is quite normal to feel anxious and nervous at the prospect of a completely new look. The quality of the porcelain is far superior to the acrylic of temporaries and will feel smooth to the tongue. Porcelain is highly polished and has superb stain-resistant properties.
The Bridge Fitting Appointment
We normally allocate 1-1.5 hours for the fit of the porcelain restoration, usually under local anesthetic. The permanent restorations are bonded in place using the latest-dentine bonding agent for superior strength. This bond often causes sensitivity, sometimes for several weeks.
Avoid very hot or cold food and drinks. We may place a fluoride varnish and give you a home fluoride kit to treat this.
How Long Will The Bridge Last?
It is Important to maintain good oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing. Regular hygiene appointments and fluoride application, along with a good diet, help to prolong the restorations.
Inlays and Onlays
When a large portion of a tooth’s biting surface is damaged, an inlay or onlay is often recommended as a treatment. Inlays and onlays are pieces of material that are permanently bonded to a tooth to replace a damaged portion. Often made of porcelain, gold or composite resin, inlays are similar to a filling, but are prepared in a lab and then bonded onto the tooth to provide the strength that was lost by the tooth. An onlay is basically the same as an Inlay but replaces most of the biting surface of the tooth.
Gold is the traditional choice of material for inlays or onlays, although porcelain has become increasingly popular since it can closely match the natural colour of your teeth and is very strong. One other advantage of porcelain is that it can be bonded to the tooth.
Traditional fillings can reduce the strength of a natural tooth by up to 50%. As an alternative, inlays and onlays, being bonded directly onto the tooth using special high-strength resins, can actually increase the strength of a tooth by up to 75%. As a result, they can last from 10-30 years. In some cases, where the damage to the tooth is not extensive enough to merit an entire crown, onlays can provide a very good alternative.
Teeth Bleaching/Teeth Whitening
It's safe, quick, and inexpensive. Just let us know at any appointment if you would like to begin bleaching your teeth. You can lighten only your upper teeth or both the upper and lower, depending on how much you show when you talk and smile.
Having a beautiful smile may be easier than you think. Dental bleaching can be used to correct many tooth discolourations. These discolourations may have been caused by staining, aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Using the latest in bleaching technology, we can offer a safe method for creating a beautiful, brilliant smile. In cases of extreme tooth discolouration, bleaching may not be the answer -- crowns or veneers may be the only choice. But because of the low cost of bleaching treatments, bleaching is nearly always worth a solid try.
In only a day or two, your custom bleach trays will be ready for you to pick up. We provide you with a special bleaching agent that you put into the clear, almost invisible tray. With only a short time of wear per day, our special bleaching agent bubbles stains right out of your enamel without altering the structure of the teeth or existing dental work in any way. When your teeth reach the brightness you want, only occasional treatment is needed to maintain your new smile. We'll want to take "after" photos at your next appointment.
At Frame Lake Family Dental, we have tried and tested most, if not all, bleaching methods available in dentistry. Some of these methods are advertised in full force on TV and other forms of media and become the focus of most of all inquiries that we get. You can be assured that at our clinic we will only use the methods that work the best and are the safest. We have stopped using light-activated bleaching agents due to extreme sensitivity and potential burns to the soft tissue. With cosmetic dentistry in Yellowknife, we also provide reliable general dentistry services.
Repairing Damaged Teeth
If you have missing or damaged teeth, we can restore and enhance the natural beauty or your smile. Our practice can treat:
- Missing teeth, gaps between teeth, general bite problems
- Chipped, cracked or worn teeth
- Unsightly, stained or washed-out fillings
- Permanently stained or discoloured teeth
- Crooked or crowded teeth.
Sealants
Recommended for kids between 6 and 12, sealants are highly effective in preventing decay on the biting surfaces of your chewing teeth. Sealants are a simple procedure in which a tooth-coloured acrylic coating is painted onto the surface of the tooth. This effectively seals the deep grooves where decay is most likely to start. We do not use sealants containing Bisphenol- BPA.
TMJ Disorder & Treatment
TMJ stands for the Temporo-Mandibular Joint -- hence today conditions that affect the joints are termed TMD, standing for Temporo-Mandibular Disorders. TMD is a complex condition of very unique two-joints, therefore treatment is also complex. The most common treatment we provide at our clinic is totally reversible and non-invasive. This may not cure all the symptoms, but often provides enough relief for a person to function normally. Our treatment involves the use of the TENS machine and measurement of the activity of the muscles of mastication. In addition, the use of Botox is now becoming popular to reduce the activity of some muscles. Our staff have received specialized training to perform TENS treatment, and the measurement of muscular activities. They have also been trained to fit and adjust orthotics provided for treatment.
TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are a family of problems related to your complex jaw joint. If you have any symptoms like pain or a clicking sound, you’ll be glad to know that these problems are more easily diagnosed and treated than they were in the past. Since some types of TMJ problems can lead to more serious conditions, early detection and treatment are important.
Common Signs & Symptoms Of TMJ
- Are you aware of grinding or clenching your teeth?
- Do you wake up with sore, stiff muscles around your jaws?
- Do you have frequent headaches or neck aches?
- Does the pain get worse when you clench your teeth?
- Does stress make your clenching and pain worse?
- Does your jaw click, pop, grate, catch or lock when you open your mouth?
- Is it difficult or painful to open your mouth, eat or yawn?
- Have you ever injured your neck, head or jaws?
- Have you had problems (such as arthritis) with other joints?
- Do you have teeth that no longer touch when you bite?
- Do your teeth meet differently from time to time?
- Is it hard to use your front teeth to bite or tear food?
- Are your teeth sensitive, loose, broken or worn?
The more times you answered “yes,” the more likely it is that you have a TMJ disorder. Understanding TMJ disorders will also help you understand how they’re treated.
TMJ Treatment
There are various treatment options that we can utilize to improve the harmony and function of your jaw. Once an evaluation confirms a diagnosis of TMJ disorder, the dentist will determine the proper course of treatment. It is important to note that treatment always works best with a team approach of self-care as well as professional care. To find out how cosmetic dentistry at our Yellowknife clinic can change your smile, give us a call.
Contact Us Today
To book an appointment for cosmetic dentistry services or get veneers in Yellowknife, contact us today. We’re ready to help you regain confidence in your smile.
PLEASE NOTE: The content provided here is for informational purposes only and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your physician/dentist with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
