COSMETIC SOLUTIONS FROM COSTA RICA

Once you are dentally healthy, a wide range of cosmetic treatments are available.

Cosmetic dentistry uses a number of ways to enhance the appearance of your teeth. Treatments are available to make crooked teeth look straighter, to improve the appearance of teeth and to make discolored teeth look white.

Veneers

A porcelain veneer is a technical term for what is really a “finger nail” for a tooth. If a front tooth is chipped, damaged or discoloured, a thin layer (veneer) of ceramic material, such as porcelain, can be made to fit over it, or tooth coloured composite material can be placed on the tooth. In some cases, if you have one or more teeth that are crooked, veneers of varying thicknesses can be fitted to help them appear straighter.

Veneers are extremely versatile and can be used to eliminate twists and turns in the tooth, align crowded or protruding teeth, close unsightly gaps or lighten discolored teeth.

Cosmetic Gum Contouring

Sometimes the gum tissue overgrows in certain sections of the mouth causing the smile to look lopsided or uneven – in these cases, selective gum contouring is used to “even-up” the smile.

Crowns and bridges

A crown (or cap) is a protective cover that is fitted over the existing sub-structure of a damaged or broken tooth. It is also utilized to strengthen a tooth weakened by decay or a large filling. Crowns are shaped like natural teeth.

If a tooth has been lost, a cosmetic dental bridge can be used to “bridge” the gap between two adjacent teeth.

A specially designed structure incorporating a hollow crown to support the missing tooth is prepared in the dental laboratory. Similarly to crowns and implants , the replacement bridge “tooth” will be matched to the rest of your teeth to give as natural result as possible.

Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are similar to fillings. However, like crowns, they are made in a laboratory and then bonded to the tooth with special adhesive. This process like crowns and veneers requires two visits to the dentist.

Tooth Whitening

There are a number of different bleaching methods available to lighten the natural shade of your teeth.

Tooth whitening is a way of simply changing the colour of the teeth without changing the shape. There are two main methods of whitening teeth: the home whitening kit and non-laser whitening.

Home Tooth Whitening

Home whitening kit is provided to be undertaken at home. Impressions of your teeth are taken at the practice, and then whitening trays are fabricated.

A very small amount of whitening gel is placed into the trays, which are then placed over the teeth.

Non Laser Whitening

This treatment is provided in the practice. A higher concentration of whitening gel is placed on the teeth. The procedure takes approximately 1 to 1 hour 30 minutes.

We normally expect that a minimum of two sessions will be needed to achieve a reasonable change in colour, however some people need more sessions or the home kit additionally.

Internal Bleaching

Internal bleaching involves placing a bleaching product inside the tooth. It can only be done on teeth that have been successfully root treated. This means that the blood vessels and nerves inside the tooth have been replaced with a rubber filling.