Cosmetic Dentistry
Your smile is your most important physical feature. It is the first thing others notice about you, and it empowers you with more self-confidence. Numerous studies have shown that an attractive smile makes you more likeable and can lead to higher self-esteem and even faster career advancement. Fortunately, recent advances in technology make it possible for Gardner Dentists to almost instantly transform your smile. Stains, chips, big spaces and crooked teeth can all be corrected. By utilizing direct bonding, teeth whitening, all-ceramic crowns and porcelain veneers, we can achieve amazing results in just a visit or two.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Those dark, metal fillings (amalgams) of our childhood are history. At Gardner Dentists, we utilize the finest composite materials to replace decay and to restore your teeth to up to 95% of their original strength. This is an ideal solution for patients with new decay, and tooth-colored fillings are often beneficial for patients will lots of silver fillings.
While silver fillings (amalgams) were a staple of dentistry for decades, they create wedges in your natural teeth. A lifetime of biting and chewing on these fillings eventually causes small, microscopic fractures in your teeth. And, these fractures can cause your entire tooth to split resulting in a painful and expensive dental experience. However, Dr. Haworth and Dr. Markway have helped hundreds of patients avoid this crisis by proactively replacing their silver fillings with tooth-colored restorations. As a result, your teeth will appear more natural, beautiful, and they will be much stronger. In fact, some studies show composite fillings to be up to 50% stronger than traditional, silver fillings.
Direct Bonding
Large cosmetic challenges that affect multiple teeth require the use of porcelain veneers and all-ceramic crowns (caps). In many other cases, Dr. Markway and Dr. Haworth can combine their clinical excellence with their artistic abilities to reshade and reshape your teeth in a single visit. This is accomplished through the magic of direct resin bonding. Multiple layers of composite can be utilized to cover small stains, reshape natural teeth, fix chips and close small spaces.
Metal-Free Crowns
Porcelain fused to metal used to be the standard way dental crowns were made to replace worn and broken teeth. Often, they were referred to as caps. In some instances, this type of restoration is still the best treatment option – offering a unique combination of strength, function and esthetics.
However, there is a new generation of materials that allows you to replace your natural teeth without any metal. You can eliminate the thin, dark lines around your gums, and you can achieve a level of esthetics not possible when metal is present. Some of these restorations are made from porcelain formed under intense heat and pressure. Others are fabricated from zirconia – an extremely strong and biocompatible material that is also used in artificial hips.
Gardner Dentists is proud to offer all of the latest dental materials – including many options for metal-free crowns – and we encourage you to ask us more about how they can help you smile.
Teeth Whitening
Whiter, brighter smiles are all the rage. From Hollywood to Lenexa, people of all ages find they gain confidence and smile more often once stains and discoloration are removed. Often, this is the first step in creating your perfect smile, and we are ready to help get your started down this path.
Dr. Haworth and Dr. Markway welcome your questions regarding teeth whitening options. There are hundreds of choices, and it is sometimes tough to separate fact from marketing claims. Our goal is to help you select the best teeth whitening system for you. Whether you've never whitened before and have moderate to heavy staining/discoloration of your teeth you wish to remove, or have light staining that requires only a minor touch-up, we can help. Our products include both in-office options and take home treatments using custom trays and gel.
Porcelain Veneers
Over the past 15 years, stronger porcelains and enhanced bonding agents have revolutionized the creation of thin facings that can dramatically enhance your smile. In fact, some patients are now candidates for porcelain veneers that require very little (if any) reduction of your natural teeth.
As with most things in life, the right solution depends on many factors. The way your teeth bite together and the amount of crowding between your teeth will directly impact your options. This is why porcelain veneers are often utilized in combination with metal-free crowns to create entirely new smiles. Today's veneers have multiple layers of porcelain that mimic natural teeth and create depth and vitality. We strongly suggest every veneer case starts with a free consultation. Dr. Markway and Dr. Haworth have the advanced training necessary to evaluate your smile and to recommend the ideal solution.
Once a plan is in place, you can have an entirely new smile created with porcelain veneers in as little as two appointments. This is how the term “smile makeover” came to be, and it is easy to see the dramatic impact these changes can have on your life.