Change Your Smile with Cosmetic Dentistry

Did you know that the dental materials dentists use for fillings and crowns are also great for making cosmetic changes to your smile? If you are not completely happy with your smile appearance, we can help!

Picture Perfect Smiles

General and cosmetic dentist Dr. Wendy Holder has years of experience in cosmetic dental treatments, including teeth whitening, dental veneers, cosmetic bonding, all-porcelain dental crowns and dental implant restorations.

If you are hiding your smile and dodging family photos, cosmetic dentistry may be something you want to consider. Dr. Holder can provide cosmetic dental treatments to address most smile challenges, including:

Teeth with dark stains, or grayish or yellowish discoloration
Old dental work with metal edges showing
Missing teeth
Gaps between teeth, or teeth that are oddly shaped
Chipped or broken teeth

Sometimes big changes in your smile appearance can be accomplished with minor procedures, such as closing a small gap with cosmetic dental bonding, or lightening the shade of your teeth with whitening treatments. Dr. Holder can examine your teeth and consult with you to recommend options to make changes to your smile.

Cosmetic Dentistry services that Dr. Holder provides in our Alexander City dental practice include:

Teeth Whitening

Professional teeth whitening (or bleaching) is a safe procedure for a healthy smile. After taking impressions of your teeth, we create custom whitening trays. The trays are designed to be filled with special teeth whitening gel that helps break through old stains to make your teeth look brighter. You can whiten your teeth while you are at home; just fill the trays with the gel and wear them over your teeth for about 30 minutes a day.

Teeth whitening can make your teeth several shades lighter after just a few applications. Occasional touch-up whitening will help to remove new stains and maintain your lighter teeth shade. We have touch-up whitening gel refills available for you to purchase at your regular cleaning visits.

Cosmetic Dental Bonding

Dental bonding materials are made from a combination of plastic resin filling materials and adhesives that are available in any tooth shade. After the materials are applied, the bonding process is activated using a special light. Dental bonding procedures can be used to close small gaps between teeth or to smooth rough, chipped edges.

All-Porcelain Dental Crowns & Dental Veneers

Porcelain ceramic materials are more durable than bonding resins, making them a better option for large restorations. Dr. Holder may recommend an all-porcelain crown if a tooth has a history of decay or a large filling that needs to be replaced. A crown covers the entire top surface of the tooth (or the ‘crown’ that appears above the gum line).

After taking impressions, Dr. Holder can send detailed instructions to our dental laboratory to fabricate an all-porcelain crown with the proper shading to match your other teeth. All-porcelain also means that there are no metal edges that show when you smile!

Cosmetic dental veneers are porcelain shells that are applied to the front surface of teeth to change their appearance. They do not require as much tooth preparation as a dental crown, so they are well suited to conceal discoloration or shape flaws in an otherwise healthy tooth.

Cosmetic porcelain crowns and veneers are often used together to create a symmetrical, bright smile appearance. It really is possible for Dr. Holder to achieve a complete smile makeover with porcelain veneers and crowns!

Dental Implant Restorations

If you have one or more missing teeth, you may be a candidate for dental implants. A dental implant serves as the foundation for a replacement restoration, such as a crown, bridge or denture. Imagine being able to smile again without the embarrassment of missing teeth!

Dr. Holder can examine your teeth and provide you with recommendations on using dental implants to rebuild your smile. And, the bonus, having a full set of functioning teeth can help you enjoy your favorite foods again!

The First Step… Call us

Are you ready to make changes to your smile? Dr. Holder can examine your teeth, gums and bite and help you decide on a cosmetic dental treatment to achieve your smile goals.