Tag Archives: veneers indianapolis

Which Cosmetic Dental Procedure Will Improve Your Smile? | Indianapolis Dentist

teeth whitening

When the time comes for a new smile, there are loads of procedures available to repair whatever condition your smile is in. All you need to get started is a dental appointment. Once you’re there, you can discuss the various dental procedures available to you depending on your particular case. Here are the common cosmetic procedures and how they can improve your smile.

Teeth whitening. Everyone’s teeth get discolored or stained from time to time. Teeth whitening, or bleaching, can be done in a dentist’s office or at home with a system dispensed by the dentist.

Bonding. Life is full of accidental mishaps, sometimes those mishaps mess up our teeth. Bonding can improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, broken, cracked, stained, or gapped by bonding tooth-colored materials to the tooth surface, making them nearly impossible to distinguish.

Veneers. Another variation of the bonding technique are veneers. These are thin, custom-made porcelain shells that cover the front of the teeth to disguise discoloration or imperfections.

Tooth reshaping. This procedure changes the actual look of your teeth by modifying or removing enamel, completely changing the look of your tooth. Tooth reshaping (also known as dental contouring) is often combined with bonding.

Crown lengthening. Sometimes it isn’t the teeth that are the issue, it’s the gums. This “gummy” smile or an uneven gum line can be fixed by removing excess gum tissue, exposing more of the tooth’s crown to give the appearance of longer teeth.

Smile makeovers. Deciding your smile needs an entire makeover involves a comprehensive assessment of the overall appearance of the teeth and smile. Typically, several cosmetic dentistry procedures are required to overhaul the look of a patient’s smile, but the results will be staggering.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile.  Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

What to Consider When Getting Dental Veneers | Indianapolis Dentist

Who doesn’t want their idea of a perfect smile? No one has the same idea of the ideal grin, but it’s one that will make them excited to smile every day. Unfortunately, not everyone is born with that smile. If you think you have less than perfect teeth, veneers are a great way to give you the smile you’ve always wanted.

Dental veneers are composed of thin custom-made shells of either porcelain or composite resin that fit over teeth. They are a cosmetic dental product that’s used to mask tooth imperfections, all the while giving teeth a natural and attractive tooth. Aside from discolored, chipped or misshapen teeth, veneers can also be used to fix and improve worn down and uneven teeth, as well as uneven spaces or gaps in between them.

But that’s not all – beyond aesthetics, one good thing about veneers is that there’s very little tooth structure lost during the process. The procedure also requires the use of little to no anesthesia, which decreases the chances of complications from the use of anesthesia.

There are two types of materials commonly used in dental veneers – composite resin and porcelain. However, porcelain veneers are considered better for the following reasons:

Appearance. The translucent properties of porcelain allow porcelain veneers to look as natural as possible.

Durability. Although very thin and brittle, they can last for years and even decades if they’re taken care of properly.

Stain-resistant. Porcelain, as a material, is an impervious ceramic and is also quite smooth. Also, the material will not pick up permanent stains from highly pigmented drinks and food, cigarettes, tobacco, coffee and so on.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile.  Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

What Is Cosmetic Dentistry? | Indianapolis Dentist

cosmetic dentistry

We know that the dentist will keep our smiles healthy, but they are also here to improve your smile through the use of cosmetic dentistry. But what exactly is cosmetic dentistry and how does it benefit you and your smile? Let’s take a second to break down the various procedures and how they can improve your smile. Common cosmetic procedures include the following:

  • Composite white fillings repair cavities without having silver filling in the mouth. Existing metal fillings can be replaced with modern white resin
  • Bonding uses composite resin to help change the size, shape, or color of teeth. Because it attaches to teeth in the same way that composite fillings attach, bonding can be used to fix chips on visible front teeth.
  • Teeth that are discolored or stained can be whitened – either in the office or using take-home trays
  • Veneers are a thin layer of porcelain on top of the tooth that can be used to change tooth shape, size, or color.
  • Crowns can be used as a cap on top of teeth damaged by cracks or decay
  • Orthodontics – either traditional or Invisalign – can be used to permanently straighten teeth.
  • Gum tissue can be surgically altered – either added via grafts to help with recession, or removed to create a more appealing tooth length
  • For missing, broken, or severely damaged teeth, full implants can be used to provide a replacement tooth

Because modern dentists have implants as a final catchall, virtually any problem can be solved given enough time and room in the patient’s budget. However, your dentist will be able to guide you through the process, creating a treatment plan that maps the various procedures and prioritizes them for maximum effectiveness.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile.  Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

Choosing the Perfect Smile | Indianapolis Dentist

It’s a new year and a new you. That’s what they tell you anyway. When you think about being that new person, what improvements are you making? Are they physical ones? Do you ever stop to consider improving your smile? Many of us know someone with a great smile, but most of us have imperfections that need improvements. Veneers may be the ideal solution to repair your dental imperfections. They are thin, semi-translucent laminate that are bonded to change the shape and color of your teeth. Yes, you and your dental professional will design your smile to look as natural as possible. No one will notice a thing.

There are two types of veneers – composite resin and porcelain. Surprised? It’s true. But which do you choose? Let’s break down the two options. This way, when you go to your dentist for a consultation, you will have a general understanding of what you’re getting into and can have some questions for your appointment.

Composite:

  • Last about 4-8 years with proper maintenance
  • Made of high-quality reinforced plastic. Given today’s high-end technology these veneers look and feel very good, but under pressure they can damage quite easily.
  • Have a porous surface, which can affect their look after years of use
  • Stain more easily. Often needing whitening treatments to maintain their appearance.
  • Chip easily

Porcelain:

  • Porcelain veneers on the other hand last up to 25 years and do not require as much maintenance
  • Made of high-quality porcelain, natural in color and more resistant
  • Maintain strength and appearance over several decades
  • Do not stain because of the non-porous material

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile.  Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

Porcelain Veneers – Beauty and the Teeth

Barely past seven on a Tuesday morning and courtesy of the Haleyon, she’s just swallowed. Connie is drifting into a fuzzy world somewhere between sleep and consciousness. Reclining in a green dentist’s chair under a soft plaid blanket, she’s listening to a muted jazz CD over headphone. The tips of her black shoes and the hem of her gold corduroy pants peek out from under the blanket.

Wearing a smart black twinset, the fiftyish Connie (not her real name) is thin and pretty in a mildly weathered way, her tanned and freckled face formed with wispy ginger-colored hair. She’s not here to get a cavity filled or to hear a lecture about flossing. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with her teeth at all. Connie is about to get her smiled fixed.

Kirtley, the state’s only dentist accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, estimates that 70 percent of his patients – mostly middle-aged women-come for what he calls “smile design.” Like other dentists, Kirtley offers teeth-whitening, but bleaching stains can do only so much. If you really want to see dramatic results, the biggest gains come from adding material to existing teeth, as in bonding or porcelain crowns, or from deconstructing the teeth and giving them a prettier facade. These were once known as caps, but in today’s parlance, they’re “porcelain veneers.”