To whiten your teeth, custom teeth bleaching trays and laser teeth whitening provide beautiful results. However, if your dental imperfections are more extensive than tooth discoloration, Dr. Locke can give you a beautiful new smile with cosmetic bonding or porcelain veneers.
Cosmetic Bonding
If you have a chipped, slightly misaligned, or otherwise imperfect tooth that needs cosmetic restoration, we may suggest bonding, rather than a more extensive cosmetic dental procedure, such as porcelain veneers. Cosmetic bonding is an affordable, esthetic dental procedure that can correct minor flaws and can create a more attractive, natural-looking smile. Because cosmetic bonding is affordable, safe, and long lasting, it is an ideal cosmetic dental procedure for patients of all ages, with a variety of needs. Whether your child has broken a tooth during a soccer game, you want to close the gap between your two front teeth, or your mother is looking for a way to conceal heavy staining from years of drinking coffee, Dr. Locke may suggest cosmetic dental bonding.
Using high-quality bonding materials, Dr. Locke will apply the putty-like composite resin to your teeth in the desired area. He will sculpt the resin to the ideal shape and size, ensuring that it blends seamlessly with your natural tooth structure and surrounding teeth, and then harden it with a curing light. After the bonding has set, Dr. Locke will polish and shine your new teeth to give them a natural luster. Just like with your natural teeth, good dental hygiene is very important. Plaque and bacteria can easily accumulate at the gum line of your bonded teeth, so thorough brushing and flossing are necessary. With the proper care, your cosmetic bonding can last for years.
Porcelain Veneers
In the past, severe discolorations, slight misalignments, and chipped or broken teeth could only be corrected with porcelain crowns. The high demand for better cosmetic dental solutions spurred the development of porcelain veneers, which are highly esthetic and require less removal of tooth preparation of natural tooth structure. In just two to three appointments with Waco dentist Dr. Locke, porcelain veneers can completely transform a smile.
Veneers are constructed from layers of high quality dental porcelain. The porcelain’s natural properties, including translucency and strength, closely resemble those of healthy tooth enamel. About the thickness of a fingernail, veneers lie flat against the teeth to instantly whiten discolored teeth, reshape chipped or worn teeth, close spaces between teeth, and straighten misaligned teeth.
To learn more about bonding and veneers, schedule a consultation with Dr. Corbet Locke by calling our Waco dental office at (254) 776-4888. We welcome patients from Waco, Woodway, McGregor, Hewitt, and surrounding 76712 communities.