Pretty Teeth

With today's technology, and Dr. Coker's expert training, there's very little to stop us from creating a smile that's absolutely priceless. Whether that means big changes or little adjustments, we have the resources and skill to help design and produce incredible, natural looking smiles for anyone who seriously desires a spectacular smile.

Get in Shape with Bonding!

Not many people realize how much the length, shape and spacing of their teeth affects their smile. All it takes is a little bit of experience with composite resin bonding, and they begin to understand. You see, composite resins are nearly the perfect dental material because they not only allow us to invisibly shape your teeth, but to actually strengthen them as well. So we can actually build beauty into your smile. In fact, in areas where teeth are too short, cracked, chipped, discolored, or disfigured, we can create a uniform, white, evenly spaced area…balanced and harmonious your overall expression.

How? A composite resin is simply a silicon dioxide-filled tooth-colored plastic mixture that bonds to the tooth structure itself, providing long-term breakage protection, and insulation against temperature changes. It's simple to work with, generally requiring only four simple steps: preparation, layering, shaping, and polishing. First, Dr. Coker prepares the teeth to be filled: drilling out any decayed area and cleaning all surfaces with a specialized cleaning agent. Next, he layers the composite onto the teeth, hardening each layer with a special light. When the layering process is finished, he works with the composite, shaping it to fit the tooth to match your natural dentition. He then polishes it to prevent staining and early wear.

May I Have Your Attention Please, for Porcelain Veneers?

If your smile needs an even more dramatic change , we can take you from average to outstanding in just three steps with application of porcelain veneers. Because they cover the entire tooth, the thin, shell-like veneers can actually 'reform' your entire smile, creating more attractive color, shape, and size of teeth in ways other procedures can't match. And because of the significant effect on your smile, we do a bit more preparation up front.

For example, Dr. Coker first carefully evaluates your specific situation, listening to you explain the exact changes you have in mind. Then, he'll do several things to help you visualize your end result. He’ll spend some time showing you photos of similar case outcomes; obtain an impression of your mouth for a "diagnostic wax up", giving you a three-dimensional representation of the results, and finally, he may also use a computer enhancement program to provide you with several options prior to performing the actual procedure.

Then, once you’ve agreed on your desired results and a corresponding course of action, Dr. Coker simply prepares your teeth for the veneers by gently buffing or filing approximately one half of a millimeter from the surface of each recipient tooth. Occasionally, this step requires a local anesthetic. He'll then take the final mold or impression of your teeth and send it to a special professional dental laboratory . There, experts will carefully produce your veneers for a custom-fit.

Once they're ready, Dr. Coker will carefully bond them temporarily with water or glycerine, to test their fit and color . And as soon as you're both completely happy with their compatibility, look, feel, and fit, he'll permanently affix them to your teeth using a special dental cement. Finally, to activate the cement’s hardening agent, he’ll apply a visible light beam to the veneers and create a finished look.

Keep Things Straight with Crowns.

Of course, if you're self conscious due to cracked, chipped, disfigured teeth, you might be interested in a more significant change in order to restore your smile to it's very best. In such cases, we can do a couple of things: porcelain crowns or porcelain veneers. Both crowns and veneers have their pro's and con's; we determine the best option after carefully assessing your situation and objectives.
If crowns are the way to go, you'll find them to be a snug-fitting, well-designed means of covering problem teeth while simultaneously protecting them from further damage and preserving your jaw’s correct natural alignment. Plus, with today's technology and materials, we can apply crowns with complete confidence in their final shade and their hard-wearing durability. In fact, no one need ever know that they're in your mouth!

The process is very simple, requiring two steps. First, Dr. Coker will carefully numb your mouth and prepare the recipient teeth by gently removing the outer portion. Based on years of experience, he’ll carefully and judiciously eliminate any decayed areas, while also creating the proper shape and size to accommodate your crowns. Next, he'll make a precise mold or impression of your teeth and send it to our special professional dental laboratory where the specialists will carefully produce your custom-fit crowns. Typically, the production process requires one to two weeks, during which time we'll protect your teeth and gums by fitting you with temporary acrylic resin crowns.

Once your crowns are ready, Dr. Coker will remove the temporary crowns, then carefully fit and adjust the permanent ones into place. Then he'll take some time to carefully evaluate them for appearance, color match, bite discrepancies, and accuracy of fit. When he’s satisfied with these criteria, he’ll cement the crowns to each of the prepared teeth.

Take Care of That Smile!

Occasionally, patients notice a bit of temporary post-placement sensitivity after any cosmetic procedures, including whitening, bonding, or other treatments. But this passes, and the lasting results are truly worthwhile. And that brings us to the next point. Once you've made the investment of improving your smile, you'll want to take excellent care of it for the long run. Habits like smoking, drinking coffee, and drinking tea can really reduce the brightness of a newly white smile. While some patients choose to protect their new smiles with clear plastic sealants, others simply give up these harmful habits.

To set up an appointment for bonding or porcelain veneers and crowns, just call the office at (903) 581-1777 or send us a message on our "contact us" form.

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