Cosmetic Dentistry
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to hold back a smile because you don’t want others to see your stained or discolored teeth. Today’s modern cosmetic dentistry techniques performed by our experienced dentists at Trillium Dental provide you with many options for enhancing your smile.
Get the Smile You Deserve
Would you like to boost your image and confidence with brighter, straighter and whiter teeth? Our knowledgeable and professional staff will take the time to help you decide which options are best for you and your smile.
Our highly effective smile design cosmetic services offer patients the option to redesign their smile to restore confidence in their overall appearance.
At Trillium, we offer patients numerous options for improving the look and feel of your teeth and smile using state-of-the-art cosmetic techniques. These advanced cosmetic dentistry procedures are performed right in our Lansing dental office.
Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures used to make your teeth whiter, brighter, and more attractive. Bleaching can also be used to whiten stained and discolored teeth, or simply to enhance a dull smile.
Our dentists at Trillium dental use professional teeth whitening treatments that are safe and relatively painless — and ideal for most patients. There are several teeth whitening options available that can remove or reduce the signs of brown and yellow staining. Our dentists can explain the pros and cons of each treatment and determine the best teeth whitening alternative based on the severity of your staining.
We recommend that patients use our special at-home, advanced, prescription strength bleach-strips for whiter teeth. Made of thin, flexible plastic strips with a thin film of hydrogen peroxide bleach on one side, our whitening strip kits come with strips for the upper teeth and strips for the lower teeth. You will apply a bleaching agent by placing the strips across your teeth and gently pressing the strips into place to ensure contact with all your teeth.
These safe and effective teeth whitening strips are worn for about 30 minutes a day, twice a day. The duration of treatment can vary based on the current color of your teeth.
If your teeth are chipped, stained, or gapped, then veneers may be a good option for you to consider. Veneers are a widely used cosmetic dental procedure used to cover the outside, visible area of the tooth. They may also be used if the enamel on your teeth is badly worn or if your teeth are not properly aligned.
The advantage of veneers over crowns is that much less tooth material is removed, making the procedure more comfortable for the patient.
There are two procedures used by our dentists at Trillium: direct and indirect. The direct technique usually involves placing composite resin on the outside of the tooth using a procedure called bonding, while the indirect technique usually involves two appointments since the veneers will be fabricated at a dental laboratory.
During your initial appointment, your teeth will be prepared, impressions will be taken, and your teeth will be given a temporary covering. It usually takes two to three weeks for your new veneers to return from the laboratory, at which time, the covering is removed and the veneers are bonded to your teeth. These laboratory-fabricated veneers are usually made from porcelain or pressed ceramic.
Dental porcelain veneers, also known as dental laminates, are thin porcelain shells that are bonded to the front of the teeth. In most cases, porcelain veneers are used to correct orthodontic and cosmetic issues with your teeth. These thin shells adhere to your teeth and can improve the appearance of each tooth through changes to its color, size, length or shape.
Bonding may be an option for you to consider if you have damaged teeth, discolored teeth, or gaps between your teeth. With bonding, tooth-colored restorations are applied or bonded to the tooth’s surface. Bonding can usually be completed in one dental appointment.
SmileBOND is an innovative and proven tooth bonding technique that uses digital technology to deliver your beautiful new smile. It was developed by our own Dr. Bill Villemot! Because of SmileBOND’s patented tooth bonding process, your new smile can then be delivered in just one visit, without the tooth grinding and cost of traditional porcelain veneers.
By bonding tooth-colored restorations to your tooth’s surface, our dentists can effectively repair or restore the shape and feel of your teeth, especially in cases where your teeth are chipped, broken, cracked or stained, or if there are uneven or large gaps between your teeth.
Cosmetic bonding like SmileBOND involves adhering composite resin material — matched to the color of the tooth — to the front of the tooth. Bonding may be done to repair damage caused by decay, to alter a tooth’s alignment, to close gaps between teeth or for cosmetic purposes.
In addition to bonding, there are a variety of procedures available today to boost your smile and your overall confidence. For example, enamel shaping remains a popular method for modifying teeth to improve their appearance by removing or contouring enamel. This process, which often is combined with bonding, usually is quick and comfortable and the results can be seen immediately.
Other options include the straightening power of Invisalign, a type of invisible orthodontic therapy. Many adult patients prefer Invisalign treatments as opposed to traditional orthodontic brackets.
We offer effective and safe multi-tooth bonding at our Lansing dental office.
A dental implant is an artificial tooth substitute that replaces missing tooth roots. Dental implants restore lost chewing ability, improve appearance, end embarrassment, and give real self-confidence to patients who need them. Because of proven success, preservation of existing teeth and no susceptibility to dental decay (cavities), dental implants are a great answer to missing teeth.
While there are several types of dental implants available, the most widely accepted and used option is the osseointegrated implant. Made of titanium, our dentists place these cylindrical bars into the bone, allowing them to lay undisturbed while the bone heals around them, successfully fusing them or locking them in like an anchor. This forms a structural and functional connection between the living bone and the implant. A variation on the implant procedure is the implant-supported bridge or implant supported denture.
Individuals missing one or more teeth looking for a permanent replacement solution may opt to use an implant crown. An implant crown is a composite reproduction of the lost tooth that is placed over a dental implant or post. The implant crown replicates the original tooth in shape, size, strength, and appearance. When the crown adheres in place, it will fully encase the entire visible portion of the dental implant. If you are considering a dental implant, our dentists can help you decide whether or not you need an implant crown.
Our Lansing cosmetic dentists care about your oral health — offering beautiful and healthy porcelain crowns in place of traditional metal fillings that can shift or crack, leaving you vulnerable to bacteria and further decay.
Porcelain crowns, also called Inlays and Onlays, are a more conservative treatment because less of your tooth is removed during the process. Unlike fillings, these procedures strengthen a tooth’s structure and leave your smile whiter and healthier than before. Porcelain crowns provide strength, durability, protection, and brilliance.