Our Services

The world of Cosmetic Dentistry is teaming with possibilities. From the simple teeth whitening procedure, all the way to Porcelain Veneers - we have exactly what you're looking for. Take a minute to browse through some of the many services we offer. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Your smile is the first thing people see. It instantly portrays your personality, self confidence, joy and vitality. Does your smile say it all or are you embarrassed to smile? Nearly half of adults surveyed say they want a beautiful smile. Isn't it your time, right now, to have the beautiful smile you deserve? Not years. Not months. In as little as two visits. We use the most advanced techniques in dentistry to give you the smile you deserve without waiting.

Laser Dentistry

"Gummy smiles" are a very common problem, caused by overgrowth of the gum tissue that covers the teeth. This unsightly occurrence can be caused by a variety of things, including heredity, health conditions, and even the use of many common high blood pressure medications. A gummy smile will dominate the mouth, making the teeth seem almost secondary in appearance. We use Laser Dentistry to change the look and shape of the gums. The laser actually vaporizes unnecessary and unsightly tissue, leaving healthy, normal-looking gums in place. The process takes only a few minutes for most with very little discomfort, and is unmatched in its accuracy and effectiveness.

Orthodontics

Orthodontic braces are most desirable for people under the age of 18. At this stage in life, the bone is more malleable, teeth move easier and are more likely to stay in place once the bone 'remodels' around the newly positioned teeth. Many adults also wear braces, however, they are most likely to wear them for a longer period of time, and require a permanent retainer to hold the new positioning. Braces also require numerous office visits in addition to the general hassles of wearing braces. Braces may reposition teeth but will not affect the shape and color of the teeth which may or may not be desirable.

Modern dental technology can reshape uneven teeth and veneer them with high-tech ceramic. The result will give the appearance and function of a symmetrical smile. The effectiveness of this approach can depend on how crooked and crowded the teeth are to begin with. What we can do is absolutely amazing. For many adults, this option is better than traditional orthodontics, and treatments can be complete in as little as two visits.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening or bleaching, is one of the most popular areas of cosmetic dentistry. Even subtle changes in shading can make someone look years younger. Several factors can contribute to the darkening of teeth, including the effects of age, certain foods and drinks, smoking and medications.

Temporary Bleaching is a whitening process that involves placing a bleaching solution in contact with the teeth causing oxidation of stains and subsequent lightening. There are a variety of systems available to whiten teeth. These include teeth whitening done in the dental office or dentist supervised "At-Home" systems. Current data and research has shown that At-Home tray bleaching is one of the most effective modes of bleaching.

Britesmile

This teeth whitening procedure offers the most advanced state-of-the-art technology to whiten teeth and enhance personal appearance and aesthetics. The BriteSmile Professional Teeth Whitening treatment consists of a gentle hydrogen-peroxide whitening gel activated by a plasma-arc light which complements our whitening gel to effectively whiten your teeth in just an hour without the mess of traditional bleach trays.

Porcelain Veneers

Veneers can straighten, lengthen and whiten teeth to provide your desired smile and bite. It is a thin, strong, porcelain restoration, made just for you, bonded to a prepared tooth. Veneers cover part or all of the biting surface as well as the visible part of the tooth. Veneers can create the smile you have always dreamed about.

Of all the methods available today for changing and improving the look of your smile, veneers are among the most popular and successful with our patients. The process involves removing a small amount of tooth structure to make room for the veneers. The dental lab then fabricates the veneers from impressions. After placement, the veneers look like natural teeth. Some advantages of porcelain veneers over bonding include increased longevity and resistance to staining.

Crowns

What is an all-porcelain crown?

Many restorations are fabricated using a metal lining covered with porcelain. These type restorations are not natural in appearance and they are opaque or flat-looking because they do not let light pass through as a natural tooth does. There is often a dark or gray line next to the gumline. We provide exclusively all-porcelain bonded restorations. With our restorations, you will notice the appearance of natural teeth again.

Metal-free dentistry can restore your full dentition back to natural form and beauty.

Bridges

A Bridge is a custom device anchored to neighboring teeth that replaces one or more missing teeth. When a lost tooth is replaced with bridgework, the teeth on either side of the missing one are prepared as crowns to serve as abutments to hold the prosthetic (replacement) tooth in place. Crowns and bridges are most commonly prepared from high quality materials such as semi-precious or precious metals, porcelain, or a fused combination of the two. Aesthetics, function and tissue compatibility are considered when selecting the material most suitable for you.

Bonding

What is the difference between bonding and a veneer?

The best use for bonding is to repair slightly chipped, discolored or misaligned teeth. Bonding involves placing tooth-colored composite material onto the tooth. The advantages of bonding is that it is inexpensive and an ultra-conservative way to restore a tooth. Bonding will discolor and is easier to break, however.

The application of tooth-colored filling material (composite) to the teeth has been a dental technique for many years. Recent advances have increased the strength, durability and longevity of these restorations. Bonding material can be molded and shaped to achieve outstanding results including tooth lightening, closing spaces between teeth, making teeth appear straighter and repairing chips and cracks. When polished, it gives the appearance of natural tooth structure.

Tooth Colored Fillings

What is a tooth-colored filling?

Until recently, dental patients have been told that repairing teeth with white fillings was just for cosmetic purposes, and white fillings may not be as durable as the metal restorations. This philosophy is now passe. With the modern technologies of dental adhesion, resins, lasers and state-of-art ceramics, the new porcelain restorations are close to rivaling nature in strength, wear, function and appearance. There are now sixteen-year studies showing that with properly administered techniques, these advanced restorations surpass traditional dentistry. With these new materials, it is possible to bond teeth back together, virtually restoring them back to their virgin strength without the invasiveness of full-coverage crowns. In the majority of circumstances, metal fillings or crowns can be replaced with techniques that are more conservative. It is therefore possible to preserve the healthy, remaining tooth structure, rather than whittling teeth down, as a pencil would be ground away by a pencil sharpener.

Amalgam fillings, sometimes referred to as silver fillings, are the most commonly placed filling material according to a survey done by the American Dental Association (ADA) in 2000. The major component of amalgam is mercury, not silver. More than 78% of the dentists surveyed considered it the material of choice, and the main reasons given were that it was cheap, easy to place and had longevity.

In the majority of circumstances, metal fillings can be replaced with techniques that are more conservative. It is therefore possible to preserve the healthy, remaining tooth structure. By intercepting the potential of fracture before experiencing symptoms of hot/cold sensitivity and biting pain, new conservative treatments like tooth-colored filling or porcelain bonded restorations are preventing the side effects of toothaches and broken teeth. Using a proactive rather than reactive approach to amalgam replacement, many of our patients are happy to report having had a superior experience.

Neuromuscular Dentistry

What is a Neuromuscular dentistry?

Neuromuscular dentistry is the art and science of using the relaxed position of the muscles of the head and neck to place the jaw into an optimal physiologic position. Thirty years of research and clinical experience have shown this technique effective in treating patients with various levels of head and neck pain. It is also used in finding the optimal jaw position before restorative dentistry and greatly increases the longevity of restorations and natural dentition.

The underlying conditions that cause these signs and symptoms are structural, biochemical and emotional. Underlying structural problems are most always present and these lead to over-activation of the jaw, head and neck muscles. Over a period of time, structural problems can lead to pain, tension and spasms. Call for a consultation today to see if we can help you, too.

Neuromuscular dentistry differs from "traditional" dentistry as it places the emphasis upon the activity of the muscles that move the jaw. Traditional dentistry does not consider the role jaw musculature plays in providing a comfortable bite. It uses the present alignment of the jaw as a reference point in tooth alignment. Neuromuscular dentistry recognizes that the muscles that move the jaw must be in a comfortable, relaxed position so they are not in conflict with the teeth and joint. We use a number of sophisticated instruments to find the position of the jaw that allows the jaws, teeth and muscles operate in harmony.

The first goal of Neuromuscular dentistry is to find the position of the jaw where the muscles are relaxed and at rest. This is a three-dimensional position in space, and is often irrespective to the position of the teeth.

We use a device called a Myo-Monitor to relax the muscles. It is a low-frequency T.E.N.S. (Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation) unit. This device delivers a mild electrical impulse to the muscles that move the jaw. The rhythmic pulsing (once every 1.5 seconds) relaxes the muscles. In addition to relaxing the muscles, it sets up ideal muscle function by increasing blood flow, flushing out toxins. We often find that, after 45 minutes of stimulation, the muscles are in their ideal position. Once we have verified the comfortable position of the lower jaw, we can fabricate an orthotic that allows the jaw to close to this ideal position. In this position, the muscles are at an ideal length and will not go into spasm. Muscles will heal, pain trigger-points will go away, and joint capsules will heal. The orthotic is used for three months to stabilize the bite and insure that all symptoms are gone.

At this point, a decision is made to wear the orthotic indefinitely, have orthodontics done to move the teeth to this ideal position, have one or two arches of teeth restored, or to adjust the bite to this ideal position.

Gum Lift

Healthy and even gumlines are essential to any beautiful smile. Attactive gums complement and frame your teeth, making your smile look healthier and more attractive. If your gums are red and swollen or if your teeth look too small or too short because of the disproportionate size relationship between your teeth and gums, then gum contouring may be the solution for you. Gum contouring can give you the consistent, even gumline you need for a healthy and attractive smile.

Dental Implants

Implants completely simulate a natural tooth. Implants involve a surgical procedure that replaces missing teeth. A titanium cylinder secured in the bone functions as the root of your tooth. Then a crown attached to the titanium cylinder gives the appearance of a natural tooth.

A dental implant is a replacement for the root of your missing tooth. Implants are often the first choice when replacing missing back teeth. For strength and natural appearance, a lifelike crown placed on an implant is the closest thing to your natural tooth.

Hygiene

Promoting health through preventative and routine hygiene care is the heart of our practice. With routine hygiene visits and the most conservative dentistry, we help families to health that lasts a life time. Our extensive training in all aspects of restorative and hygiene care make our office the ideal place for the entire family.

Inlays and Onlays

Onlays and inlays make it possible to replace old, unsightly, silver fillings with beautiful tooth-colored restorations, designed perfectly to match your natural teeth. With onlay or inlay technology, we can create porcelain restorations that revive your natural strength, wear, function and appearance.

With these new materials, it is possible to bond teeth back together, virtually restoring them to their virgin strength without invasive techniques.

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Dr Ron Sherman, Family Dentist - Providing services in cosmetic and childrens dentistry, teeth whitening and Brite Smile to the areas of Issaquah, Seattle and Bellevue, Washington.

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