IN Mt. Lebanon Winter 2017 | Page 50

SPONSORED CONTENT SPECIAL DENTAL SECTION Something to Smile About With good dental care, including orthodontic treatment, teeth can last a lifetime. E veryone deserves to have a smile that expresses self- confidence and inner beauty. Unfortunately, too many people are insecure about their smile when the source of their unhappiness can easily be fixed. Turns out, with some simple, cost-effective and painless cosmetic dentistry, your smile can go from blah to brilliant. Three of the biggest smile inhibitors are yellowing or discolored teeth, crooked teeth, and gaps. VENEERS Veneers are exactly how they sound: thin porcelain shells that are bonded to the front of a tooth, oftentimes in cases where a single tooth or a group of teeth has been discolored more than others, or as an alternative to orthodontics. Veneers have improved over time and dentists are able to match veneers to your real teeth so no one will ever notice. The treatment requires shaving off a part of your tooth, and be warned that eventually 48 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Mt. Lebanon the veneer will require replacement or repair as the porcelain wears away. CROWNS & BRIDGES Bridges fill space from large gaps and missing teeth and are not exclusively cosmetic. Involving a more affordable, less invasive procedure than with implants and orthodontics, they help to improve the appearance of teeth without replacing or straightening. Similarly, crowns help to cap and repair chipped or cracked teeth, restoring them to their normal shape. Porcelain crowns can be completed in one visit and sometimes assist in large fillings. IMPLANTS (REPLACING TEETH) In severe cases of tooth decay, or due to injury or age, one tooth or several teeth may require replacement. Implant technology has improved over the years and now false teeth can match the rest of your smile for a natural, blended look.