Porcelain Veneers

Dental implants in the New York Times.  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/health/17brod.html?_r=2  This is an excellent article about the benefits of dental implants.

At McCarl Dental Group as third generation dentists we are marveling at the newest innovations that are revolutionizing dentistry.  Imagine the difference between the foot-operated drill used in the 1930s and dental lasers or the current digital scanners that that we now use to send images to our dental lab through cyberspace.  Our iTero digital scanners help us make perfect porcelain crowns and vereers – every time! If you would like to see the latest technology in dental equipment, please visit our dental office conveniently located 15 minutes or less from Annapolis, Severna Park, Crownsville, Gambrills, Crofton and Odenton Maryland.

Another procedure that has dramatically improved with new technology during the last year is dental implants. Today, we can permanently replace missing teeth and securely anchor loose dentures and partials in one appointment.  Just a few years ago, a patient who wanted a permanent solution for a missing tooth needed to have a surgical incision for implant placement with a six month recovery time. Now we can help patients replace missing teeth immediately with greater comfort and less expense. Dental implants can also make it easier to keep gums and underlying bone healthy.

It is not an exaggeration to say that changes in the technology and procedures for dental implants have made profound improvements in the quality of life for people with dentures.

At McCarl Dental Group, we combine the latest technology with three generations of experience in caring for your smile.

Most people realize that is important for a dentist to combine technique, technology and artistry, but dental lab technicians working behind the scenes must also share this talent.  At McCarl Dental Group, virtually all of our patient’s crowns are fabricated at BECDEN Dental Laboratory.  We researched dental labs across the country and found that BECDEN delivers consistent excellence. When we submit a case to BECDEN, we send digital impressions and sometimes study models.  We also include digital photographs of our patients with specific instructions to help the lab create the longest lasting and most life-like restoration possible. BECDEN treats every case with the utmost care and frequently calls to consult with McCarl Dentists to discuss techniques that will provide the most natural appearance of the restoration for our patients.  Please visit our website at www.McCarlDental.com to see our Smile Gallery featuring beautiful smiles by McCarl Dental Group with porcelain crowns and veneers fabricated by BECDEN Laboratory.

Advancements in technology have never come at a more rapid pace in dentistry than they are now and dental laboratories must invest in research and development to provide the highest quality.  All-porcelain restorations (those without metal in them) used for cosmetic dentistry require very sophisticated design software and pressing ovens, which are not affordable to all dental laboratories.  CAD/CAM — computerized milling of crowns is the direction technology is following, yet this technology still requires highly skilled technicians to create the computer design and finesse the milled restoration.

There are many ways to make a crown. Porcelain can be added as one color only, all at once, and fired in the furnace, or can be added in layers with a variety of colors to more closely mimic natural teeth. The labor time and skill level are considerably higher in the latter case. Like excellent dentists, high quality dental technicians are artists, using their color palette of wet porcelains to copy the shade and shape chosen by the dentist. They use a technique called “layering” in which they bake the porcelain in the shape of the tooth and then “cut it back” and layer in different shades of porcelain which adds vitality to the crown.

“Crowns in an hour” that are processed in a dental office are time savers, but are monochromatic which means one solid color throughout the crown. This can be fine for posterior teeth that are not visible when a patient smiles, but would never be appropriate for a front tooth.

The quality of the porcelain also significantly affects the appearance of dental crowns. There are numerous porcelains on the market with a vast price range. The highest quality porcelains have the finest grain size, which creates a more aesthetic and natural appearance. The high end, fine grain porcelains also prevent wearing away of the enamel of the opposing teeth, which is frequently a problem with lower cost porcelain.

Dental laboratories can choose from a variety of metals, from those with no gold at all to percentages of gold up to 88%. The lower quality and cost metals often have high percentages of silver.  This is problematic because up to 80% of females have allergic reactions to silver. High quality dentists and laboratories use metals with 50% or more gold for aesthetic and biocompatibility reasons.

Choosing an excellent dental laboratory is one of the many steps we take at McCarl Dental Group to assure that our patients receive the very highest quality dental work.  We always want to keep our patients smiling!

McCarl Dental Group specializes in beautiful smile makeovers! A smile makeover involves one or more cosmetic dental procedures to improve the aesthetics of your smile. It is a very individual process. For example, some people want the perfectly white Hollywood smile makeover, or the celebrity smile with pearly white porcelain veneers. Other people may just want a simple improvement, such as the replacement of amalgam fillings with composite and teeth whitening.

A recent survey revealed that:

•Over 75% of people don’t feel confident to smile in a photograph.

•Over 45% of people make judgements about people by the look of their smile.

•Over 75% of people think that a beautiful smile helps people psychologically.

•Over 65% of people think that an attractive smile helps romantically.

There are many different ways in which you can improve your smile:

•Crooked teeth can be straightened with Invisalign braces or conventional orthodontics. They can also be covered with porcelain veneers for a faster solution, often referred to as “instant orthodontics”.

•Chipped, broken teeth can be repaired – the treatment will depend on the extent of damage, but the options include cosmetic bonding, porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns.

•Missing teeth can be replaced – gaps between your teeth can cause functional problems as well as being unsightly. Often, a smile makeover involves the replacement of existing restorations or gaps between teeth. Solutions include dental implants, a dental bridge or a denture.

•Gaps between your teeth can be closed to give your smile a more even look. This can be achieved instantly with porcelain veneers. Orthodontics can also be used to move the teeth and close the gaps between them.

•If you have a gummy smile, this can easily be remedied by surgical or laser gum contouring.

•If you are not satisfied with the color of your teeth, or if you have badly stained teeth, they can be brightened with professional teeth whitening.

Are you looking for a smile makeover dentist in Severna Park MD?  The Severna Park Dentists at McCarl Dental Group specialize in Invisalign Orthodontics, porcelain crowns and veneers and dental implants.