Tag Archives: aesthetic dentistry

When Your Smile Needs a Makeover | Indianapolis Dentist

multiple-smilesIs your smile everything you want it to be? Do you have some teeth that could use a fix or two? If you have some flaws to your smile that make you feel self-conscious, it may be time for a smile makeover. These days, there are lots of ways to improve it with bonding and porcelain veneers.

Both bonding and porcelain veneers have similarities. They both are used to cover dental imperfections. However, the procedures are quite different and we will break them both down so you have a better idea of what you’d prefer. A consultation with your dental professional will be the best option in order to get a treatment program into place.

Dental bonding uses a smooth tooth-colored solution that is applied to the flawed teeth. Various uses, bonding your teeth can remedy anything from covering stains, to covering up small chips and gaps. After the dental bonding solution has been applied and shaped, it is hardened by using a specialized dental light. Once dried and cured, additional layers may be applied in order to create a more natural look, then polished. Bonding is used on patients who need one or two teeth corrected.

When it comes to veneers, they are created differently. Your new teeth will be fabricated from a solid piece of porcelain. While bonding is applied to your actual teeth, veneers fit over the front and underside of your tooth, covering it completely. They are used for multiple reasons, especially when it comes to lengthening or widening teeth to close gaps or fill in chips. While bonding is best for simple small fixes, porcelain veneers are generally used for patients who have several cosmetic problems or want their entire set of front facing teeth made over. Modern porcelain veneers tend to last many years, are easy to maintain afterwards, look incredibly natural, and offer a stronger alternative to other cosmetic options. While veneers and bonding are cosmetic procedures used to treat similar problems, veneers may be a better alternative in cases where the patient wants to adjust the size or shape of the tooth.

A crown is a functional covering that dentists put over a damaged or decayed tooth or teeth after the dentist has removed the defective area. A dental crown can be used to strengthen a tooth, improve appearance and can be placed on top of a dental implant. With advancements in dental technology like the CEREC system, you can get all of this done in one day. The obvious advantage of this is that it saves you lots of time. Another advantage of the CEREC technology is precision. The scanner the dentist uses takes excellent 3D images of your jawline and the computer the dentist uses takes excellent images of the area for the crown. With such good information, your dentist has less healthy tooth structure to remove when preparing the tooth or teeth for a crown than with the traditional method. Unlike a porcelain veneer, these one day crowns are made with an enamel-like material. No metal is used. For this reason, X-rays can see through these crowns in a day and detect cavities easily.

A dental consultation is necessary to find out more about your smile makeover options and to coordinate a dental treatment plan. So ask about your options. Your smile will be gleaming very soon.

For more information on smile makeovers and/or to make an appointment call, Dr. Kirtley at 317-841-1111 or visit his website dentalimplantsinindianapolis.com.

Dr. Kirtley gladly welcomes patients from Indianapolis, Spring Hill, Beech Grove, Wynndale, Speedway, Rocky Ripple, Warren Park and all surrounding areas.

Can a Smile Makeover Be the Answer? | Indianapolis Dentist

multiple-smilesYour smile is typically the first thing that people will notice about your appearance, whether good or not so good. The term smile makeover usually refers to the combination of certain dental procedures to give someone a flawless smile. Dr. Kirtley takes a unique approach to each patients smile goals and needs, recommending options that are in their best interest.   Whether your teeth are broken, chipped, missing, discolored, or otherwise damaged, Dr. Kirtley can restore your smile.

Smile makeovers can address a broad range of aesthetic flaws. These issues include:

  • Discoloration of the teeth
  • Cracked or chipped teeth
  • Eroded, misshapen, or disproportionately sized teeth
  • “Gummy” smiles
  • An uneven gum line
  • Gaps between teeth
  • Slightly crooked teeth

Dental bonding uses a smooth tooth-colored solution that is applied to the flawed teeth. Various uses, bonding your teeth can remedy anything from covering stains, to covering up small chips and gaps. After the dental bonding solution has been applied and shaped, it is hardened by using a specialized dental light. Once dried and cured, additional layers may be applied in order to create a more natural look, then polished. Bonding is used on patients who need one or two teeth corrected.

When it comes to veneers, they are created differently. While bonding is applied to your actual teeth, veneers fit over the front and underside of your tooth, covering it completely. They are used for multiple reasons, especially when it comes to lengthening or widening teeth to close gaps or fill in chips. While bonding is best for simple small fixes, porcelain veneers are generally used for patients who have several cosmetic problems or want their entire set of front facing teeth made over. Modern porcelain veneers tend to last many years, are easy to maintain afterwards, look incredibly natural, and offer a stronger alternative to other cosmetic options.

A crown is a functional covering that dentists put over a damaged or decayed tooth or teeth after the dentist has removed the defective area. A dental crown can be used to strengthen a tooth, improve appearance and can be placed on top of a dental implant. With advancements in dental technology like the CEREC system, you can get all of this done in one day. The obvious advantage of this is that it saves you lots of time. Another advantage of the CEREC technology is precision. The scanner the dentist uses takes excellent 3D images of your jawline and the computer the dentist uses takes excellent images of the area for the crown. With such good information, your dentist has less healthy tooth structure to remove when preparing the tooth or teeth for a crown than with the traditional method. Unlike a porcelain veneer, these one day crowns are made with an enamel-like material. No metal is used. For this reason, X-rays can see through these crowns and detect cavities easily.

Smile makeover are designed to enhance or even transform your self-image by giving you a brighter and more youthful smile, making your teeth look and function better through cosmetic and restorative dental procedures. Keep in mind the primary focus of a smile makeover is to improve the appearance of your smile rather than the health of your mouth. Therefore, if you have underlying oral health issues, they will need to be addressed before your makeover can begin. Dr. Kirtley can of course help you reach all your dental goals.

For more information on dental implants and to make an appointment call, Dr. Kirtley at 317-841-1111 or visit his website dentalimplantsinindianapolis.com.

Dr. Kirtley gladly welcomes patients from Indianapolis, Spring Hill, Beech Grove, Wynndale, Speedway, Rocky Ripple, Warren Park and all surrounding areas.

Which Brand of Veneers Is Right for Me? | Indianapolis Dentist

177406608Have you ever met someone with a beautiful smile that didn’t want to show it off? Chances are you haven’t. And why would they? There’s just no reason to hide their beautiful smiles. But what if you don’t have that beautiful smile? Those of us who have to deal with chips, discoloration, misalignment and other complications, smiling can be a bittersweet experience. Fortunately, dental medicine offers plenty of solutions for those with imperfect smiles, with one of the most popular treatments of choice for adults being porcelain veneers.

A porcelain veneer is a medical appliance that’s applied as a cosmetic dental treatment. It’s thin and made out of pieces of porcelain that’s shaped to fit on the front of the teeth. Veneers are made to be strong and durable. They also have the added benefit of looking natural. They are custom-made to match both the shape and color of the patient’s teeth. Now, deciding to have porcelain veneers isn’t the end of it all, because you also have to choose which brand you’re going to go for.

In total, there are three popular brands carried by most cosmetic dentists – Lumineers, Da Vince Veneers and Lumineers. Here is a brief description of all three versions:

  • MAC Veneers – Exclusively produced by the Microdental laboratory in California, which also happens to be its inventors, MAC Veneers are made with pressed ceramics. This makes this particular brand different from others, which use layered ceramics.  MAC Veneers are also widely preferred by celebrities and athletes alike. This mainly due to the realistic and translucent appearance it creates, which it owes to how it’s able to add colors from the inside out using as many as 16 hues.
  • Da Vince Veneers – Fabricated at the Da Vince Laboratory in California, Da Vince Veneers are very thin and as a result are rarely noticeable. The brand has been around for over 25 hours and is the brand of choice in Extreme Makeover, a television program from ABC where individuals are given the chance to receive an all-expensive paid Hollywood makeover treatment.
  • Lumineers – This particular brand of veneers is made from a special patented cerinate porcelain that is both very durable and at the same time, very thin. It is so thin that it’s been compared to contact lenses. Lumineers are widely considered as the brand of choice for patients who’re looking to attain that “bright, Hollywood smile”.

As the consumer, it’s best that you do not get fixated on pursuing a single, particular brand. This is because there’s not a single brand that stands out from the others, as each one carries its own set of advantages and disadvantages. When it comes to veneers, it’s best to listen to the assessment of your cosmetic dentist about what will benefit your esthetic goals best and what the best course of action is for long-lasting results.

If you would like more information on these different types of veneers, contact Dr. George Kirtley at 317-841-1111 or visit www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis, Spring Hill, Beach Grove, Wynndale, Speedway, Rocky Ripple and Warren Park.

What are Teeth? | Indianapolis Cosmetic Dentist

186932212Your teeth outside of your oral care routine are probably not something you think about in depth. Teeth are actually complicated structures.

So we all know the proper care for our teeth, but what IS a tooth? Most of us have 32 teeth – hard, calcified white objects we use to chew, cut, crush, and swallow food.

The visible surface of the tooth is known as enamel. A hard, mineral surface, the enamel is typically light yellow to white in color, but is semi translucent, so the actual color of your tooth is determined by both the enamel and the underlying dentin. Made of a crystalized calcium phosphate known as hydroxyapatite, the enamel is both incredibly strong and incredibly brittle.

While enamel covers to outside of the tooth above the gum line, below the gum line the surface of the tooth is covered in a substance known as cementum. A yellowish substance, it contains less than half of the mineral content as enamel, making it much softer. The primary purpose of cementum is to provide a surface to allow the periodontal ligaments in the gums to hold onto the tooth.

Below the enamel and cementum lies the dentin. Dentin is a combination of mineralized hydroxyapatite, organic material and water, and is both much softer than enamel and much less brittle. However, it’s also more prone to decay, and severe cavities can cause significant dental problems if not treated rapidly.

Finally, within the dentin lies the tooth pulp. The pulp is soft tissue, filled with blood vessels and nerves that provide the tooth with oxygen, nutrients, and also the ability to transmit ‘senses’ such as temperature, pain, and pressure. The pulp also helps to form and repair dentin from within the tooth.

While most people will only see the enamel surface of their teeth, proper dental care will focus on maintaining each layer healthy. By protecting the enamel with proper brushing, and treating cavities formed by decay before they damage the dentin or pulp, dental care will focus on providing a patient with healthy teeth – from pulp to enamel – well into old age.

For more information and to make an appointment call, Dr. Kirtley at 317-841-1111 or visit his website smilesbygeorge.com

Dr. George Kirtley welcomes patients from Spring Hill, Beech Grove and Warren Park

Problems That a Smile Makeover Can Address | Indianapolis Cosmetic Dentist

Your smile is typically the first thing that people will notice about your appearance, whether good or not so good. The term smile makeover usually refers to the combination of certain dental procedures to give someone a flawless smile. Dr. Kirtley takes a unique approach to each patients smile goals and needs, recommending options that are in their best interest.   Whether your teeth are broken, chipped, missing, discolored, or otherwise damaged, Dr. Kirtley can restore your smile.

Smile makeovers can address a broad range of aesthetic flaws. These issues include:

  • Discoloration of the teeth
  • Cracked or chipped teeth
  • Eroded, misshapen, or disproportionately sized teeth
  • “Gummy” smiles
  • An uneven gum line
  • Gaps between teeth
  • Slightly crooked teeth

Smile makeover are designed to enhance or even transform your self-image by giving you a brighter and more youthful smile, making your teeth look and function better through cosmetic and restorative dental procedures. Keep in mind the primary focus of a smile makeover is to improve the appearance of your smile rather than the health of your mouth. Therefore, if you have underlying oral health issues, they will need to be addressed before your makeover can begin. Dr. Kirtley can of course help you reach all your dental goals.

To make an appointment call, Dr. Kirtley at 317-841-1111 or visit his website smilesbygeorge.com

Dr. George Kirtley welcomes patients from Spring Hill, Beech Grove and Warren Park

Aesthetic Dentistry’s Leading Star

Dr. Kirtley graduated from Indiana University School of Dentistry. Feeling he wanted to add more education to his newfound knowledge of dentistry, he attended three years of training in Implant Surgery and restoration, Aesthetic Training at the Rosenthal Institute in New York, Palm Beach and Indianapolis; Occlusion with Pete Dawson and much more spanning most of my profes­sional career from the mid 1980s.

He briefly worked as an associate after graduating from dental school and knew then he wanted to have his own practice. The “Aesthetic Revolution” as he calls it, started after he opened his own practice. The artist aspect of aesthetics intrigued and challenged him. It’s a profession that allows creativity with each new patient every day.

Later, Dr. Kirtley went on to educate other dentists with his vast knowledge of dentistry. As he states “there is nothing more gratifying than helping someone else to succeed and to then see them do the same for yet an­other, never allowing the bond to be broken. That is how professions become great and how humanity improves… as long as we are teaching the right things.

How does he maintain a highly successful aesthetic practice? A well trained staff, good management systems, and an excellent marketing plan. Most important is the ability to give the care you say you can and high end continuing education.

Dr. Kirtley is the only dentist worldwide who has the distinction of being Accredited by both the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.