Cosmetic Dentistry

Improve your Already Beautiful Smile with Premium Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

For most people, their appearance and overall presentation are very important. They are often worried about having stained or uneven teeth. In fact, the stress from this can often make the first encounters with new people quite nerve-racking. This is the reason why many of these people opt for cosmetic dental procedures.

Cosmetic dentistry allows them to re-engineer and improve their smile and save themselves the anxiety of having wonky teeth. You can even say that it is a way of self-help and self-care as it makes you feel more comfortable in your own skin.

Here at i2m Dental, Dr. Pallavi Sinha offers comprehensive cosmetic dental services across Hyattsville and Silver Spring, Maryland. These cosmetic dental services allow Dr. Sinha to improve the appearance of a patient’s teeth. We understand that even though these services are mostly optional and not necessary, they make a huge difference in a patient’s life.

Regardless of whether you have already perfect teeth or need other corrective dental services before a cosmetic procedure, i2m Dental covers all your dental needs. You can take an appointment and let us make your smile the best it can be.

What is Cosmetic Dentistry?

General or traditional dentistry takes care of your teeth and gums and mainly addresses their overall health. Most of the procedures involving general dentistry are necessary to improve and sustain the health, functionality, and longevity of your teeth and gums.

Cosmetic dentistry, on the other hand, is like cosmetic surgery and addresses the appearance of the teeth, gums, mouth, and smile. Consequently, most procedures are elective. Patients opt for cosmetic dentistry to makeover their smiles.

However, cosmetic dentistry may also provide some restorative benefits for some patients. For instance, dental fillings are commonly used to treat decayed teeth. Overall, cosmetic dental procedures can help you gain confidence for smiling more and not being nervous to show your teeth.

Our Cosmetic Dental Services

Here at i2m Dental, we provide you with expert cosmetic dental services designed to improve the aesthetics of your teeth. If you have chipped, cracked or discolored teeth, we can correct and restore your teeth’s natural beauty. Dr. Pallavi and her team are qualified to provide an array of cosmetic dental procedures.

Cosmetic Inlays

When tooth damage or decay is too extensive to be treated with the regular filling, inlays are the best option for restoring the tooth. Inlays are considered as indirect filling that replaces the missing structure of the tooth that was lost due to damage or decay.

Traditionally, dental inlays were made of gold. However, tooth inlays are now also made of tooth-colored materials such as porcelain, ceramic or specialized dental composite. Cosmetic inlays help remove the unsightly gold fillings with ones that match the tooth’s color. This improves the overall appearance of the tooth and makes it appear more natural.

We at i2m Dental use the bonding process to replace the traditional gold inlays with tooth-colored ones and improve the aesthetics and strength of the tooth.

Cosmetic Onlays

Onlays are similar to inlays, as they are used to replace the missing structure of the tooth that was lost due to damage or decay. The main difference between the two is that onlays extend onto the chewing surface of a back tooth. It still fits inside the tooth as well as replaces one or more cusps on the exterior.

Like inlays, onlays were also traditionally made only of gold. The use of gold onlays made the tooth appear aesthetically unpleasing. But back in the day, gold was the only option. Today, onlays can be made out of porcelain or ceramic.

By opting for cosmetic onlays, you can get your tooth restores while it still appears natural. We use porcelain/ceramic to create and fit onlays that match the color of the affected tooth.

Gingival Contouring

Gingival contouring is essentially a reshaping and sculpting procedure of the gums. It is a periodontal procedure that fixes gums that are either too high or too low. Whether is excessive or less gingival tissue, it can create cosmetic and health issues.

The procedure is relatively simple and is often completed in just one visit. When you visit i2m Dental for gingival contouring, Dr. Pallavi will begin the process by cleaning your teeth and applying a simple anesthetic to numb the area.

Using an advanced dental laser, she will begin removing the excess gum tissue and contour it to look aesthetically appealing. During this process, she will also seal the gums to eliminate any bleeding.

With that, you don’t have to be conscious about your gums and even gingival contours.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is one of the most common cosmetic dental procedures performed. There are three main reasons a vast majority of people have stained teeth:

They consume foods and beverages like red wine, coffee, tea, etc., that leave a stain.
They have a habit of smoking
They ignore oral hygiene

Cosmetic teeth whitening or teeth bleaching can brighten and whiten your teeth and treat the discoloration/staining. The procedure is very simple and can be done either in-office or at home.

The in-office procedure involves using a hydrogen peroxide mixture. During the procedure, Dr. Pallavi will place a cheek retractor in your mouth and cover your gums with a barrier. This will ensure isolation of the whitening gel that will be applied on the teeth.

i2m Dental also provides at-home dental whitening options that are easy to use and help whiten the teeth with excellent results.

However, cosmetic teeth whitening is not a permanent solution, meaning that you would need to have follow-up sessions to maintain it.

Ceramic Bridge

Dental bridges are essentially used to replace missing teeth and gum tissue that was lost due to severe damage or decay. The bridges are attached to the neighboring teeth to keep them in place. The substructure of these bridges can be made form an amalgam metal or ceramic.

Traditionally, ceramic bridges were enforced with a metal core to make it stronger and able to withstand powerful bites. But as dental technology advanced, stronger bonding materials and ceramics made it easier to make bridges enforced with ceramic substructures.

Cosmetic dental bridges are now mostly made of ceramic as they appear more like natural teeth. These ceramic bridges maintain a translucency that natural teeth have. This makes it easier to achieve a higher level of dental aesthetics.

Ceramic Crown

Dental crowns are designed to replace the exterior portion of a damaged tooth. They are used when tooth decay, severe enamel erosion, or an accident damages and destroys most of the original tooth. A crown replaces the damaged part and allows the patient to regain functionality of the tooth.

Besides that, crowns are also a treatment of choice for patients that have a habit of grinding or clenching their teeth to the point that they compromise the original structure of their teeth.

For cosmetic procedures, we use porcelain dental crowns as they replication the appearance of natural teeth. Dr. Pallavi at i2m Dental used porcelain crowns and secures them in the mouth with a light-sensitive resin placed between the crown and the original tooth. She then lets the resin harden under a curing light.

Veneers

Dental veneers are shell-like coverings or laminates for your teeth that are attached to the surface for immediate aesthetic transformation. For cosmetic procedures, we use porcelain veneers that are made from medical-grade ceramic.

Besides discoloration, veneers are used to correct and/or repair any chips or cracks on the tooth’s surface. Also, veneers are often recommended for people who have gaps in their teeth.

Dr. Pallavi measures each patient and crafts these cosmetic enhancements to make them resemble natural dental enamel. Whether you need veneers for an orthodontic adjustment or to treat highly-stained teeth, cosmetic veneers can restore your teeth’s lifelike appearance.

Cosmetic Fillings

Dental fillings, made of amalgam metals like gold, are more traditional for treating tooth decay. However, they can disrupt the aesthetics of the teeth. Furthermore, these fillings tend to darken with time and often subtly stain the teeth.

To counter this problem, we offer cosmetic fillings that are also non-toxic in nature. Plus, they are tooth colored and can be matched to the shade of your teeth, making them appear more natural.

Cosmetic fillings that Dr. Pallavi uses in her procedures include:

A composite resin made of glass and plastic.
Ceramic filling that has the naturally translucent and reflective appearance if teeth.

With these filling, your teeth will appear as they haven’t had any work done!

What to Expect at Your Consultation

When you walk into i2M Dental for your cosmetic consultation, Dr. Pallavi will begin the session by first taking a detailed history. This includes any and all records of previous dental and other procedures. This will help her design a treatment plan that addresses your needs while being suitable for your health.

After that, she will ask you what you don’t like about smile and then do a complete and thorough intraoral examination. Depending on your oral health, she might also take some x-rays and photographs. She will then discuss what cosmetic procedures might be more suitable for your smile.