Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain dental veneers are custom-made thin porcelain shells that are placed on the front of the teeth to improve the appearance and strength.

Porcelain veneers provide the most aesthetic result for moderate cosmetic problems such as gaps, chips, small cracks, short or discoloured teeth. The veneers are permanently bonded to the teeth, creating a strong and lasting outcome. Porcelain veneers can be placed on one or several teeth, as needed, to achieve the desired effect.

We will assess your teeth and develop a plan to achieve your dream smile that is tailored to your individual needs.

Alternatives to Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are used mainly to address cosmetic concerns. Other excellent options include composite veneers (a more affordable alternative, which also look very natural, though they may be slightly less durable), teeth whitening (which may be preferable if your main concern is the colour of your teeth), and orthodontics (often recommended where there are significant issues with the alignment and spacing of your teeth).

Porcelain veneers achieve an excellent aesthetic result, but are not generally used for structural problems. Where the tooth is weak or compromised, a porcelain crown would instead be used to strengthen and protect it, and can provide an equally aesthetic result.

Composite Veneers

Composite veneers are another way to change your smile, by reconstructing teeth through the build up of composite(tooth coloured) filling material. They offer a more cost effective, versatile, and less invasive alternative to porcelain veneers. (Treatment can also be completed in one visit.)

Composite veneers often require little (or no) reshaping of the natural teeth. As well as improving the appearance of teeth, they can also correct many common functional concerns such as chips, cracks and gaps. Composite veneers provide a natural-looking and convenient restoration. Once fully placed, composite veneers should look and feel like a natural tooth.

Composite veneers are also more flexible and versatile, as they can be repaired, altered or replaced at any time. However, they are slightly less resilient than porcelain veneers and may require more regular maintenance and repairs.

Alternatives to Composite Veneers

There are alternatives to composite veneers, depending upon the circumstances of your mouth and which issue you would like to treat. Porcelain veneers offer a longer term solution, with the highest possible aesthetics; however they are more costly.

Teeth whitening may be preferable if your main concern is the colour of your teeth. Orthodontics is often recommended where there are significant issues with the alignment and spacing of your teeth.

Tooth-Coloured Fillings & Porcelain Crowns

Tooth-coloured (composite) fillings are generally done when you lose less than 40% of your tooth structure, and can last a very long time. Porcelain crowns are generally done when you have lost more than 60% of your tooth structure. Research shows that if you lose 40% of your tooth, you lose 90% of its strength. Since there is not much tooth structure to hold a filling, you will need to cover the whole tooth to protect it from breaking or fracturing.

A dental crown is a porcelain, zirconia or gold “cap” that is custom-designed to cover the top of your tooth for additional support and reinforcement. Crowns are often used when a cavity is too large for a filling, but they also have a variety of other uses, including the strengthening of damaged teeth, restoration of teeth that have been worn down or have suffered extensive decay, protecting a tooth after a root canal, anchoring a dental bridge and covering an implant.

Tooth-coloured fillings and crowns are not only used to restore decayed areas and provide structural integrity; they can also offer an excellent aesthetic result and can be used to improve the appearance of your smile by changing the colour and shape of your teeth.

Tooth Whitening

We provide professional take-home tooth whitening, as studies have shown that this is the most effective and gentle way to whiten teeth. We can also whiten individual dark teeth using a variety of different methods.

How do I whiten my teeth?

We provide a take-home treatment that is easy to use and offers great results. We will first take impressions to make customised trays that fit your mouth. The whitening gel is placed in these trays, and you must wear the tray in your mouth for the recommended time. Depending on the concentration of the whitening solution, this will range from 1 hr per day to overnight and generally take 2-3 weeks, depending on the current shade of your teeth and how white you would like your smile to be.

How often do I need to whiten?

Your teeth will discolour over time no faster or slower than before whitening. We recommend that you use a booster whitening kit as needed to maintain a naturally bright smile. This will normally be every 6-12 months depending on how white you would like them.

Who can whiten their teeth?

Before undergoing whitening, you need to have a healthy mouth. In particular, if your gums are in poor condition, the whitening gel may damage them further, and can whiten the tartar that has built up on your teeth rather than the tooth itself. If you have tooth decay, whitening treatment may also cause you severe pain. As such, it is important to have an examination and complete any necessary dental hygiene or other dental treatment before undergoing whitening.

What are the alternatives to whitening?

Whitening is not for everyone; sometimes there are better options for obtaining a whiter and brighter smile. For instance, porcelain or composite veneers may be a more suitable alternative.

Also, in some situations whitening cannot be used to change a tooth’s colour; for example if you already have a crown, veneer or white filling on the tooth, or the tooth has died.

Are there any side effects?

Many patients do experience sensitivity when undergoing whitening. This can be managed by using a lower concentration gel, wearing your whitening tray for shorter periods of time, or even by taking a break from whitening for a short time. Whitening can also cause temporary inflammation of your gums, resulting in a burning sensation. This can occur if you use your whitening tray for too long without a break, and again it may be necessary to reduce the time spent wearing your tray each day.

Missing Teeth Solutions - Implants/Bridges/Partial Dentures

There are several different solutions for replacing missing teeth. The right option for you will depend upon the nature of your missing tooth (or teeth), the aesthetic result that you would like to achieve, the timeframe and cost.

Implants

Implants are the gold standard in the replacement of missing teeth. An implant consists of a titanium tooth root placed in the jaw, to which a crown, bridge or denture is affixed. This results in a natural-looking and long-lasting restoration, and is in most cases considered to be the best option for replacing a missing tooth, or multiple missing teeth.

Implants look and feel like natural teeth, are easy to maintain and provide a secure and stable fit that allows you to eat and speak comfortably. They also preserve the density of your jawbone. We work with Christchurch’s leading specialists to achieve the best possible results for our patients.

Is a dental implant the right choice for me?

Dental implants are an excellent choice for replacing missing teeth for many patients. However, to be a candidate for placement of an implant you must have enough bone at the site of the missing tooth. The longer your tooth has been missing, the more recession of your bone you are likely to experience. If you do not have sufficient bone to support an implant, you may need to undergo a bone grafting procedure prior to implant placement.

It is also important that your mouth is healthy, and that you have no signs of gum disease, as this could compromise the implant.

Dental implants are also relatively costly and take a long time to complete; this needs to be weighed up against the fact that they provide a long-term solution to the problem of missing teeth.

What is involved in a dental implant procedure?

We will first assess the missing tooth (or teeth) site and your suitability for an implant. If we are satisfied that you are a good candidate for an implant, then we will refer you to a specialist, who will place the titanium implant in your mouth. Specialists offer sedation options, and the placement process is generally straightforward, although you will require an additional procedure if you also need bone grafting at the implant site. Your specialist will be able to advise you of the need for this, and exactly what to expect at your implant placement procedure.

Once the implant site has healed, which generally takes around 3-7 months, we will place the crown, bridge or denture on top of the implant.

Dental Bridges

A bridge involves replacing the missing tooth or teeth by attaching a replacement tooth to the adjacent tooth or teeth. They are permanent fixtures, and do not need to be removed.

There are three main types of bridges:

Partial Dentures

Although implants are usually considered the ideal way to replace missing teeth, partial dentures can be an excellent option for some patients, and also offer a more affordable alternative.

A partial denture is used to replace one or more missing teeth, and consists of a removable metal or plastic framework. We work with top lab technicians to create a customised denture designed specifically for your mouth to maximise strength and stability, and that looks natural in your mouth.

Is a partial denture the right choice for me? Dentures can be a very good option in some cases. They offer natural-looking results, and are more affordable than dental implants. They can usually be altered if additional teeth are lost. However, there are some downsides to partial dentures. It takes some time to adjust to wearing a denture, and this varies from person to person. Your jaw bone will continue to change over time, meaning that the denture will need to be altered (relined) regularly. Dentures can also affect which foods you can eat, and how you taste your food. They must also be removed and cleaned regularly.