Cosmetic Dentistry
Are your teeth worn down, cracked, or stained? Are you ever embarrassed of your smile? For patients who wish for a more attractive smile, Dr. Derek C. Barnes may recommend cosmetic dentistry in Charlotte, North Carolina. Cosmetic dentistry is a branch of dental care whose purpose is to enhance and restore the beauty of your smile. Our dentist may recommend cosmetic dentistry to correct dental imperfections including:
• Crooked or crowded teeth
• Stained teeth
• Misshapen teeth
• Teeth that appear too long or too short
• Gaps and spaces between teeth
• Chipped, cracked, or broken teeth
• Worn down teeth
Before performing a cosmetic dental procedure, our dentist will hold a cosmetic consultation with your. Your smile goals will be discussed. Tell our dentist what you would like to accomplish and he will examine the current state of your smile. Our dentist will then recommend one or more cosmetic dental treatments that will produce the look that you desire. Our dentist and team will ensure that you understand your treatment options so that you can make an educated decision about your dental care.
We encourage you to contact our dental office today to learn more and to schedule your next appointment.
Invisalign®
Are your teeth crowded or crooked? Do you wish for a straighter, more radiant smile? Ask Dr. Derek C. Barnes about Invisalign® in Charlotte, North Carolina. Invisalign is the leading brand of clear aligners. Clear aligners are a set of tight-fitting retainers that are custom made to slip over your teeth. These aligners gently straighten your teeth over time. Every two weeks, our dentist will provide you with the next set of clear aligners.
To create your customized Invisalign treatment plan, our dentist will take X-rays, pictures, and impressions of your teeth. Invisalign will make a digital 3D image of your teeth using these items, and our dentist will map out a treatment plan using the 3D image. Treatment time is generally about a year for adults, but individual cases may vary. For teens, treatment time is usually about the same as braces. Your comfortable, custom-made aligners are then made. Wear them throughout the day, removing to eat, brush, and floss. Our dentist will supply you with your next set of aligners about every two weeks. Our dentist will check your progress about every six weeks.
Feel free to contact our dental office today to learn more and to schedule your next appointment.
Teeth Whitening
Are your teeth stained? Do you wish for a brighter, more brilliant smile? If your teeth are yellowed with no restorations, Dr. Derek C. Barnes may recommend teeth whitening in Charlotte, North Carolina. Other shades of staining may not bleach as well or at all. Restorations like dental fillings and dental crowns will not react to the whitening product, so they will stand out against your newly whitened teeth. Our dentist offers ZOOM! Whitening and at-home whitening.
ZOOM! Whitening can lighten your teeth up to eight shades whiter in one 45 minute treatment. ZOOM! Whitening is gentle enough for sensitive teeth. You will not have to pass up on teeth whitening. Our dentist will put the bleaching product directly on your teeth and enhance the results using a laser.
For patients who wish to whiten their teeth in the comfort of their home, our dentist provides a custom-made bleaching tray and a gel whitening solution. Wear the tray with the gel solution as prescribed by our dentist. Treatment time is usually several hours a day or during the night for up to four weeks.
We encourage you to contact our dental office today to learn more about teeth whitening and to schedule your next visit.
Microabrasion
Do your teeth have brown or white staining? Has teeth whitening failed to successfully bleach your teeth? Dr. Derek C. Barnes may recommend microabrasion in Charlotte, North Carolina. Brown or white staining is usually the result of a decalcification process or of a defect that began during tooth formation. For instance, fluorosis, too much fluoride intake when the tooth was developing, may cause brown staining that is within the tooth’s enamel layer. In most cases, these types of stains noticeably lighten with bleaching, but they are not removed without further treatment.
Microabrasion uses a mixture of hydrochloric acid and pumice, an abrasive. This solution is rubbed onto the surface of the teeth until the outer layers of the tooth enamel where the stains are located are abraded away. A smooth, stain-free enamel surface will remain. Testing has shown that the resulting surface resists cavities than the original.
To perform this procedure, our dentist will first isolate the teeth with a rubber dam to protect your gums from the acid solution. The solution is applied to the teeth and rubbed away manually or with a rubber cub. Once a few layers of enamel are removed, the solution is rinsed away and the teeth are evaluated. This process is repeated until the stain is gone.
To learn more and to schedule your next appointment, contact our dental office today.
Dental Bonding & Contouring
Are your teeth chipped, cracked, or misshapen? Do you wish for a more attractive smile? Dr. Derek C. Barnes may recommend dental bonding in Charlotte, North Carolina. During the dental bonding, our dentist will apply a tooth-colored resin material to your tooth and bond it in place to restore your smile. As needed, our dentist will pair dental bonding with dental contouring. When a tooth is contoured, small amounts of tooth enamel are removed to improve the length or shape of a tooth. Our dentist may perform dental bonding and contouring to:
• Repair decayed teeth
• Repair chipped, cracked, or broken teeth
• Improve the shade of badly stained teeth
• Close gaps and spaces between teeth
• Make teeth appear longer or shorter
• Improve the shape of teeth
• Protect exposed tooth roots
When performing dental bonding, our dentist will first select a shade of composite resin material that will match that of your natural teeth. Your tooth surface will be roughened and a conditioning liquid is applied. These both help ensure for a strong bonding process. The putty-like resin is then applied to your tooth. Our dentist will mold and smooth the material until it is the desired shape. A special light or a laser is used to cure the material and our dentist will trim, shape, and polish the result.
We invite you to contact our dental office today to learn more and to schedule your next visit.
Dental Veneers
If you would like to improve the color, shape, size, or length of your teeth, Dr. Derek C. Barnes may recommend dental veneers in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dental veneers are thin shells that are custom made to cover the front of your teeth to improve their appearance. Our dentist may recommend dental veneers to repair:
• Discolored teeth
• Worn down teeth
• Chipped, cracked, or broken teeth
• Slightly crooked or crowded teeth
• Irregularly shaped teeth
• Gaps and spaces between teeth
Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains and mimic the light reflecting properties of natural teeth better than resin veneers. However, resin veneers are thinner than porcelain veneers, so less tooth enamel removal is required to prepare for placement. Ask our dentist which veneer material is right for you.
Dental veneers have many advantages. They look like your natural teeth because our dentist selects a shade that matches that of your smile. Our dentist can select a shade that makes your teeth appear lighter. Your gums will tolerate porcelain veneers well, so there will be minimal discomfort after placement.
We encourage you to contact our dental office today to learn more and to schedule your next appointment.
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(704) 849-6700
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7:30am – 4:15pm
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