January 26, 2006 • ISSUE 66 / VOLUME 1

Cosmetic dentistry is in demand

New procedures change the way Americans look

Ask your dentist to see before and after pictures of your teeth so you can see for yourself how much your smile has improved with treatment.

Not long ago, a conspicuous gap between teeth, unsightly stains and missing teeth were problems we were resigned to live with. With remarkable advances in cosmetics dentistry, however, dentists all over the country are brightening people’s smiles, building their self-confidence and, in some cases, changing their lives.

Composite bonding is an example of a widely used technique involving the use of a tooth-colored material to repair and brighten chipped, fractured and discolored teeth. The material can be used to fill a gap or repair a tooth, and it helps achieve the type of healthy and beautiful smile many patients desire.

Whitening and veneering are other techniques that can improve your most visible asset – your smile. Whitening involves using a special gel on your teeth and either a very bright light to activate it or wearing the gel at night for a few weeks. Veneering is replacing a very thin layer of your teeth with a man-made. Tooth-colored covering that can not only change the color of your teeth, but alter the shape as well.

"You can once again smile confidently with completely natural looking teeth."

For those with missing teeth, recent breakthroughs in the area of dental implants provide a viable alternative to removable dentures. With implants, for example, false “teeth” are actually inserted in your jaw bone. You can once again smile confidently with completely natural looking teeth.

Are you a candidate for cosmetic dentistry? If gaps between your teeth or crowded teeth make you self-conscious when you smile, if you cover your mouth with your hand when you smile, if you wish your teeth were whiter or if you would like to replace teeth that are missing, then you should seriously consider cosmetic dentistry.

Okabe Dental Arts is conveniently located at 1221 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 620, at the corner of Pensacola and Kapiolani. Call 596-0837 and make an appointment today.