When you look in the mirror are you disappointed to see old or dark looking teeth dulling your smile? If so, you know how important white, bright teeth can mar your appearance. More patients than ever are taking advantage of teeth whitening options to turn back the clock on their aging teeth as cosmetic dentistry becomes more accessible and wide spread. Consumers can use over-the-counter teeth bleaching treatments at home or receive custom whitening in the office a dental professional. These two types of treatment are not created equally as the formulations, expected results, and treatment processes are different.
 
Professional whitening treatments are administered in our Marin County Cosmetic Dentist Office. These treatments are peroxide formulations that will actually bleach dental enamel and drastically whiten the appearance of your teeth.
 
Professional whitening treatments are:

• More effective than over the counter products because the whitening formulation contains a greater concentration of whitening agent.
• Faster than over the counter products—most patients see significant results in just one or two visits.
• More predictable than over the counter products. Working with a dental professional, you can better control the level and quality of whitening achieved.

Home whitening treatments, on the other hand are:

• Less expensive than professional whitening treatments, because they are less effective and take weeks or even months to achieve full results.
• More of a risk, because you cannot closely control the process and may end up with uneven enamel whitening, dental sensitivity, or gum irritation.

Before deciding on cosmetic whitening, it’s important that you consult with a dental professional to ensure optimal results. Professional whitening treatments allow you to better control your results, avoid sensitivity, and optimize bleaching to enhance your overall smile. Please feel free to contact Novato Cosmetic Dentistry Office for further information.

Have you ever chipped a tooth, needed a veneer, or a crown after a root canal? These are common cosmetic needs that have traditionally taken multiple dental visits to fix.

Generally, a crown takes two dental visits to complete. An impression of the tooth is made and then needs to be sent out to a lab where the permanent crown is created. It typically takes two weeks from the original appointment to complete the procedure, and the patient is stuck with the nuisance of a temporary crown.

At our Marin County Cosmetic Dentist office, we can fix your teeth in one visit!

The CEREC, or Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, is a state of the art computer system that designs and generates ceramic dental restorations. Using the CEREC system, we can do custom tooth restorations for:

• Repairing chipped or worn teeth
• Masking discolored front teeth
• Creating crowns
• Fillings and/or veneers

The CEREC system is in our dental office, and allows us to fabricate your crown while you wait, no second visit necessary! This is just one of the many benefits of CEREC. Other benefits include:

• Fewer injections, less drilling and less time our of your schedule
• No temporary crowns
• Conservation of the natural tooth structure
• Contains no metal. It is an all ceramic material
• Enhancement of life and longevity of the tooth
• Less trauma for the tooth
• Less discomfort afterward

Using the CEREC system, in only one dental visit, your teeth can be restored to their natural beauty and function. Let Marin County Dentist enhance your smile today!

Our bodies and our health change with age, a fact of which we all become aware. You may not realize, however, that your teeth are also affected by the passing of years. Maybe you’ve found that you have a harder time keeping your teeth shiny and white as you get older. Even though you’re following the same brushing and flossing routine, it may no longer have the desired effect of maintaining your youthful smile. Perhaps over-the-counter whitening treatments are not removing stains as they once did.

At our Marin County Cosmetic Dentist office we find many patients who don’t understand why their teeth are becoming duller and harder to whiten. There are actually a number of reasons dental enamel can change in appearance over the years. Environmental factors contribute to some extent but more often this dulling is part of the natural aging process.

You can remove some stains on the surface of dental enamel with regular flossing and brushing. These stains are often caused by discoloring foods and drinks such as soda, coffee, tea, and red wine which can all leave stains on teeth. Using tobacco products especially can also make enamel appear dark, dull, and discolored. When they are relatively new, these stains can often be removed or effectively bleached away, but will eventually seep into porous enamel, making them difficult to remove.

The teeth of a young person are covered with a thick layer of white enamel, concealing the inner core of the tooth. As you age, this enamel begins to erode, exposing more of the dentin beneath the surface. Dentin is naturally a darker, yellow color so older teeth often appear dull and yellow in comparison to healthy new teeth.

Different teeth whitening options are available depending on your cosmetic goals, the extent of discoloration, and urgency with which you need to see results. There are patients who respond well to professional teeth bleaching treatments developed to lighten discoloration using a solution of hydrogen peroxide. Dental veneers, which completely resurface enamel using thin layers of porcelain, may be a better option for patients with extensive or resistant staining.

It’s impossible to eliminate all dental staining. Your teeth will naturally change appearance and lose some of their luster over time in addition to accumulating environmental stains. But today’s modern cosmetic dentistry can restore the bright and luminous nature of your teeth, resulting in a more youthful looking smile. Call Novato Cosmetic Dentist today to learn more about teeth whitening options or to discuss your situation in greater detail.

Has your smile lost the shine it once had? Have you tried those over the counter tooth whitening products and seen little result, if any at all? If you are tired of stained or yellow teeth, our Marin County Cosmetic Dentist office is where this can all change.

There are many over the counter tooth whitening systems on the market today, but none are as effective or provide the same level of whitening as the professional products.  Tooth whitening is the simplest and least expensive way to enhance your smile and restore a youthful appearance.

Teeth can naturally be less than white, or may be stained and discolored due to:

• Age
• Genetics
• Illness
• Certain medications (such as antibiotics). 

Most common reasons for discoloration are due to:

• Tobacco use
• Coffee
• Tea
• Soft drinks
• Wine

Zoom! Power Whitening System

Tooth whitening is one of the safest dental procedures available. The Zoom! System is a state of the art, in office procedure. It is a safe, easy, and effective bleaching process that lightens the discoloration of your enamel and dentin. Our Novato Cosmetic Dentist offers this system as well as other professional home whitening products. This procedure is done while you sit back in our comfortable chairs, and relax while you listen to your favorite music.

Contact your Novato Cosmetic Dentist for a complementary consultation to evaluate your whitening goals and needs. We take the time to ensure that you will leave with the beautiful vibrant smile you are looking for.