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Cosmetic Dentistry

Learn about the Cosmetic Dentistry provided at Zak Dental offices in Agoura Hills, Covina/San Dimas, Downey, Long Beach, North Park, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Simi Valley, Temecula, Valencia, Ventura, and Whittier/La Mirada.

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Porcelain Veneers
How can I fix a broken tooth?

Porcelain veneers can reshape teeth, change tooth color, close gaps, and fix worn or chipped teeth to create a white uniform smile. The thin veneers are bonded to the teeth and are nearly invisible. They are also resistant to coffee, tea, and cigarette stains. They greatly resemble healthy white tooth enamel and are strong. At Zak Dental, our team of dentists work with precision to cosmetically improve the look of your teeth, and make sure that your porcelain veneers match the rest of your teeth so that they blend in beautiful.

Metal Free Dentistry
Did you know that metal fillings are bad for your health?

It has been proven that the mercury contained in metal fillings is greatly damaging to the immune system, and they can cause or increase risk in the severity of almost any health condition. Until metal fillings are removed from your teeth, they will continue to create toxicity in your body. At Zak Dental, we are committed to stopping this problem by prohibiting the use of such materials in our dental practice. If you already have metal fillings, we can help design a treatment plan to eradicate these harmful materials and detoxify your body. Once the toxins are absent, the problems they initially caused will begin to reverse as part of the healing process.

Zirconia Crowns
What are Zirconia Crowns?

Zirconia Crowns are restorations that are used to repair broken or fractured teeth, improve the prognosis for teeth that have undergone root canals, or change the shape or color of teeth. They appear very natural, unlike traditional crowns which have a metal lining that prevent light from passing through. At Zak Dental, our team of cosmetic dentists will assess the health of your teeth and will recommend the proper crown treatment for your individual needs.

Teeth Whitening
How can I get whiter looking teeth?

Instead of giving up coffee and tea, which give your smile a dull yellow shade, get your teeth whitened! It is safe, effective, and efficient, and can dramatically improve your overall look. We can provide a variety of teeth whitening services that fit your individual needs and budget. Call the Zak Dental office near you to make an appointment and talk to our highly knowledgeable dental staff on which teeth whitening option is best suited for you.

Composite (White) Fillings
What is used to replace metal fillings?

A composite tooth-colored filling is made of a resin material that binds to tooth structure, instead of toxic metal fillings. These fillings provide a robust and aesthetically pleasing tooth restoration. At Zak Dental we use composite (white) fillings in place of harmful metal fillings because they do not contain any mercury or other toxic materials which may negatively affect your health.

Inlays and Onlays vs. Crowns
What is the difference between inlays, onlays and crowns?

Inlays, onlays, and crowns replace varying amounts of tooth structure. Crowns are restorations that cover the whole tooth, whereas inlays and onlays only cover a small portion of the tooth. Crown placement usually requires the removal of more-healthy tooth structure than do inlays and onlays, and this removal can increase the risk of needing a root canal for the tooth in the future. Inlays and onlays help preserve the tooth’s health because they need not be bonded next to the gum line, which can create irritation and difficult cleaning. A crown, however, can be a good option for a tooth that has already undergone a root canal or has insufficient healthy structure to keep from fracturing.

If you live in Southern California, feel free to Schedule a New Patient Visit with us in Zak Dental offices in Agoura Hills, Covina/San Dimas, Downey, Long Beach, North Park, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Simi Valley, Temecula, Valencia, Ventura, and Whittier/La Mirada, California.

Please Call us at 833-ZAK-TEAM with any additional questions you would like us to answer.

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Porcelain Veneers

Would a veneer option be best to improve my smile or look of my teeth?

 

Veneers are a type of conservative dental restoration that can be used to conceal a variety of imperfections in visible tooth enamel, including minor discoloration, pitted and irregular enamel, crooked, cracked or heavily restored teeth – and those with deep stains such as those caused by tetracycline and fluorosis.

 

Preparing teeth for porcelain veneers typically involves removing at least some enamel from the visible surfaces to prevent the veneer from being too bulky. The veneer thickness depends on the type of porcelain used and other factors.

 

When finished, porcelain veneers are bonded to the teeth so that the edge or “margin” is not visible.

 

In the ideal case, the contours of a veneered tooth will be very similar to those of a natural tooth. Veneers can produce truly stunning results when the goal is to whiten or change the color or shape of a patient’s teeth. To allow the veneers to slide over the tooth, the teeth are prepared on their visible surfaces to create a slight taper. Placing the margins on the non-visible surface of the teeth serves two functions: it helps give the bonded veneer additional resistance to dislodgement, and it ensures that any staining that may occur along the margin is not visible in the smile.

 

Finished veneers produce incredible aesthetic results that can last for decades with proper care.


Tooth Whitening

What is the process for Tooth Whitening and how will it make my smile brighter?

 

Teeth that have been stained by tobacco, coffee, wine, or other food products may turn yellow over time.

 

If the teeth are straight and even and don’t have fillings or other dental restorations, they can often be significantly whitened with bleaching. The most common way to do this is with custom-made bleaching trays. You can get these from your dentist.

 

The process is simple. Impressions of your teeth are taken and stone cast replicas are made. A sheet of clear vinyl is heated and vacuum formed over the cast.

 

As the plastic cools, it will take the shape of your teeth. The trays are cut to size, removed from the cast, and disinfected.

 

The trays are filled with a specially formulated clear bleaching gel. The trays are placed on the teeth and the patient wears them for the recommended amount of time per day, which is usually measured in minutes.

 

The process is repeated for a few days to a few weeks, ideally under the supervision of a dentist. This is done until the teeth reach the desired shade.

 

The results can be outstanding, and they typically last for many years.

 


The Differences Between Crowns and Onlays

Can you explain the Differences Between Crowns and Onlays when it comes to fixing my tooth?

 

The differences between crowns and onlays are mainly related to margin placement and using internal retention.

 

The margins of crowns are generally at or near the gum line for most of their circumference. Crowns derive most of their resistance to dislodgement from adhesion to the outer walls of the tooth.

 

Onlay restorations usually have specially prepared inner walls to hold them in place. They can cover as little as one of the cusps on a tooth, or they can cover the entire chewing surface of a tooth. Sometimes the margins of the onlay will only extend about a third of the way down the side of the tooth.


Internal Bleaching

What is internal bleaching and how does it work?

 

Teeth with nonviable or “necrotic” pulp tissue following trauma or dental disease are often noticeably darkened by pigments that saturate the dentin layer of the tooth and are visible through the translucent enamel of the crown. This is cosmetically unappealing to many people.

 

Of greater concern is the fact that the hollow interior of the tooth no longer contains any living cells, is open to the inside of the body, and will often become infected at some point.
To keep infectious organisms out, such teeth are usually treated with endodontic or “root canal” therapy.

 

After that, it is common to whiten the inside of the crown to a more normal shade.
The process involves cleaning, enlarging, and filling the root canals with a rubbery orange material called gutta-percha. The root canal fillings are then covered with a sealant. The sealant prevents bleach from seeping past the root canal fillings. A bleach-soaked cotton pellet is inserted into the crown’s hollow pulp chamber, and the tooth cavity is filled with a temporary filling. Over a period of days, the bleaching solution whitens the dentin layer of the tooth back to its normal shade. The cotton pellet is removed and a permanent filling is applied when the process is complete.

 

For teeth that are visible in the smile, toward the front of the mouth, internal bleaching is much more common. Often these teeth do not have a need for a crown after root canal treatment has been completed.

 

Molar teeth often require a crown after root canal treatment to prevent them from fracturing. If this is the case, they usually won’t be bleached because the crown can be made as light as it needs to be in the lab.