If you are unhappy with the cosmetic appearance of your teeth Lumineers® may be the perfect option for you. These ultra-thin shells fit perfectly over the teeth, making them look cosmetically perfect. You know how dull, discolored teeth or a crooked smile can affect your confidence.  Lumineers® are an excellent option for patients who desire a beautiful smile without surgery, harsh chemicals or painful treatments.

Unlike dental veneers, Lumineers® applied by your Manhattan Beach Cosmetic Dentistry can be left in place for over 20 years or removed upon request to expose the original, intact teeth.  Lumineers® can be fitted in just two appointments, and instantly add pizzazz to the smile.

Here are some of the problems that Lumineers® can solve:

• Large gaps between teeth.
• Misaligned teeth or misshapen teeth
• Stained teeth.
• Uneven gums and teeth.
• Unnatural looking bridges and crowns.

How can Lumineers® benefit me?
One of the greatest advantages of using Lumineers® is that they are ultra-thin – about the thickness of a contact lens – and no painful alterations of your natural teeth are required prior to application.  Injections of local anesthetic are unnecessary because no drilling is required, and the entire application can be completed in two visits. Lumineers® will last over 20 years with proper care but are removable since healthy tooth structure is not affected.

How are Lumineers applied?
During the first visit to Manhattan Beach Cosmetic Dentist Office, we will thoroughly examine your teeth to ensure that no tooth decay or gum disease is present. Molds (or impressions) and X-rays are then taken to determine your bite. Working with you, we will choose the color of the Lumineers® and the desired level of transparency.  The bite impressions are sent to the laboratory to be custom-crafted.

The Lumineers® are bonded to your teeth at the second appointment. Once the Lumineers® are in place we polish them until they are completely smooth.  This smooth surface helps repel bacteria and staining agents, leaving you with a healthy, beautiful smile that will last for many years to come!

When researching solutions in cosmetic dentistry it’s obviously important to choose a material that is not only functional for daily use and maintenance, but it must also be natural looking. Porcelain is one such material as it mimics the appearance and strength of dental enamel and has become the choice today for many patients when choosing veneers at Manhattan Beach Cosmetic Dentistry. Porcelain veneers offer a solution for a variety of cosmetic problems, and they can virtually transform a smile in only a few appointments.

If you are affected by any of these issues -

• Cracked/chipped dental enamel
• Misaligned teeth
• Gaps between teeth
• Dark or stained enamel
• Pitted/grooved teeth

- Porcelain veneers can be successfully used to correct the problem and many others, and may be the solution for you.

Why Choose Veneers?
There are so many cosmetic options available today and many patients want more information and may wonder why choosing veneers rather than another procedure makes sense. The truth is that you should weigh all of your potential options to make the right decision for your specific situation. The primary benefit of porcelain veneers, however, is that they’ll blend with your natural teeth since they closely replicate natural dental enamel so.

Appearance
Porcelain reflects and absorbs light similarly to natural enamel and is used for a number of cosmetic solutions. It can be shaped and shaded to fit your natural tooth coloring and is resistant to staining because of its smooth glasslike finish. That same quality keeps them from looking dull or flat and retains its white, bright appearance for years.

Strength
Porcelain is often thought to be a fragile material but Manhattan Beach, CA Cosmetic Dentist, knows that it is actually quite strong when used in dental applications. Porcelain veneers don’t put unnecessary strain on neighboring teeth and patients can chew normally and follow their normal routine of oral hygiene. Porcelain is an ideal material for dental restorations and so is popular with dentists and patients alike and will keep you smiling for many years to come.

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 Manhattan Beach Cosmetic Dentist 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 Manhattan Beach Cosmetic Dentistry today to learn more about teeth whitening options or to discuss your situation in greater detail.

A beautiful, healthy smile can make a great first impression, but if you have crooked or uneven teeth, you may be less than confident about your smile. If you’ve been putting off having this corrected because you don't want to endure the process and time involved in wearing traditional braces, you are not alone. But there are options to correct alignment issues and give you back your beautiful smile. Today, let's take a look at some of the advantages of using the Invisalign™ system.

What makes Invisalign aligners preferable to traditional braces?

• Easy Treatment Plan: Your Invisalign™ treatment starts when we take the X-rays used to create a 3-d digital image of your mouth.  Next, you’ll be given a series of custom-made aligners that you will take home and change about every two weeks. You will see the difference in your smile every time you change aligners! You will be scheduled for checkups every six weeks or so at Manhattan Beach Cosmetic Dentist office so we can monitor your progress.
• Convenient: Simply wear your aligners throughout the day, removing them to eat. This allows you to eat foods you love without the worry of particles getting stuck in wires and brackets.
• Easily removable: You will continue to brush and floss your teeth as you normally would. Your Invisalign™ aligners can simply be brushed and rinsed in lukewarm water.
• Adaptable to your active lifestyle: Since Invisalign™ aligners are nearly invisible; most people won’t even notice you’re wearing them. You don’t have to worry about the discomfort of metal braces and wires that can poke and irritate your mouth, and if you’re involved in contact sports, Invisalign™ aligners are easily removed, enabling you to wear a protective mouth guard if necessary.

How long does the entire process take?
It’s difficult to say exactly how long you will need to wear your Invisalign™ aligners since everyone is unique. Contact the Manhattan Beach Cosmetic Dentists for a free consultation to evaluate your individual situation. Generally speaking though, Invisalign™ treatment usually takes about a year for adults. For teens, the length of treatment is comparable to that of traditional braces, with less discomfort and the added advantage of seeing the improvement every time you change aligners!

Are you less than happy with the appearance of your smile? Do you shy away from business situations and social interactions because you’re self conscious about your appearance? You may be surprised to learn that many issues you think are purely cosmetic can also have an impact on your overall oral health.

Teeth that are cracked, decayed, missing, or incorrectly aligned not only mar your appearance and make you self-conscious, but they can lead to a variety of other problems including periodontal disease, jaw pain, and difficulty with chewing. Cosmetic dentistry can correct these issues, restoring your oral health and beautiful smile.

Cosmetic Dental Solutions

At Manhattan Beach Cosmetic Dentist we understand that every patient’s needs are unique. When you visit our office, we will work closely with you to find the solution that is right for you, correcting potentially harmful dental issues and giving you a smile you can be proud of.

Cosmetic dentistry offers several solutions for perfecting your smile:

• Porcelain Veneers can cover discolored teeth and correct problems like uneven spacing, gaps, and crooked teeth
• Dental Implants can be used to replace missing teeth and offer additional support against shifting teeth and jaw collapse
• Porcelain Crowns offer a strong, aesthetically pleasing solution for patients with cracked or chipped teeth
• Tooth-colored fillings prevent further decay while appearing natural, unlike amalgam fillings
• Tooth bonding corrects the appearance of broken, misaligned, or crooked teeth

There are almost unlimited options for creating a smile you can be proud of. In addition to correcting potential dental problems and ensuring your overall oral health, The Manhattan Beach General Cosmetic Dentist offers a wide range of cosmetic services from basic teeth whitening to more complex procedures such as dental implants. This combination of sound general dentistry combined with cosmetic dentistry offers a solution for every smile.

If you’ve been living too long with a less-than-dazzling smile because you don’t want to wear metal braces for years, or worry that other corrective procedures would be too invasive or expensive, you’ll be happy to know that there is now an effective, safe and affordable cosmetic solution that fits any lifestyle.

Through a revolutionary combination of proven orthodontic techniques, modern materials, and innovative thought - Six Month Smiles® braces, available now at Manhattan Dental Care, utilize specialized clear braces to gently straighten and align teeth in an average time of just six months. Because of the use of clear brackets and tooth-colored wires, the braces are hardly noticeable. The really good news is that Six Month Smiles® cosmetic braces are typically less expensive than traditional braces, clear aligners or veneers.

Six Month Smiles® uses very light and safe forces to move teeth at the same rate as traditional braces. The fact is that your teeth are not being moved any faster or with any more force than traditional braces. The difference between Six Month Smiles® Braces and traditional braces is that, with traditional braces the focus of the treatment is to correct the bite of all your teeth.

With Six Month Smiles® braces, the focus is on the teeth that show in your smile, giving you a fresh new look in a reasonable amount of time.  Your front teeth move faster than your back teeth. With Six Month Smiles® Dr. Firshein will simply stop treatment once the front teeth are positioned in a cosmetically pleasing arrangement. The rate of tooth movement is the same, but the total treatment time is faster - usually about six to eight months. If you have spaces, gaps, or crooked, crowded teeth, Six Month Smiles® braces may be the perfect solution for you.

There are so many different types of cosmetic and restorative procedures and treatments being discussed online and in the news today that it’s understandable there may be some confusion about which treatment best suits your situation - dental implants, crowns, bridges, or dentures. Today I’d like to speak to you specifically about crowns, their uses and benefits.

What is a dental crown?
 
Dental crowns ("caps") are one of dentistry's most versatile types of restorations. Crowns are a type of dental restoration which, when cemented into place, fully cup over the portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line. Since dental crowns encase the entire visible aspect of a tooth, a dental crown in effect becomes the tooth's new outer surface. There are several types of crowns but porcelain are the most popular.  They are highly durable and will last many years. Porcelain crowns are made to match the shape, size, and color or your teeth.

When is a dental crown used?

A crown may be used to strengthen broken, fractured teeth, cover large or fractured fillings or for cosmetic enhancement. In addition, all teeth that have root canal treatment should have a crown (cap) placed.  This protects the tooth, prevents it from breaking, and restores it to its full function.

What does getting a crown involve?

A crown procedure usually requires two appointments.  Your first appointment at Manhattan Beach Gentle Dental will include taking several highly accurate molds (or impressions) used to create a temporary crown as well as your permanent custom crown.  We prepare the tooth by removing any decay and shaping the surface to properly fit the crown.  Your temporary crown is then placed.

At your second appointment your temporary crown will be removed, the tooth will be cleaned, and your new crown will be carefully placed to ensure that spacing and bite are accurate. You will receive instructions for care and cleaning before you are sent home with a beautiful, enhanced smile.