Atherton has been one of the most affluent communities in the United States ever since it was incorporated in 1923. It should be little surprise then that its citizens have always enjoyed access to the highest quality dentistry available in the world. As technology has evolved, so have the dentists of Atherton, and no matter what type of dental care you may require, there are almost certainly exciting new options you have not even heard of yet.

Take teeth whitening for example. Most everyone knows that there are a wide range of products available to improve the brightness and whiteness of your smile, but did you know there are now teeth whitening techniques utilizing laser technology? It has been established that judicious use of a halogen laser in the blue light spectrum can dramatically increase the whitening power of a hydrogen peroxide solution. Laser teeth whitening can give you better results in less time.

Speaking of teeth whitening, there is another procedure that is increasingly commonly used to improve the appearance of teeth that may be stained, damaged, or even misaligned. By bonding a porcelain veneer to a tooth, a skilled dentist can reshape a tooth. The result is that the tooth is coated with a beautiful white porcelain veneer that will not only improve the look of the tooth, but actually protect it from future damage as well. Porcelain veneers and laser teeth whitening are both examples of cosmetic dentistry, which is aimed primarily at improving the look of the teeth, though there are often other health benefits to cosmetic dentistry procedure.

A close relative of porcelain veneers is a procedure known as dental bonding. Dental bonding is the process of applying a special resin to a tooth to coat and protect the tooth. The resin is formulated to match the color of a tooth, and is similar in texture to putty. Dental bonding involves first roughing the surface of the tooth in order to facilitate the attachment of the resin to the tooth. The putty-like resin is then applied to the prepared tooth, and once molded into the appropriate shape, the resin is hardened or ‘cured.’ The hardening of the resin involved the use of a laser, not entirely different from that used in laser teeth whitening. Dental bonding has advantages and disadvantages when compared with porcelain veneers. Here is a quick guide to the pros and cons of dental bonding vs. Porcelain Veneers:

Advantages

• Dental bonding is less expensive.
• Dental bonding also involves less removal of a tooth’s enamel than a porcelain veneer does.
• The dental bonding process is faster, meaning less time you spend in a dentist’s chair.
• Dental bonding often does not require the use of anesthesia.

Disadvantages

• Dental bonding is much less durable than a porcelain veneer, meaning you may have to come back to have the process repeated many times over the course of your life.
• Dental bonding is also not as stain resistant as porcelain veneers, potential leading to discoloration.

Also like porcelain veneers, dental bonding is sometimes used as a form of cosmetic dentistry but it can also be used to repair chipped or cracked teeth.

Cosmetic dentistry is the fastest growing field of dentistry. Mankind has always been a vain animal, but studies increasingly show that people react very strong to a few key physical attributes. The quality of your smile is one of these attributes, making cosmetic dentistry a smart choice in a highly image conscious society. Poor dental health registers on a subconscious level as evidence of poor genetics and habits in the minds of people who observe it. Even the most non-judgmental people will find themselves naturally biased towards people with a healthy white smile. It’s no wonder then, that procedures like laser teeth whitening are among the most common performed by dentists in Atherton today.

If you have recently moved to Atherton, or are simply looking for a new dentist in the Atherton area, you should do yourself a favor and take a look at Dental Excellence. Dental Excellence is the Dentistry practice of Dr. Chaulong Nguyen who has been a practicing dentist in the Atherton area for more than 8 years, and is fully versed in a complete range of state of the art cosmetic dentistry techniques.