Innovative Cosmetic Dentistry in Kirkland, WA

Having a healthy, bright, beautiful smile enhances your appearance and allows you to smile with confidence. A custom plan allows you to see exactly how your teeth can look after cosmetic dentistry. A painless way to see your smile’s potential without ever being worked on. Fully participate in creating your new smile with before and after photos. Thanks to the advances in modern cosmetic dentistry, the treatments can be quick and painless.

Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments Can Help:

  • Changing the size, shape, and alignment of certain teeth
  • Filling in unattractive spaces between teeth
  • Improving or correcting bites
  • Lightening or brightening the color of teeth
  • Repair decayed, broken, cracked, or chipped teeth
  • Replace missing teeth
  • Replace old, unattractive dental treatments

Dermal fillers are an increasingly popular means to help reverse the changes associated with aging. Because the goal is to return the dermis to its original youthful state, dermal fillers can give a more natural appearance than surgical face lifts. Dermal fillers can be used to reduce or eliminate wrinkles, raise scar depressions, enhance lips, and replace soft-tissue volume loss.

As our skin ages, the dermis gradually loses its major constituents: collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. Collagen acts as the major support protein for our skin, elastin allows our skin to stay firm and resist wrinkles, and hyaluronic acid helps to trap water and add volume and shape to our skin.

Dermal fillers are substances that are injected just below the surface of the skin to fill in lines, wrinkles, and scars. Unlike face lifts that stretch the skin, fillers add volume for a more natural, youthful appearance. Fillers can also increase the fullness of the lips and lessen the downward slant of the corner of lips. The most common areas treated are the smile lines around the nose and mouth, fine lines above the mouth, frown lines between the eyes, and acne scars.

Why see a dentist about dermal fillers?

Your dentist has undergone extensive clinical training in the administration of injectable facial rejuvenation treatments and can discuss ALL of your facial/aesthetic concerns, including your smile and teeth.

Are dermal fillers safe?

Dermal fillers approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are minimally invasive and generally very safe. Side effects are uncommon, but it is important to contact your doctor to discuss any allergies or interactions.

How long do dermal fillers last?

The effect of dermal fillers typically last anywhere from six to 12 months at which point the procedure needs to be repeated. The procedures take anywhere from five to 15 minutes.

Inlays and Onlays are tooth-colored restorations that are used in place of silver fillings on the chewing surfaces of back teeth. Unlike silver fillings made from metals that may cause further damage to teeth, these cosmetic fillings look extremely natural and typically require that far less of the tooth be removed.

Porcelain veneers have become a popular solution for cosmetically improving the size, shape, length or color of one or more teeth. A veneer is a thin but extremely strong porcelain facing – tooth colored and natural in appearance – that is custom made and tooth colored and natural in texture.

After preparing the tooth, our dentists will have a dental laboratory make the veneer, and then attach it to your natural tooth by bonding it permanently to the front surface.

High quality porcelain veneers provide long-lasting results and can transform your teeth and smile into a beautiful attribute of your appearance.

Porcelain veneers can be a marvelous remedy for people who need to correct certain dental problems, such as:

  • Chipped or broken teeth
  • Crooked teeth
  • Cracked teeth
  • Misshapen teeth
  • Gaps between teeth
  • Worn down teeth
  • Stained or discolored teeth

Not all porcelain veneers are the same, and in some cases there are alternative solutions you should consider. Etheredge Kirland can help you determine the best solution for you.

Teeth whitening (or bleaching) is a simple, non-invasive dental treatment used to change the color of natural tooth enamel and is an ideal way to enhance the beauty of your smile.

Because having whiter teeth has now become the number one aesthetic concern of most patients, there are a number of ways to whiten teeth.  The most popular method is using a home teeth whitening system that will whiten teeth dramatically.  Since teeth whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, it is important to evaluate replacement of any old fillings, crowns, etc.  Replacement of any restorations will be done after bleaching so they will match the newly bleached teeth.

Teeth whitening is not permanent.  A touch-up may be needed every several years, and more often if you smoke, drink coffee, tea, or wine.

Reasons for teeth whitening:

  • Fluorosis (excessive fluoridation during tooth development).
  • Normal wear of outer tooth layer.
  • Stained teeth due to medications (tetracycline, etc.).
  • Yellow, brown stained teeth.

What does teeth whitening involve?

This type of teeth whitening usually requires two visits.  At the first appointment, impressions (molds) will be made of your teeth to fabricate custom, clear, plastic, trays.

At your second appointment, you will try on the trays for proper fit, and adjustments will be made if necessary.  The trays are worn with special whitening solution either twice a day for 30 minutes or overnight for a couple of weeks depending on the degree of staining and desired level of whitening.  It is normal to experience tooth sensitivity during the time you are whitening your teeth, but it will subside shortly after you have stopped bleaching.

You will receive care instructions for your teeth and trays, and be encouraged to visit your dentist regularly to help maintain a beautiful, healthy, white smile.