There are a number of reasons why I love porcelain veneers. I thought I would take this Memorial Day to cover some of them.

1. They are super-thin. Not much thicker than a contact lens! This is important because it means that as the cosmetic dentist, I don't have to grind away as much of your natural tooth to achieve a dramatic result.



2. Color Change. Even though veneers are so thin, we can use them to completely change the color of your teeth. Even the most yellow teeth can be masked out and transformed into bright white.

3. They Can Look So Real. In the past, veneers tended to be very monochromatic. You got one color for the whole tooth. But natural teeth don't look like that. Natural teeth tend to be a little darker near the gums and a little transparent near the tip. In between they can have any combination of colors. These color variations are what make veneers look real. Dentists who work with the right dental labs can recreate these color changes in the porcelain. We can usually pick out someone who has poorly-done veneers because the teeth just look fake. White...but fake.

4. Shape Change. With porcelain veneers we can completely change the shape of a tooth. Many people have chipped or worn down their teeth over the years. Others have teeth with gaps between them. Many people's teeth are crowded. All of these issues can be fixed with veneers less than 1.o mm thick!

5. Confidence! I can't tell you how many of our patients come back after having their veneers done and tell me that they catch themselves smiling so much more. Having a smile you can be proud of does wonders for your self-confidence. I have had patients claim that their new smile has helped them get raises at work, ask out girls they never would have before, and live a happier, more fulfilling life. It is amazing!

So these are a couple of reasons why I love porcelain veneers and smile makeovers. They can look so real and they can change your life. This is the truly rewarding part of my job. When people ask how I can look in people's mouths all day, I tell them that its because later I get to see people's smiles all day.


Dr. Heap


P.S. - I always do completely free smile analysis and consultations. Even if you just have little details about your teeth that you don't like, come see me. Sometimes we can improve a smile drastically without major dental procedures.

480-892-1711
http://www.lakesidesmiles.com/

Why Do We Remove Wisdom Teeth?

Last week we saw a patient who had been experiencing soreness in some of her back teeth. About a year ago we saw her and recommended she have her wisdom teeth removed. She told us she didn’t see why they should be removed if they weren’t bothering her. We explained all of the possible problems involved with most wisdom teeth (see previous post “Wisdom Teeth“) and showed on the x-rays the way that hers were growing in at an angle that could possibly damage the other teeth.

Needless to say, nothing was done about these wisdom teeth. A year later she has returned in pain. When we took the x-rays we found that her wisdom teeth had continued to grow forward and had caused terrible damage to the teeth just in front of them. The damage was so bad that we couldn’t save the wisdom teeth or the ones they had grown into. So instead of removing a few wisdom teeth very easily, we had to do a very lengthy surgery in order to take out 6 teeth!

The moral of the story is…get your wisdom teeth checked if they have never been removed. If your dentist recommends removal to avoid other damage, please do it! You don’t want to be in a situation where other teeth are affected. The process is so easy. You basically go to sleep and when you wake up, everything has been done.

We offer completely free consultations and x-rays if you are concerned about your wisdom teeth. Please just give us a call or shoot me an e-mail if you have questions!

Dr. Heap

480-892-1711

Sedation "Sleep" Dentistry

What could be better than going to sleep and having all of your dental work done before you wake up?

We are now excited to offer sedation dentistry at our office. This is also known as sleep dentistry. Sleep dentistry is perfect for those people who are afraid of the dentist or who just don't love going to the dentist.

And really, who loves going to the dentist?

The process is very easy. After a brief visit with one of our doctors to talk about what type of sedation would work best for you, all you need to do is come to your dental visit ready to relax and take a nap.

You can even bring your favorite pillow, teddy bear, whatever you want to feel comfortable! You don't have to worry about anything else.

For our patients interested in cosmetic dentistry or a smile makeover, imagine going to sleep and when you wake up you have a new and beautiful smile!

We are very excited to be able to offer this in our office. Call us to set up a consult or to find out more about sedation dentistry.

480-892-1711