Tag: Smile Makeovers

Notches along the gum line, called abfractions, are caused by stress at the gum line. This can happen due to repeated grinding and clenching of the jaw. Abfractions are not only a cosmetic defect but can also be uncomfortable for the patient. They can be removed in a fairly simple and quick procedure by your dentist.

When teeth have very large cavities or very larger older fillings, we have to crown (cap) the tooth. This is because we can no longer effectively “stuff” or fill the tooth with filling material and expect it to last a long time. A crown protects the tooth from the outside, taking on the chewing responsibilities and becoming the new shell for the tooth. In this example, this patient had a large cavity with an older filling. The front tooth was crowned and custom-shaded and custom-shaped to match his other natural teeth.

Congenitally missing teeth are adult teeth that never formed. As seen in this picture, the lateral incisors are some of the more common teeth that can be congenitally missing. Because this patient had enough bone height and bone width in these areas, they were a candidate for implant surgery.  Here, the teeth were replaced by implants with custom-shaped and custom-colored crowns.