Cosmetic Dentistry

UBC Cosmetic Dentistry services

Your smile is often the most captivating aspect of your face. Thanks to advancements in dentistry, you no longer need to endure stained, chipped, or irregular teeth; there are now options available that empower you to smile confidently.

Even minor adjustments to your smile can lead to significant improvements in your appearance and self-esteem. While cosmetic dentistry primarily focuses on enhancing the aesthetics of your teeth and gums, many of these procedures also contribute positively to your oral health and overall comfort.

Teeth Whitening

Many people opt for teeth whitening in preparation for special occasions like weddings, graduations, job interviews, UBC Cosmetic Dentistryclass reunions, and anniversaries. With our professional teeth whitening treatment, you can achieve a brighter smile that enhances your confidence and leaves a lasting impression. You can:

 

  • Revitalize your smile by removing years of discoloration caused by food, beverages, and more.
  • Brighten your smile by whitening your teeth by up to 8 shades.
  • Look younger
  • Experience a radiant and enduring smile that transforms your confidence.

Pola Whitening

Pola Office+ is a cutting-edge, chemically activated in-office teeth whitening system featuring a powerful bleaching gel with 37.5% hydrogen peroxide, making it one of the fastest options available today. Designed to minimize sensitivity, Pola Office+ incorporates potassium nitrate and a neutral pH formula, allowing for a comfortable whitening experience.

With a remarkably brief application time, you can expect reduced sensitivity compared to traditional systems. Teeth are isolated similarly to other whitening methods, with the whitening agent applied for eight minutes without the need for high-intensity lights, followed by reapplications three to four times.

This innovative approach achieves results comparable to other systems in a shorter duration, all while maintaining lower sensitivity levels. Experience a fast, safe, and effective way to enhance your smile with Pola Office+.

Take Home Whitening

To create a set of custom trays that perfectly fit your upper and lower teeth, we will need to take precise impressions of your teeth. After a few days of fabrication, you will return to receive your personalized bleaching trays along with whitening gel and detailed usage instructions.

Each evening, you’ll apply a small amount of gel into the designated areas of both trays, typically for a duration of ten consecutive nights. If you experience any sensitivity while using the home whitening kit, we recommend taking a break for one or two nights before resuming once the sensitivity has eased.

By storing your whitening trays in a safe place, you can easily use them again for touch-ups, and additional whitening gel can be purchased from our office to enhance your results.

Orthodontics

Orthodontics serves not only cosmetic purposes but also addresses malocclusions, which refer to misalignments of the teeth, jaws, and lips resulting in a “bad bite.” By correcting these misalignments, orthodontic treatment can enhance the alignment of crooked teeth, providing you with a straight, broad smile. Dentists and orthodontists employ various procedures to achieve optimal tooth and jaw alignment, ensuring both function and aesthetic appeal for your smile at UBC Vancouver Dentist at Lelem Village.

What causes orthodontic problems?

Crowding, spacing issues, extra or missing teeth, and some jaw problems can be inherited. Other dental misalignments can occur over time due to factors like thumb-sucking, poor dental care, and the early or late loss of baby or permanent teeth. It’s crucial to address these issues, as they can lead to areas that are hard to clean, tooth decay, difficulties with chewing and speaking, potential jaw joint problems, gum disease, and other complications.

Invisalign® Treatment

Invisalign® treatment utilizes advanced 3-D computer imaging technology to create a comprehensive plan that maps the journey from the starting position of your teeth to the final desired alignment, resulting in a series of custom-made aligners. Each aligner is designed to gradually shift your teeth over a period of approximately two weeks, after which it is replaced by the next aligner in the sequence until the desired position is accomplished.

Aligners are crafted from clear, durable medical-grade plastic that remains virtually invisible when worn. While theyresemble clear tooth-whitening trays, they are uniquely tailored for a superior fit that effectively shifts teeth into their desired positions. Some orthodontists and dentists have affectionately referred to them as the contact lenses for teeth.

How do Invisalign® clear aligners effectively move teeth?

Invisalign aligners, much like traditional brackets and archwires, facilitate tooth movement through the precise application of controlled forces. What sets Invisalign apart is its capability to not only manage these forces but also regulate the timing of their application. At each phase of treatment, only specific teeth are permitted to shift, with these movements carefully orchestrated according to the individualized orthodontic plan for that stage. This approach creates a highly efficient system for delivering the necessary forces.

There are four primary benefits of Invisalign® clear aligners:

1. Invisalign® treatment achieves a straighter smile that remains virtually undetectable to others

2. Invisalign® aligners are easily removable, allowing you the freedom to enjoy your favorite foods and drinks during the process; you can also maintain excellent oral hygiene by brushing and flossing normally.

3. Invisalign® treatment is designed for your comfort, eliminating the need for metal brackets or wires that can lead to mouth irritation. The absence of these elements also means you’ll spend less time in the dentist’s chair for adjustments.

4. Invisalign® treatment allows you to preview your personalized virtual treatment plan before beginning, so you can envision how your teeth will look after achieving a straight, beautiful smile.

Veneers

Porcelain veneers are extremely thin ceramic shells that are securely bonded to the front surface of teeth using a durable resin cement. This treatment typically requires minimal anesthesia, making it an excellent option for enhancing the appearance of your front teeth. These veneers can effectively conceal discolored teeth or alter the shape and look of teeth that are crooked or chipped.

There are various scenarios where veneer treatment is beneficial, particularly for restoring teeth with discoloration that do not respond to traditional whitening methods, such as those affected by severe tetracycline staining or previous dental injuries. Additionally, veneers are ideal for addressing teeth that need considerable shape or contour adjustments. By applying veneers, we can enhance small or irregularly shaped teeth to achieve a more natural look, close gaps between teeth by increasing their width, and lengthen teeth that are too short for a balanced smile.

Veneers are a highly sought-after treatment option for a variety of reasons, primarily due to their conservative nature. Only a minimal amount of tooth structure, typically between 0.3 and 0.7 mm, needs to be removed to accommodate the veneer, allowing for a less invasive procedure. Once crafted, the veneer is securely bonded to the tooth, achieving the desired enhancements in both shape and color. The thin design and absence of metal in the veneer significantly enhance its aesthetic appeal, providing a beautiful, natural look that many patients desire.

A porcelain veneer involves a longer treatment process. During the first appointment, your teeth are prepared, and impressions are taken. Temporary plastic veneers are then placed on your teeth to protect them while the permanent veneers are created. These temporary veneers also allow you to assess how your teeth will look and feel so that any desired adjustments can be made in the final product. At the second appointment, the temporary veneers are taken off, and the porcelain veneers are bonded to your teeth. While porcelain veneers are thin, they are significantly stronger than composite bonding veneers, reducing the risk of fractures. However, in the event of a fracture, repairing a porcelain veneer can be more complex, potentially requiring a complete remaking of the veneer.

Porcelain veneers offer versatility and predictability in a wider range of dental situations. As they are crafted outside the mouth, the ability to control their shape and color allows for a more refined and aesthetically pleasing final result.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a cosmetic procedure that involves the application of a composite resin, which is then hardened using a specialized light, effectively creating a strong bond between the resin and the tooth to enhance or restore a person’s smile.

Dental Bonding is a viable solution that can address a variety of dental concerns such as:

  • Revitalize the brilliance of discolored teeth
  • Restore your chipped or cracked teeth to their natural beauty
  • Restore your teeth to health
  • Eliminate gaps between your teeth for a more even and harmonious smile
  • Transform the look of your smile by creating the illusion of longer, more elegant teeth