Procedures

Invisalign

Invisalign is an innovative way to help you get beautifully straight teeth without unsightly, inconvenient and uncomfortable metal braces. Invisalign uses computer technology to design nearly invisible, custom plastic appliances that gradually guide your teeth into a better position. During your first evaluation, Drs. Steel will evaluate your orthodontic and cosmetic needs to see if Invisalign is a good way to achieve your goals.

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What’s really great about Invisalign is that you can improve your smile without a mouthful of metal wires and have the ability to remove the aligners for eating and cleaning your teeth. Most importantly, you won’t have to compromise your appearance while it works.

Call today to see if you are a candidate for the “invisible” way to straighten teeth.

Zoom! In-office Whitening

Our office provides the option of In-Office Bleaching in addition to more conventional Home Bleaching. Our product of choice for this procedure is Zoom!.

This procedure utilizes a more concentrated solution and a light to help activate and accelerate the bleaching process. This method will usually lighten natural teeth much more rapidly (typically, three 20-minute applications in a single office visit) than take-home bleaching.

Zoom! is great for people that want fast results, or have had difficulty achieving their desired smile with home bleaching techniques. Occasional touch ups at home will allow you to keep your dazzling Zoom! smile.

Call today to see if you are a candidate for a Zoom! smile.

Take-home Bleaching

Home Bleaching is a time-tested way of achieving a lighter, brighter shade to your natural teeth. Using professionally fabricated custom appliances and bleaching solutions, you can lighten your teeth in the convenience of your own home. We closely monitor your progress, and have a variety of bleaching solutions to fit your personal needs.

Come in for a consultation to see if brightening your smile with home bleaching is right for you.

Dental Implant Restorations

Just like medical science has allowed us to replace knees and hips, dental implants (artificial roots) have been a great development for replacing missing teeth. They can be used to replace single teeth, multiple teeth or even to help anchor a removable appliance like a denture. Implants can support crowns that look and feel like your natural teeth. Best of all, they are independent (not hooked to adjacent teeth), so you can floss normally, and they can look great. We work as a team with oral surgeons to provide a stable and attractive result.

If you are missing teeth and want a strong, natural-looking replacement, call Drs. Steel for a consultation regarding dental implants.

Veneers and Crowns

Crowns (also called caps) and veneers (also called porcelain laminates) are used to strengthen and enhance the appearance of teeth by acting as an enamel substitute. In simple terms, crowns cover the whole tooth, while veneers primarily cover the front and edge of teeth. Crowns are generally made of all-porcelain or porcelain with metal underneath for strength. Veneers are constructed of various types of porcelains and bonded to teeth. Both crowns and veneers can be made to appear both natural and attractive if done properly. Many times, a combination of crowns and veneers is used to create a beautiful, long-lasting, natural-looking smile.

If you want to find out if porcelain veneers are the right choice for enhancing your smile, call for a cosmetic consultation with Drs. Steel. In as little as two appointments, you can have the smile you’ve always wanted.

Tooth Colored Fillings (Restorations)

Our office has not utilized metal (silver-mercury) fillings since 1988. With the newer tooth-colored materials (both resin and porcelain) bonded into teeth, we can make your teeth stronger and better looking. We don’t just “fill” teeth, we restore them to their original shape and color. Remember, when you smile, people see your upper front teeth, but when you talk, your friends and associates may be looking at the unattractive black fillings in your back teeth. Bonded restorations can make the back teeth match the beauty of your new smile.

If you are tired of having teeth with metal fillings break, or just want to eliminate the unsightly look of metal in your back teeth, give us a call.

Air Abrasion

Air abrasion uses a machine that propels fine granules, almost like a sand blaster, to remove decay or a damaged tooth structure. In many cases, small restorations (bonded fillings) in back teeth can be completed without using anesthetic. It is also a very efficient way to clean the grooves of molars before placing sealants in children.

If your children require sealants, or you have small areas of decay in the biting surface of molars, air abrasion may be the answer.

Laser Gum Recontouring

Lasers can be used for a variety of procedures, including reshaping gum tissue to improve both health and appearance. Many people have nice teeth, but a “gummy smile.” Removing or recontouring excess gum tissue can really enhance the appearance of your smile by developing better proportions for your teeth. Lasers can help accomplish this, many times in a single visit. Usually after laser recontouring, the gums heal very quickly. This can also be done in conjunction with other procedures (such as resin bonding or porcelain veneers) to maximize cosmetic results.

If your teeth appear short, or your smile seems excessively gummy, call for a consultation with Drs. Steel to see if laser recontouring could give you a more attractive appearance.

Digital Photography and Radiography

Digital photography and radiography is simply a means of transferring photographs of your mouth and radiographs (x-rays) to a computer.  That enables us to more effectively show patients their mouths and any problems or concerns that may require treatment.  It can also be a great communication tool for use with dental laboratories and other dentists when needed.  Computer viewing tools help us enlarge and define the pictures and x-rays to improve diagnosis and understanding.  As an added bonus, digital x-rays have been shown to require even less radiation exposure than traditional film x-rays (which require only small amounts of exposure compared to other medical or environmental sources).  This technology helps us diagnose and treat our patient needs while helping you understand the process.