Cosmetic Dentistry

What are My Options for Teeth Whitening in Colwood?

Bright, white teeth are a staple of a classic, beautiful smile.

For most people, the natural colour of their teeth changes over time – usually darkening and staining as a result of certain foods, drinks, medication or habits (such as tobacco use).

For some people, discolouration is a life-long frustration. Regular brushing and maintenance can help to keep problems at bay but often a little extra help is needed for truly pearly whites.

Teeth whitening (teeth bleaching) is one of the quickest, most affordable ways to brighten a smile. As part of our comprehensive range of cosmetic dentistry services, Urban Smiles Colwood offers both in-office and at-home teeth whitening services to help restore your smile to its original glory. 

Whether you have a fast-approaching special event that requires you to look your best, or if you have become self-conscious about the colour of your teeth, Urban Smiles Colwood can help.

Am I a Good Candidate?

If you are interested in brightening your smile, and have healthy teeth and gums, you are most likely a good candidate for teeth whitening. In addition to aging, tobacco use and some medications, darkening of the teeth is usually a result of consuming coffee, tea, red wine, and foods like beets and berries. 

What Are My Teeth Whitening Options?

Our practice offers two types of teeth whitening:

• In-office: Using the professional Zoom! In-Office Whitening System we are able to brighten teeth up to eight shades in just one quick visit.
• Take home: Patients wear customized trays filled with a special gel over a number of days, and can choose between daytime or nighttime treatment.

What to Expect from Our Teeth Whitening Systems?

Hydrogen peroxide gel is the key component in teeth whitening. In-office whitening and take-home whitening treatments utilize different strengths of the gel.  As a rule, higher strength can brighten teeth in a shorter period of time. The Zoom! professional In-Office Whitening System is extremely efficient, and uses a dental lamp to intensify the bleaching effects. Optimal results can be achieved in about an hour.

What are Porcelain Veneers?

At Urban Smiles Colwood our dentists are very experienced in providing patients with beautiful smiles they can be confident sharing with the world. We offer custom Porcelain Veneers at our Colwood dental clinic to help our patients conceal minor dental imperfections such as chipped, cracked, worn, crowded or stained teeth.

Porcelain Dental Veneers offer the strength and look of natural teeth without the expense or time required for orthodontics or other cosmetic procedures. Veneers can be applied in one visit but will make a difference that lasts a lifetime.

What is the Process to Get Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin ceramic shells, roughly the thickness of an eggshell.  They are customized to blend seamlessly with your existing teeth.

During your consultation with our dentists, you can discuss your unique goals and learn more about how veneers can help you achieve the smile you desire.

Placing veneers typically require two visits to Urban Smiles Colwood. During the first visit, the teeth will be prepped to accommodate the veneer. This involves removing a very thin layer of enamel from the front of the tooth. Next, your dentist will take impressions of the prepped teeth, which will be used to make your veneers. Temporary veneers may be placed in the meantime. About two weeks later, when your specially-designed veneers are complete, they will be permanently bonded to the teeth.

Am I a Good Candidate for Veneers?

If you are concerned with minor cosmetic imperfections in our smile, and have healthy teeth and gums, you are probably a good candidate for dental implants. If our dentists determine that you are a suitable candidate, they will use digital imaging to provide you with a “wax-up,” or representative model of how your teeth will look after treatment. Patients can take the model home to show others, and further develop an opinion of how they would like their new smile to look.

What are the Benefits of Porcelain Veneers?

Just one or two strategically placed porcelain veneers can help you achieve an appearance of symmetry in your smile. In fact, your veneers may have others wondering how you were able to quickly achieve an effect that traditionally required months of orthodontic therapy!

Porcelain veneers can effectively conceal:

• Stubborn or intrinsic staining that fails to respond to teeth bleaching
• Short or worn teeth
• Chips and cracks
• Gaps between teeth
• Irregularly shaped teeth

The dentists at Urban Smiles Colwood work with reputable master ceramists to achieve optimal results. To further enhance results, many of our porcelain veneers patients choose to combine the procedure with additional services like gum contouring (designed to correct a “gummy smile”) or teeth bleaching. Porcelain veneers are often an important part of a smile makeover treatment.

Schedule a Consultation for Dental Veneers in Colwood Today

When you love the look of your smile, it shows. The confidence that a beautiful smile provides makes a lasting impression on everyone around you. We can help you rejuvenate your smile and boost your confidence. 

Contact our practice today to find out how porcelain veneers can give you the dazzling smile you have always wanted.

Invisalign & Invisalign Teen Invisible Braces in Colwood

Finally… A way to straighten teeth without the clunky look or rough feel of regular metal braces.

Invisalign removable aligners from Urban Smiles Colwood are virtually invisible and are ideal for almost any scenario at any age: overbites, underbites, spaces or crooked teeth.

If you are a candidate for Invisalign, we will make impressions of your teeth right in our office using our iTero Digital Scanner. Those impressions will be converted into 3-D images of your ideal smile (a preview of what your teeth will look like when you’re done) and a set of comfortable progressive aligners will be created to align your teeth.

Similar to orthodontic treatment with traditional metal braces, we will monitor the progress of your Invisalign or Invisalign Teen treatment at regular intervals. Typical Invisalign treatment time is 6 to 18 months.

To learn more about getting Invisalign in Colwood click here.

What is a Smile Makeover in Colwood?

Sometimes getting the perfect smile involves more than one cosmetic procedure or treatment.

At Urban Smiles Colwood, we offer a customized, comprehensive cosmetic dentistry treatment – the Smile Makeover – to our patients in Colwood and surrounding Victoria communities.

By combining any number of our cosmetic dentistry services, we are able to provide our patients with the smiles they have always dreamed of having.

So … dream big…we can help you achieve your smile goals!

What Can a Smile Makeover Do for Me?

The beauty of a smile makeover is that it can address several aspects of your smile at once, including:

• Crooked, misaligned or overlapping teeth
• Gaps between teeth
• Worn, short or irregularly-shaped teeth
• Stained or darkened teeth
• Chipped or cracked teeth

Altogether, the procedure can create an entirely new smile for you, complementing all of your best features.

During a consultation, you can learn more about how this treatment can help you feel and look your very best. If you have restorative dental needs, like missing teeth, your dentist at Urban Smiles Colwood will work closely with you to provide available treatment options to establish a state of good oral health before you receive cosmetic work.

What is the Process for a Smile Makeover?

During a thorough examination, your dentist at Urban Smiles Colwood will use your personal input, digital imaging, and x-rays to begin creating a comprehensive treatment plan. Using a wax-up (a model of what your smile will look like post-treatment), our team is able to provide a clear idea of the results you can expect to achieve.

A smile makeover typically consists of one or more of the following:

• Porcelain Veneers have many applications, but they are primarily used to conceal minor dental imperfections and create an appearance of symmetry and uniformity.
• Professional Teeth Whitening– Our Zoom!™ In-Office Whitening System can dramatically brighten dull teeth in about an hour. Take-home kits are available for patients who prefer to whiten in the privacy of their own home, on their own time.
• Invisalign– Offered as an alternative to traditional metal braces, Invisalign® uses a set of clear, removable plastic aligners to gently straighten teeth. The duration of treatment time is comparable to traditional braces.
• Gum Contouring – Used to alleviate a “gummy smile,” gum reshaping gently and permanently removes excess gum tissue to reveal a more attractive gum-to-tooth ratio.
• Dental Crowns – In addition to fulfilling restorative needs like replacing and strengthening teeth, custom dental crowns may be used to enhance the appearance of some teeth.
• Dental Bonding – A more conservative alternative to veneers, bonding may be used to fill minor chips and cracks, lengthen short teeth, and fill gaps between teeth.

Schedule a Smile Makeover Consultation Today

Have you ever wondered how an entirely new smile might highlight all your best features? Let us show you the power of a custom smile!

Our Colwood cosmetic dentists have the training and expertise needed to help you look your best. 

Contact us today to learn more about how a smile makeover can give you a smile you will be proud to share with everyone around you.

What is Dental Full Mouth Reconstruction?

Full mouth reconstruction is different from a smile makeover as it is usually required rather than desired.

In the event that a full reconstruction is necessary (major tooth loss, injuries or fractures, severe wear and erosion), our process will start with a comprehensive examination to determine the extent of the problem and to consider all of the possible treatments.

We will thoroughly examine the condition of your teeth, gums, joints, muscles and bite as well as the overall look of your teeth and smile.  Digital X-rays, impressions, models and even specialists may be part of the process.

What dental procedures are involved in Full Mouth Reconstruction?

Depending on your needs, a full mouth reconstruction may consist of:

• Laser gum treatments – Healthy gums lay the foundation for oral health. Gentle laser therapy can eliminate periodontal disease and spur the growth of healthy gum tissue.
• Dental crowns – Also known as caps, crowns can be used to replace a missing tooth, or to protect and strengthen teeth compromised by fractures, root canal therapy, or decay.
• Tooth-coloured fillings – Our composite resin fillings blend beautifully with your natural teeth while strengthening teeth that have been treated for cavities or minor structural damage.
• Dentures – We offer fully custom dentures to replace any number of teeth.
• Dental implants – Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically implanted in the jaw to replace a missing tooth root. Implants can be restored with crowns or dentures.
• Root canal treatment – Also known as endodontic therapy, root canal therapy is performed to salvage the outer portion of a severely decayed tooth and improve oral health. The treated tooth is usually restored with a dental crown.
• Dental bridges – Dental bridges, also called partial dentures, literally bridge the gap left by a missing tooth.

Once restorative needs have been addressed, many of our patients choose to enhance their newly restored smile with one or more of our popular cosmetic services, including porcelain veneers. The result is a balanced and healthy smile that not only feels great, but also looks beautiful.