Smile Makeover Archives - Julie M. Gillis, DDS

Porcelain Partial Crowns Close Gaps in Your Smile!

February 10, 2017

Filed under: Missing Tooth or Teeth,Smile Makeover,Uncategorized — Tags: Smile Makeover — Dr Gillis @ 7:30 am

Would you like to close the gaps in your smile with Porcelain Partial Crowns, veneers, or bridges? Many would like to do this but they could use more information!

This blog reviews one method for closing gaps between teeth with Porcelain Partial Crowns and Bridges. Porcelain partial crowns are described as well as the benefits of this treatment.

Our patient did not like the gaps present between her teeth or the missing lower tooth. Porcelain partial crowns, veneers and a bridge were the answer.

The restored smile is much more pleasing and natural looking.

If you are one of many people with gaps in your smile, I hope this blog has some good information for you! Our office has been using the wonders of porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns or partial crowns and bridges to close spaces for years. We often see people who have missing teeth or who have teeth that just don’t seem big enough to fill the space available st that even though they have the correct number of teeth, there are still gaps between the teeth.

We work with a high quality dental laboratory that has been completing porcelain restorations for years. Our dental laboratory technician is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Please wee our web site at www.juliegillisdds.com for more information on the accreditation process and what that means for our patients. Dr. Julie Gillis is also accredited with the AACD.

Our patient did not like the gaps present between her teeth or the missing lower tooth. Porcelain partial crowns, veneers and a bridge were the answer.

Porcelain partial crowns are very esthetic and natural looking.

What are porcelain partial crowns and bridges?

Porcelain is stacked or pressed on a model of your tooth to create an ideal form and color. Because porcelain restorations have improved significantly, a talented dentist and laboratory technician team can create restorations that mimic tooth structure. If the porcelain material is applied in layers, the lab technician may use 10 – 20 layers or more to create the shape, form and color that is required along with any special characteristics that are present in the natural dentition that you want to duplicate. Gone should be the days when it was obvious if someone has had dental work!

Our patient did not like the gaps present between her teeth or the missing lower tooth.

Porcelain partial crowns, veneers and a bridge were the answer for this beautiful and healthy smile!

You should not be able to look at someone’s teeth and know that they have had dental work done to create their beautiful smile! Porcelain partial crowns and bridges should look very natural in all areas of your mouth. They must also be easy for you to clean so that you can make your new restorations last as long as possible. The goal is to conserve as much of your teeth as possible, while creating ideal restorations. Technically, a porcelain veneer covers just the front of the tooth. When we are adding width and length to the tooth, the porcelain will need to wrap the sides and the top (incisal edge) of the tooth. This becomes a porcelain partial veneer. When there is enough of your own tooth wrapped with porcelain, the correct term would be a porcelain crown or cap.

When porcelain crowns span a gap between teeth and are joined together with one or more artificial porcelain crowns between them, you have a porcelain bridge similar to the one shown here. There is a limit to the length of span that two teeth should support as this puts extra stress on the supporting teeth.

Our office would be happy to offer a consult to review is porcelain partial crowns or bridges are right for you! We are in Mesa County, Colorado. Please visit our Facebook page at Julie M Gillis DDS to see some of our cases! Or visit our website at www.juliegillisdds.com for more information.

Yours for better dental health,

Julie Gillis DDS

Restoring Teeth/Restoring Smiles

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Tooth Reshaping For A More Attractive Smile

April 14, 2016

Filed under: Tooth Reshaping/Bite Adjustment — Tags: Smile Makeover, Tooth Reshaping/Bite Adjustment — Dr Gillis @ 11:14 pm

Tooth Reshaping May Be All It Takes For A More Attractive Smile

Existing front tooth too long so that reshaping could really improve the appearance.

Tooth reshaping used to improve shape of front teeth.

This blog discussed the option of tooth reshaping for a simple and permanent smile makeover. Tooth reshaping is also called a bite adjustment and this treatment is done for several reasons:

Smooth a rough edge of a tooth that is bothering a patient
Eliminate a ‘high spot’ that was the result of a recent filling or crown
To eliminate bite interferences that could lead to excessive tooth wear or discomfort, and
To reshape teeth to be more attractive which is what this blog addresses.

Jagged incisal edges of front teeth can safely have tooth shaping for a better appearance.

Jagged incisal edges of front teeth have had tooth shaping for a better appearance.

When can we simply reshape teeth for a better appearance? This type of ‘smile makeover’ may save you a lot of time and money if the correct preexisting conditions are present! Our office is very conservative and we advise all of our patient’s about their options including the important fact that once a portion of a tooth is removed, it is gone forever!

The following are usually good indications for tooth reshaping:

There is adequate existing length to allow reshaping without making the teeth too short.
The reshaping will take place mostly in enamel or the outer layer of the teeth.
The reshaping will not significantly alter the appropriate function of the teeth.
An immediate improvement is desired and the benefits and limitations are fully discussed and understood.

Poor indications for tooth reshaping are as follows:

Existing teeth are already too short
Existing tooth structure is needed for future bonding
Tooth reshaping would lead to increased sensitivity

Our office would be happy to review your options for treatment!

Yours for better dental health,

Julie Gillis DDS

Restoring Smiles/Restoring Health

Existing front tooth too long so that reshaping could really improve the appearance.

Minor tooth reshaping to improve the appearance and function of these teeth.

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Gummy Smile? Dark Teeth? Smile Makeovers Help!

February 9, 2016

Filed under: Porcelain Veneers,Smile Makeover — Tags: Cosmetic Dentistry, Porcelain Veneers, Smile Makeover — Dr Gillis @ 5:50 pm

Gummy Smile? Dark Teeth? A Smile Makeover Can Help!

What is a ‘gummy smile’ and what can a smile makeover do to help?

We are often asked our opinion on how to help the appearance of a ‘gummy smile‘. If you have not heard this term before, a gummy smile is one name for a smile that displays excessive gum tissue. This is sometimes, but not always, combined with the upper lip really lifting towards the nose during a smile. Some lips just have more active muscles or are shorter to begin with due to genetics. Three things in general make a smile less attractive related to the gums:

When you smile and instead of showing nice teeth you show a thick layer of gums.
When you smile and show a very uneven display of gums – more in one area than others.
When the gums are unhealthy and have that red bulbous appearance, the smile is always less attractive.

A more attractive smile after treating with conservative gingival plastic surgery and porcelain veneers.

A gummy smile and dark , short teeth detract from this smile. A Smile Makeover Can Help!

Conservative treatment of ‘gingival plastic surgery’ and porcelain veneers has made the excessive display of gums or gummy smile much less noticeable! This easy procedure was completed in our office as part of the overall treatment. Sometimes the best option may be to include other specialists though. In our office we will evaluate a patient’s concerns and the overall condition of their oral health. This includes the health of the teeth, the gums, the unsporting bone, the jaw joints or TMJ’s, and the musculature that makes everything work. At that point, we will come up with treatment options to best satisfy your goals while maintaining the health of your mouth. Our office will review your options in as much detail as you would like and then find a way to make your treatment fit into your life! That is, I believe, the best way to manage a smile makeover! Note the improved appearance of the smile above after treatment.

Yours for better dental health (and beauty!),

Julie Gillis DDS, PC

Restoring Smiles/Restoring Health

Smile makeover after conservative treatment with porcelain veneers and a ‘gum lift’!

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Using Gum Surgery or Gingival Plastic Surgery to Enhance a Smile

October 21, 2015

Filed under: Gum Surgery,Smile Makeover — Tags: Cosmetic Dentistry, Gum surgery, Smile Makeover, Soft Tissue Surgery — Dr Gillis @ 9:57 pm

Using Gum Surgery or Gingival Plastic Surgery to Enhance a Smile

Following conservative gingival plastic surgery.

Prior to conservative gingival plastic surgery.

It may sound complicated, but gum surgery or gingival plastic surgery can be an easy and comfortable procedure! In our Grand Junction office we use either a diode laser or electro-surgery to carefully remove tissue to complete the gum surgery. This can be an easy addition to a treatment plan to achieve better aesthetics and a very important part of a smile makeover.

Note the improvement in the length and shape of the teeth! (more…)

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Is your smile REALLY important? Yes!

January 16, 2013

Filed under: American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry,cosmetic dentistry,Customer Service,Patient Satisfaction,Uncategorized — Tags: Smile Makeover — Dr Gillis @ 3:09 am

A Picture Perfect Smile:
The Secret to Attractiveness At Any Age

It’s no secret that we only have one chance to make a lasting first impression, which can often shape how we are perceived and remembered in both our social and professionals lives. A new study by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) finds that a great smile can be our greatest asset – a feature that remains attractive even as we age and goes a long way in nailing an incredible first impression.

Perhaps this is why most people consider their smiles a worthwhile investment and would be willing to open up their wallets to preserve their pearly whites.

WITHSTANDING THE TEST OF TIME:

Perhaps a person’s smile makes such an impact on first impressions because we believe it is the one feature that will always be attractive no matter how old we get.
A Timeless Smile. About (45%) of survey participants agree a smile is the most attractive feature, no matter their age. Conversely, very few think that the body (10%), hair (6%), or legs (5%) are as appealing as we age.
Roughly half (54%) of respondents ages 50+ attest that a smile can withstand the test of time most attractively as someone ages, compared with 39 percent of 18-49 year-olds who feel the same.
WORTH THE INVESTMENT:
Given the importance of a perfect smile, most people surveyed would be willing to spend money safeguarding their teeth as they age.
Preventative Measures. A whopping 80 percent admit they would spend money to maintain a youthful appearance. More women than men (84% vs. 75%) are willing to make this investment. And since many believe that turning 30 gives you plenty to dread, it’s not surprising that people ages 30-39 are more likely than any other age groups (88% vs. 78%) to consider shelling out money for their looks.

Worth the Fight. More than three in five (62%) of them would spend their money to maintain the quality of their teeth.

Not Worth the Money? And while they recognize that their hair or legs are not as likely to remain as attractive as their smile once they age, fewer would be willing to spend money to address thinning hair (33%) or unsightly veins on their legs (28%) than they would on their teeth.
Last on the List. Other aging imperfections or flaws such as excess weight (48%), dark under-eye circles (33%), and wrinkles (31%) are more likely to be ignored than their teeth.
LEVERAGE YOUR GREATEST ASSET WHEN MAKING A FIRST IMPRESSION:

There’s only one chance to make a lasting first impression and a smile can go a long way.

Say Cheese. Close to one in two (48%) people believe that a smile is the most memorable feature after first meeting someone – more so than the first
thing a person says (25%). Those ages 50+ are more likely than their 18-49 year-old counterparts (52% vs. 45%) to remember a smile when first introduced to someone.
The Minor Things. And nothing else even comes close to the impact a great smile can make. Fewer Americans would be likely to remember a person’s clothes (9%) or the way he or she smelled (8%) after meeting for the first time.
BEST FACE FORWARD:smile to be less attractive (37%) and less confident (25%) than those with perfect teeth. More women than men (40% vs. 35%) agree that an imperfect smile makes someone less appealing than a person with a perfect smile.

Click here to see a press release on aging and beauty.

Download the Kelton Survey BreakOut Report

About the survey: The AACD Smile survey was conducted by Kelton between August 17th and August 23rd, 2012 among 1,018 nationally representative Americans ages 18 and over, using an email invitation and an online survey. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by thenumber of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher.

We love to give our patient’s information and options about their dental treatment – cosmetic or otherwise! Dr. Gillis has advanced training in cosmetic dentistry and is an Accredited Dentist with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Our office is dedicated to helping you save your teeth and helping you to maintain a healthy mouth. We would be happy to answer your questions about your smile, porcelain veneers, cosmetic dentistry, options for your treatment and your dental health! Please visit us on Facebook (see Julie M Gillis DDS PC) or call us if you have any questions or concerns. You can also email our office at jmgdds@qwestoffice.net for further information.

Yours for better health,

Julie Gillis, DDS,

“Restoring Smiles – Restoring Health”

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