This dental discipline caters specifically to enhancing the aesthetic appearance of one's teeth and smile. Our office is well trained and excited about the advancements surrounding this field. Some of the following dental procedures will be covered either completely or partially by most dental insurance. Ask us what your dental plan includes when you come in for your new patient examination and we will be happy to inform you. The following is a list of the more popular dental cosmetic enhancements available in our office.

1. Tooth Whitening: This cosmetic procedure is easy, affordable, safe, and provides wonderful results. Our office has performed hundreds of successful cases over the past couple of years. The treatment consists of an in office 40 minute "power whitening" session, followed by the fabrication and delivery of custom-made trays and whitening gel. The patient then proceeds to whiten their teeth at their convenience for roughly 1 hour each session. The total whitening time usually takes between 1-4 weeks depending on how frequently the patient whitens and on how white they desire their teeth to become. Whether the whitening procedure is done in our office, down the street, at a laser-whitening center, or with over the counter whitening products, the teeth WILL eventually re-stain. The teeth will lose their luster and whiteness and this may occur in 6 months or 6 years, but it will happen. We recognize this and do not feel that our patients should have to repay to re-whiten their teeth when this happens. Therefore, we provide touch-up whitening gel free of charge so that our patients can keep their teeth beautifully white for years to come.

2. Tooth Colored Fillings: Also known as bonded or "composite resin" fillings, this cosmetic restoration continues to grow in popularity amongst dentists and the public. Composites serve as a wonderful alternative to silver or "amalgam" fillings. There has been much debate in the scientific dental community about whether or not the mercury found in amalgam fillings is dangerous to the patient's health over time. Composites allow the dental professional to provide quality, long lasting, tooth colored fillings that are metal free, mercury free, and beautifully white so that the patient can smile and laugh without feeling self conscious about people noticing their silver teeth. Drs. Mattingly and Konopka continue to enhance the smiles of patients’ everyday with composite fillings.

3. Porcelain Veneers: People often wonder how the teeth of many Hollywood actors look so perfect. The answer is usually porcelain veneers. Although this cosmetic procedure is case specific, the results are second to none. Very little tooth structure is compromised when fabricating veneers and the color, contour, size, and shape can all be controlled by the desires of the patient, dentist, and laboratory. The actual "veneer" is a thin laminate usually made of porcelain that is permanently cemented to the tooth. The general public is quickly learning that you no longer need to be a Hollywood actor, or have the bank account of one, in order to beautifully enhance your smile with porcelain veneers.

4. Porcelain Crowns: It used to be that when a patient needed a crown or cap, they were only given one option: gold. Gold is an excellent restorative material and is still used today in certain circumstances. Some patients would even rather have gold crowns and like the look of gold when they talk and laugh. Society in general however, prefers restorative choices that are white in color. Porcelain allows the patient to have a perfectly strong and long lasting crown while providing superior aesthetics. Our office is dedicated to providing our patients with this cosmetically pleasing choice when needing a crown.