Cosmetic & Esthetic
Digital Smile Design, or DSD, is a modern dental technique that employs digital imaging and software to create a customized Smile Makeover in Boston. DSD is a leader in dental treatment planning in the industry, ensuring a custom restorative or cosmetic dentistry solution that is best for you. With DSD, you'll be on your way to creating a treatment that is unique to your dental needs and will give you the Smile you have always wanted.
The concept behind DSD is the “Facially Driven Esthetic Smile.” It involves capturing high-resolution images of a patient's face and teeth, then using specialized software to analyze and design the desired smile, considering factors like tooth shape, alignment, gum line, and overall smile with your facial features in motion. Digital Smile Design helps you visualize your smile and create a visual simulation of your desired smile.
The concept behind DSD is the “Facially Driven Aesthetic Smile.” It is based upon the analysis of the patient’s facial and dental proportions, utilizing a predetermined series of high quality digital photographs and videos. This technology enables us to analyze the relationship between teeth, gums, lips, and overall smile with your facial features in motion. Digital Smile Design helps you visualize your smile and create a visual simulation of your desired smile.
Professional Whitening offers a game-changing dual teeth whitening experience. The patented Guided Light Optics (GLO) innovation combines an optimal warming function with a COMPLETELY SAFE LED light. The LED light activates the GLO professional strength whitening gel in a closed system with a mouthpiece, preventing oxygen from escaping the mouth. This simple cosmetic dentistry process is fast and efficient, with long-lasting results. You won’t need to worry about dehydration issues, rebound, or the sensitivity that’s associated with other whitening systems. Looking for a convenient process to whiten your teeth that delivers superior results, with no sensitivity? Visit us for an in-office GLO teeth whitening session! You will own the mouthpiece after the in-office treatment for future at-home maintenance. NO TRAYS REQUIRED!
GLO professional treatments are safe to use on crowns, caps, bonding, and veneers. Say goodbye to messy trays and strips and hello to your BRIGHTEST, MOST BRILLIANT SMILE.
Teeth Cleaning &
Prevention
Ensure your smile shines bright with professional teeth cleaning in Boston. Our expert team of hygienists utilizes advanced techniques and ultrasonic
instruments for a painless and comfortable experience. Say goodbye to plaque, tartar, and stains caused by coffee, tea, and more. Our fluoride
treatments strengthen enamel, preventing cavities and reducing sensitivity. Also, when suffering from sleep apnea, regular teeth cleaning becomes more
crucial. Individuals experience dry mouth, a common symptom that can increase the risk of tooth decay. Our cleaning can help remove bacteria and promote
saliva production, reducing the risk of tooth decay because of sleep apnea in Boston. Plus, we offer comprehensive oral cancer screenings.
For optimal oral health, trust our highly trained team for teeth cleaning in Boston.
Gingivitis is a reversible gum disease that is most typically recognized with the appearance of red, puffy gums. It can be easily treated with a
thorough teeth cleaning to remove plaque and tartar buildup.
Periodontal disease is an oral disease that develops from a lack of proper brushing and flossing, oftentimes resulting in gum recession, bone loss, and
subsequent tooth loss. The early signs that you may have periodontal disease include red gum tissue, bleeding at the gums during flossing and/or
brushing, and chronic bad breath.
Treatment for gum disease is dependent on the type and stage of disease. If gingivitis goes untreated, it may progress to periodontitis, which is a more
advanced stage of gum disease that affects the underlying bone.
SCALING AND ROOT PLANNING are the most common treatment plan for periodontitis. They include cleaning the teeth above and below the gumline and using
ultrasonic scaling instruments and hand instruments. It is a conservative treatment that does not require surgery. Advanced cases of periodontal disease
may require gum surgery if the tissue cannot be repaired with non-surgical treatment alone.
If you notice symptoms of teeth and gum disease, consider meeting with a doctor in our clinic who specializes in periodontal treatment.
Scaling and Root Planing (SRP) is also known as a DEEP CLEANING of calcium and tartar buildup. It helps to control and stop the progression of active
gum disease that is called periodontitis. Left untreated, periodontitis will lead to irreversible damage to the supporting gum and bone structures of
your teeth and ultimately cause tooth loss.
Treating this disease involves removing the source of the gum inflammation, bacterial plaque and tartar. Deep scaling and root planing of the tooth root
surfaces that harbor the tartar is done with the use of ANESTHESIA (numbing of your gums). If treated early, most cases of periodontitis are RESOLVABLE.
More advanced cases often require surgery to prevent tooth loss and/or continued dental infections.
Sometimes, multiple visits are necessary to complete this treatment. After completion, patients return for regular periodontal maintenance teeth
cleaning to monitor gums as they return to stabilization and prevent further harmful gum disease.
At Smile Design Boston, we customize each initial consultation to the patient’s needs, from teeth cleaning to more advanced dental procedures. Your visit will be different from what you’re probably accustomed to from past dental office experiences.
First, we conduct a thorough examination. We use the most advanced technology to gain a comprehensive view of your oral health, including an intra-oral
digital camera, 3-D intra-oral scanner, and DIGITAL X-RAYS. The 3-D intra-oral scanner is used to make a 3-D digital impression of your teeth with NO
MESSY MOLDS. These 3-D scans are turned into molds by a 3-D PRINTER right here in our office, giving us a highly detailed replica of your teeth.
If you’re planning on a COSMETIC DENTAL PROCEDURE, you have a number of options for treatment. Following our initial examination, we will discuss
different options available and explain what we believe will be the right approach for your needs. It is always our priority to help you reach your
goals and attain an OPTIMUM OUTCOME.
Invisalign &
Orthodontics
CLEAR ALIGNERS can provide you with the BEAUTIFUL AND HEALTHY SMILE you always wanted, without some of the setbacks often associated with orthodontic care. Invisalign uses a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you are wearing. That means you can smile more during treatment as well as after!
Invisalign is a trademark name for a clear aligner technique. It is made with 3-D COMPUTER IMAGING technology and has been proven effective. You wear
each set of aligners for about 1 week, removing them only to eat, drink, brush, and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your
teeth will continually move, until they have straightened to the final position prescribed. Total treatment time averages between 6-15 months, and we
can achieve optimal results with Invisalign.
Please call our office to see if Invisalign treatment in Boston is the right fit for you.
Orthodontic braces are made of ceramic, or plastic. They are bonded to the teeth, and with a constant, GENTLE force, in a carefully controlled
direction, braces SLOWLY MOVE TEETH to the proper position. Gone are the days when a metal band with a bracket was placed around each tooth. These days,
BRACKETS ARE METAL-FREE. Even wires are far less noticeable, and the latest materials are designed to move teeth faster with more comfort. Today, any
age is a great age to wear braces!
A retainer is a CUSTOM-MADE, removable or fixed appliance that helps teeth maintain their new position after braces or Invisalign. Retainers can also be
used to treat minor orthodontic problems. The use of a retainer is a VERY IMPORTANT PART of POST-ORTHODONTIC or INVISALIGN care.
Mouth Guards and TMJ Splints
Teeth grinding affects many people, with stress being a common cause and mouth guards being a common solution. Grinding your teeth causes enamel loss
and increased sensitivity. In severe cases of teeth grinding, extensive tooth damage is caused and a full-mouth rehabilitation may be needed.
Mouth guards and TMJ Splints are CUSTOM MADE from clear thermoplastic resin that fits your teeth PRECISELY and PASSIVELY, unlike the hard and
uncomfortable mouth guards used in the past. If you’re experinecing TMJ symptoms or are concerned about unhealthy wear and tear on your teeth due to
grinding, we invite you to contact us to discuss a custom mouth guard or a splint as an excellent option for treatment.
Our practice specializes in managing and treating patients with obstructive Sleep Apnea in Boston. Sleep Apnea is often associated with snoring and if untreated it could lead to multiple health problems, like high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, myocardial infarction and stroke. Our team works closely with sleep physicians to evaluate the airway and design a custom made oral appliance to manage your sleep apnea. Our oral appliances are low profile dental appliances and could be an alternative (or used in conjunction) to CPAP machines in many cases.
Veneers & Crowns
Porcelain or Ceramic Veneers, a common choice in cosmetic dentistry, offer a Conservative and highly effective way in achieving the Perfect Smile. Veneers are custom-made, thin ceramic shells requiring minimal intervention while delivering a complete smile transformation. Veneers serve many purposes, such as closing gaps, altering tooth shape and improve tooth color. In simple terms, veneers provide a Smile-Enhancing Option that can significantly change your smile. Smile Design Boston has a cosmetic dentist in Boston that can help you explore this effective treatment.
Over time, teeth become worn, cracked, decayed, or damaged. Dental crowns restore the STRENGTH of damaged teeth by rebuilding the entire tooth with
a much stronger, more durable material. A crown will PROTECT THE TOOTH from any future damage. In the past, metal was commonly used. Thankfully,
crowns today are made of ceramic and ceramic-like materials and are metal-free. They have a NATURAL APPEARANCE and are both DURABLE and LONG
LASTING. Crowns are also used to rebuild a smile that has lost its appeal due to teeth that are decayed, broken, or damaged.
A BRIDGE is a way to replace missing teeth without using a dental implant. A dental bridge involves permanently attaching teeth to fill the space
where teeth are missing, enhancing the look and function of your teeth. Like crowns, they are METAL-FREE, and made entirely of ceramic and
ceramic-like material. They LOOK NATURAL and are very LONG LASTING. As with crowns, bridges are often used to improve a smile that may not look its
best due to decayed, broken, or severely damaged teeth.
Ceramic fillings are tooth color fillings and made of porcelain. They are the ideal way to fix a tooth with a cavity. Ceramic fillings are more costly than composite resin fillings but far more DURABLE and AESTHETICALLY APPEALING. Ceramic restorations are typically referred to as “ceramic inlays” or “ceramic onlays.”
Dental Implants
Computer guided implant surgery is an advancement of replacing teeth with dental implants with the aid of new COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY. With the use of
Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan techniques and 3-D imaging, the placement of dental implants can be VIRTUALLY VISUALIZED and placed prior to
surgery. This eliminates the guesswork in determining the best locations for dental implant placement. Once virtually planned utilizing CAD CAM
technology, a SURGICAL GUIDE with the planned implant position is fabricated, which is then utilized during the implant surgery for precise and
accurate placement of the implants. Computer guided implant surgery provides OPTIMAL patient SATISFACTION and SIMPLIFIES the dental implant
treatment process.
Benefits of Computer Guided Implant Technology
• Minimally invasive surgery
• Minimized treatment time
• Precision and accuracy of implant placement
• Restorative driven surgery for better aesthetic outcome
Call us today to find out if computer guided implant surgery is right for you.
Dental implants require sufficient bone volume in order to ENSURE SUCCESS. Infections, trauma, periodontal disease, and tooth extraction can reduce
bone volume and necessitate a bone graft. Bone can be specially secured from bone banks, or synthetic materials may be used to SIMULATE BONE
FORMATION.
Extraction and Socket preservation. Tooth/teeth extraction can be categorized into either a simple or surgical procedure, depending on the reason
for the extraction. Simple tooth extraction involves the removal of a tooth that is visible in the mouth. This could mean removing a tooth that is
minimally damaged or decayed. Surgical tooth extraction involves the removal of teeth that are not visible in the mouth or are badly broken and
decayed. A surgical approach might be chosen to MINIMIZE TRAUMA and OPTIMIZE HEALING.
If a dental implant is planned to replace the extracted tooth, a bone grafting procedure is often needed after tooth extraction. Bone grafting is
often required to maintain or restore the bone volume necessary for the most ideal treatment outcome. The procedure can be performed at the time of
the extraction or post-extraction, depending on the severity of the bone loss. During this procedure, the bone grafting material and a special
membrane will be placed to ENSURE MAXIMUM BONE GROWTH. A healing period of 3-6 months will be necessary, as a standalone procedure or as part of a
larger plan for dental implants
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root placed where the missing tooth used to be. It could be used a a replacment to a number of missing teeth or in cases where the patient had lost all their teeth but would like to have a repalcment that is NOT removable and that would be a Full Mouth Implant Rehabilitation. Implants are made of solid, STERILE TITANIUM, which is inserted into the jaw to replace the roots of natural teeth. Dental implants in Boston by Smile Design provide a strong and stable foundation for replacement teeth, which look, feel, and function just like natural teeth. We replace missing teeth while preserving the condition of healthy adjacent teeth, and stimulate bone and gum tissue to provide an attractive and aesthetic smile. Dental implant surgery can be an uncomfortable thought to some. OUR GOAL is to make the procedure as COMFORTABLE as possible for the patient with minimal postoperative discomfort. Implants are VERY PREDICTABLE with a HIGH SUCCESS RATE. We take great care of our patients and EXPLAIN EVERYTHING they need to know.
Periodontal & Periodontal
Plastic Surgery
Teeth are held in place by surrounding gums, bone, and other tissues. But periodontal disease can cause the bone to break down. Certain techniques called regenerative procedures can be used to stimulate growth of new bone. This growth increases the height of the bone around the tooth, giving the tooth more support, and increases the amount of attachment around the root of the tooth. Getting back even half the lost bone height extends the life of the tooth. One type of regenerative procedure is called guided tissue regeneration (GTR).
Periodontal and plastic surgery seek to address several possible issues to enhance an individual’s smile. Aesthetic crown lengthening could be the
solution for you if you feel your teeth appear too short due to excess gingival tissue (sometimes called a “gummy smile”) or an uneven gumline. With
comprehensive planning and surgical precision, the excess gum tissue is removed. Your gumline will be sculpted to give your new smile just the right
look. The result of this SIMPLE and EFFECTIVE periodontal procedure is a transformation of your smile, and it will restore your confidence.
Crown lengthening is a procedure designed to reshape the gums at the base of the desired tooth or teeth. Just as its name sounds, the purpose is to
expose additional tooth surface for an ENHANCED APPEARANCE AND PERFORMANCE.
There are many dental conditions that need crown lengthening as part of the restorative procedure. The most common periodontal condition requiring
crown lengthening is severe tooth decay, where the decay extends below the gumline. Another common problem is when a tooth has fractured and broken
off beneath the existing gumline.
A soft tissue graft is used when there has been a significant amount of gum recession in a particular area. Slight gum recession can usually be
FIXED with a FEW CHANGES TO YOUR ORAL HYGIENE ROUTINE to take better care of your teeth and gums. When the gingiva recedes further, it exposes you
to greater risk for infection and bacterial penetration. You will likely be more sensitive to hot and cold foods when you have receding gums. If the
gums recede so much that it exposes the root, you can set yourself up for more serious problems. The root is softer than the enamel, making it more
vulnerable to bacteria and plaque.
To restore proper gum level and periodontal functionality, a soft tissue graft can be performed. This is done by either removing soft tissue from
the roof of the mouth, or repositioning healthy gum tissue from adjacent teeth. This procedure is VERY PREDICTABLE and has a HIGH SUCCESS RATE. If
you hesitate to smile because of exposed roots, or cringe because they are sensitive to cold foods, soft tissue grafts can enhance your smile and
eliminate sensitivity, and also help protect roots from decay.
What is the tunneling technique? It is a periodontal surgical and suturing technique that is MINIMALLY INVASIVE. It utilizes donated human tissue
(AlloDerm) to CORRECT GUM RECESSION. Using specially designed MICROSURGICAL instruments, a small tunnel is created around those teeth with gum
recession. Once the tunneling is completed, AlloDerm is then inserted into the tunnel, then stabilized with microsurgical sutures. By utilizing
donated human tissue, there is no need to harvest any tissue from the mouth. This microsurgical technique results in MINIMAL PAIN AND SWELLING in
most cases, with very little postoperative discomfort as well.
Pinhole “Gum” Reguvination Technique
The pinhole technique is a trademarked periodontal procedure performed only by those certified in this advanced technique. It involves NO SCALPELS,
SUTURES, OR GRAFTING, and is a MINIMALLY INVASIVE option for rescuing teeth and addressing severe gum recession. Learn more here and contact us to
schedule an appointment to learn more about pinhole gum rejuvenation.
