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At Curtis Couch D.D.S We Offer a Range Of Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments to Suit Your Needs

By using advanced cosmetic dental treatments and materials, our dentists at our Thousand Oaks dental practice can make a real difference to your smile. Whether you want teeth whitening, veneers or inlays (and onlays), Curtis Couch D.D.S can refresh and restore your smile. These three treatments are some of the more popular teeth whitening treatments, with teeth whitening being the most popular.

Cosmetic Dentistry: then and now…

When still in its infancy, there were a few hiccups with cosmetic dentistry. What were they? Well, twenty years ago, cosmetic dentistry looked fake—if you had work done it was obvious. Today however, that is not the case. When you visit a dentist who is skilled in providing cosmetic dentistry, you won’t be able to tell the difference between your natural teeth and the teeth you’ve had work on. Cosmetic dental treatments done well should provide you with a smile that is natural and healthy-looking. Visit Curtis Couch D.D.S. in Thousand Oaks today to find out how we can help your smile.

…Did You Know?

Statistics show that people who get cosmetic dental treatments are 68% more likely to look after their overall oral health than other people. This, when you think about it, makes sense. If you’re going to spend money on improving the look of your teeth, it only makes sense to make a conscientious effort to keep your teeth looking good. Apart from the usual oral hygiene routine—brushing and flossing regularly—there are some other things you can do to maintain the health of your teeth and gums. For instance, drinking water after meals is a good way to remove bacteria before brushing your teeth and by drinking before you brush your teeth will maximize the benefits of brushing your teeth. There are also the foods and drinks that you should avoid in order to minimize staining your teeth. For example you should avoid:
  • Tea
  • Coffee
  • Wine
  • Chocolate/candy
  • Alcohol
  • Cigarettes
  • Soda
  • Fruit juice
Of course, that’s much easier said than done. If you do drink beverages that either stain or can potentially rot your teeth there are a few things you can do. Firstly, after drinking soda, or coffee, tea or wine, drink some water. Drinking water afterwards will minimize the acid on your teeth. Secondly, drink soda through a straw, that way it won’t come into contact with your teeth.

…Did You Know?

Did you know that sugar isn’t the primary cause of cavities? Sugar is almost the prime cause but in actual fact it’s the acid produced by bacteria in your mouth. These bacteria are triggered to create acid when you eat carbohydrates and sugar is a carbohydrate. But so too are fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes and bread. You see, once the acid eats into your tooth, the bacteria have somewhere to go where the tooth brush can’t get to them. Over time these bacteria continue to produce acid and your cavity will get bigger.

What’s This Got to Do with Cosmetic Dental Treatments?

Looking after your teeth is more involved than just brushing and flossing your teeth, there are also your lifestyle choices.  Do you drink a lot of tea or coffee? Do you enjoy the occasional cigarette or three? Does that chocolate bar make the end of the work day just a little bit easier to deal with? It’s a dentist’s job to help you look after your teeth and the rest of your oral health. At Curtis Couch D.D.S. we offer a range of tooth whitening treatments to help whiten, refresh and restore your smile.

3 Ways to Whiten Your Teeth…

At Curtis Couch D.D.S. in Thousand Oaks we offer a number of cosmetic dental treatments to whiten your teeth. Three of the treatments we offer are:

  • 1.       Teeth whitening

This treatment is purely cosmetic. At our Thousand Oak practice we offer a treatment at makes achieving a beautiful white smile easier than you might imagine. Dental bleaching is one of the most effective ways to treat tooth discoloration. There are a couple of things besides staining that can cause discoloration such as aging or chemical damage (Say from medication). By using the latest in bleaching technology we are able to offer a safer method of giving you a beautiful white smile. Our teeth whitening treatment consists of a number of steps. The procedure involves taking an impression of your smile to make a specialized mouth guard or stent to hold the bleach against your teeth. The material is used each night for up to 4 hours for 1 or 2 weeks. At the end of the treatment time you should notice visible whiter, brighter teeth. However, there are circumstances when teeth are stained beyond the help of tooth whitening. If that is the case we offer porcelain veneers and crowns.

  • 2.       Veneers

Thin shells of ceramic, porcelain veneers are bonded directly to the front surface of your teeth. Each veneer is custom-designed to match and enhance the characteristics of each patient’s smile. Porcelain veneers are a popular treatment because they are incredibly thin shells that are all-but undetectable and highly resistant to coffee, tea or even cigarette stains. Not only that but they resemble healthy, white tooth enamel.

  • 3.       Inlays and onlays

Inlays and onlays are more than just a cosmetic treatment. While traditional white fillings have the potential to weaken a tooth by up to 50%, inlays and onlays have the exact opposite effect. Inlays and onlays can strengthen a tooth by up to 75%, and as a result of this can last from 10-30 years if looked after properly.

The difference between an inlay and an onlay is:

An onlay is similar to a filling, in that it is used inside the tooth. An onlay is a more substantial reconstruction that is similar to an inlay except that it extends over one or more of the cusps of the tooth. For more information on how Curtis Couch D.D.S. can improve your smile with cosmetic dentistry, or to book an appointment at our Thousand Oaks dental practice, please don’t hesitate to contact us.