Jacksonville Dentist

We understand that trying to find a nearby dentist you can trust is difficult, that is why we make it easy for you to work with us.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry offers patients the opportunity to achieve a brighter, more confident smile. Modern advancements in dentistry address a variety of concerns, including stained, discolored, chipped, worn, broken, misshapen, or misaligned teeth, as well as gaps between them. With an extensive selection of tools and techniques, dentists can significantly enhance your smile and transform your overall appearance. These procedures are now faster and more effective than ever before.



While most cosmetic procedures are not medically essential, they provide numerous benefits, such as simplifying regular cleanings, boosting confidence, and reducing teeth grinding. A healthier, more attractive smile can greatly enhance your quality of life, positively impacting daily interactions at work, social events, and time with family and friends. Smiling becomes effortless when you no longer worry about issues like crooked, stained, or chipped teeth. Additionally, cosmetic dentistry can address concerns like tooth gaps or receding gumlines in nearly every case.


To create a personalized treatment plan, our dentist will discuss your options with you, carefully assessing what suits your unique circumstances. Before proceeding with any cosmetic procedure, we ensure you have a clear understanding of the expected outcomes, including the benefits, potential risks, and associated costs.

Veneers

For teeth with imperfections that cannot be addressed with teeth whitening procedures, but are not so flawed as to require full coverage crowns, dental veneers can provide the desired cosmetic improvements.

Dental veneers are custom-fabricated facings that offer a conservative and cosmetically pleasing way to improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, gapped, worn, slightly crooked, misshapen or darkly stained. With dental veneers, the color, shape, size, and length of the teeth can be changed for the better. Bonded to the front surfaces of the teeth, veneers can be used to enhance the appearance of a single tooth or multiple anterior teeth.


The two most common types of veneers are porcelain veneers, which are also known as porcelain laminates, and composite veneers. While porcelain veneers are the most commonly offered option in care, composite veneers can also achieve excellent results. Starting with a smile makeover consultation and a comprehensive assessment of a patient's oral health as well as a discussion of the cosmetic goals, the dentist will determine a treatment plan to achieve the most pleasing outcome of care.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin facings that are custom fabricated from the highest grade of dental ceramics and offer the following benefits:


  • Require very little preparation of underlying tooth structure
  • Can be fabricated from start to finish in just a few visits
  • Porcelain reflects light in much the same way as teeth for a naturally beautiful looking smile
  • Once bonded, porcelain veneers are strong and durable and can last for many years with proper care
  • Resistant to stain and discoloration
  • Well tolerated by surrounding periodontal tissues


Composite Veneers

When direct composite veneers are the selected method of care, the dentist applies carefully selected shades of tooth-colored composite resins to the fronts of the involved teeth. As the composite resin is placed, it is meticulously sculpted to create the desired shape, length and overall form of each tooth. Each layer of applied composite is then cured with a special light, and additional layers of composite are placed as required to achieve an aesthetically pleasing and functional result. Once the final result is completely set, the dentist will smooth and polish the direct composite veneers to a naturally brilliant finish.


While composite veneers frequently offer the advantages of being a single visit procedure, easy to repair and an economical alternative to porcelain veneers, they are not as strong or resistant to staining and wear as dental ceramics. However, by avoiding certain dietary choices and habits, practicing good oral hygiene and getting routine dental care, direct composite veneers can offer an effective and long lasting cosmetic smile improvement.

Tooth Colored Fillings

Dental fillings are the most common type of dental restoration used to replace sections of teeth that are missing, damaged or decayed. While traditional dental materials like gold, amalgam, porcelain, and composite successfully restore teeth; recent advances in dental technology have made a wider and improved selection of restorative choices available. Some of the newest state-of-the-art filling materials including ceramic and the latest composite materials, are not only strong and durable, they offer the most aesthetically pleasing and natural looking results.

Inlays & Onlays

When more than half of the tooth's biting surface is damaged, a dentist will often use an inlay or onlay.


What are dental inlays and onlays?

Inlays and onlays can be made of porcelain, gold, or composite resin. These pieces are bonded to the damaged area of the tooth. An inlay, which is similar to a dental filling is used inside the cusp tips of the tooth. An onlay is a more substantial reconstruction, similar to the inlay but extending out over one or more of the cusps of the tooth.


Traditionally, gold has been the material of choice for inlays and onlays. In recent years, however, porcelain has become increasingly popular due to its strength and color, which can potentially match the natural color of your teeth.


How are inlays and onlays applied?

Inlays and onlays require two appointments to complete the procedure. During the first visit, the filling being replaced or the damaged or decaying area of the tooth is removed, and the tooth is prepared for the inlay or onlay. To ensure proper fit and bite, an impression of the tooth is made by the dentist, and sent to a lab for fabrication. The dentist will then apply a temporary sealant on the tooth and schedule the next appointment.


At the second appointment, the temporary sealant is removed. Dr. Molina or will then make sure that the inlay or onlay fits correctly. If the fit is satisfactory, the inlay or onlay will be bonded to the tooth with a strong resin and polished to a smooth finish.


Considerations for Inlays and Onlays

Traditional fillings can reduce the strength of a natural tooth by up to 50 percent. As an alternative, inlays and onlays, which are bonded directly onto the tooth using special high-strength resins, can actually increase the strength of a tooth by up to 75 percent. As a result, they can last from 10 to 30 years. In some cases, where the damage to the tooth is not extensive enough to merit an entire dental crown, onlays can provide a very good alternative.

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