Delivering Dazzling Smiles with Cosmetic Dentistry
Many people have some aspect to their smile they wish they could change. Whether you want your teeth to look whiter, you have a gap you dislike, or you’re frustrated by metal fillings, cosmetic dentistry can address these issues and much more.
Dr. Ward W. Clemmons and his talented team of dental professionals provide quality cosmetic dental services to help you discover the smile you’ve dreamed of. Combining years of experience with an artistic flair, Dr. Clemmons provides customized treatment to craft a smile that reflects your personality and is flattering to your features.
Ready to enhance your smile? Read on or contact our office to discover what we can do for you!
A Cosmetic Solution for Any Aesthetic Issue
Whatever your cosmetic issues, you can receive the enhancement you’re looking for through one or more of these treatment options:
- Teeth whitening
- Composite fillings
- Porcelain veneers
- Inlays & onlays
- Porcelain crowns
- Dental implants
- Orthodontics
One Treatment Offers Many Benefits
Many of these treatments do much more than improve aesthetics. They can also improve your dental health and function according to your needs.
Restorations like crowns, fillings, inlays, and onlays help to protect and strengthen your teeth. Dental implants provide permanent replacements for missing teeth, restoring your chewing ability and preserving your jaw. Orthodontics straighten your teeth into their ideal alignment, which comes with a host of benefits.
Whether you choose these treatments for their cosmetic or restorative benefits, you can feel confident knowing that you’re getting the best of both in one.
Who is a Candidate for Cosmetic Treatment?
Practically anyone can be a candidate for cosmetic dentistry. While there are limitations to certain services, many treatments are highly versatile and can be adapted to almost any circumstance.
One aspect that the dentist often examines first is your oral health. If there are certain health problems, such as gum disease, these may need to be addressed first before any cosmetic treatment goes forward.
Curious about Cosmetic Dentistry? Ask These 5 Questions at Your Next Dental Visit!
- Can you enhance my smile aesthetic?
- What are my treatment options for this issue?
- How extensive would my treatment be?
- Would my treatment be permanent?
- Does my insurance cover this treatment?
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Can Teeth Whitening Brighten My Smile?
Teeth whitening uses a specialized bleaching gel that penetrates the enamel below the surface to lift years of stains and restore the enamel to its natural brightness. If your teeth seem yellowed or dingy, teeth whitening may be your best solution.
It’s very common for teeth to become stained after years of exposure to staining foods and drinks. Tooth enamel is somewhat porous, allowing certain substances to leave staining residue below the surface. Over time, these stains build up and alter the appearance of your smile.
Stains are especially common if:
- You consume lots of dark foods and drinks (coffee, soda, berries, tomato sauce, etc.)
- You consume certain acidic foods and drinks (citrus, wine, etc.)
- You smoke or use tobacco
- You take certain medications
- You don’t brush or floss regularly
- You haven’t had a dental cleaning in a while
There are plenty of whitening products you can buy in stores, including toothpaste, whitening strips, and bleaching kits. Some are more effective than others.
However, it would take a lot of time and money for these products to have the same effectiveness as professional whitening. These products can also have side effects if overused, which can seriously impact your dental health and appearance.
In short: store-bought products might be fine for a quick touch-up, but only professional whitening offers the strongest whitening with the safety of professional supervision, ensuring best results.
Teeth whitening in a dental office can last for months or even years with proper maintenance. To keep your teeth healthy and vibrant, follow these helpful tips:
- Brush and floss regularly
- Limit staining foods and drinks
- Avoid smoking and tobacco use
- Rinse your mouth after you eat and drink
- Use a take-home whitening kit for touch-ups before important events
Discreet Protection with Composite Fillings
Fillings today don’t have to be dark splotches of metal disrupting your smile. With composite fillings, your teeth remain 
protected while keeping your smile’s aesthetic intact.
What Are the Benefits of Composite Fillings?
Composite fillings have multiple advantages compared to the older amalgam (metal) option.
- Discreet: Composite fillings are color-matched and shaped to your tooth enamel, becoming almost invisible in your smile.
- Conservative: Composite fillings bond to your enamel, so the dentist can fill smaller spaces and preserve more of your natural tooth.
- Mercury-free: Composite fillings contain no mercury or heavy metals of any kind.
Can I Replace My Amalgam Filling with a Composite Filling?
Many people get their old metal fillings replaced with a white composite filling. When you visit our office, the dentist examines your dental work to see how it’s holding up. If the filling needs replacing, you have the option to choose a composite filling instead. You may also choose to have the filling replaced for aesthetic reasons, even if it’s still in working condition.
A Classic Smile with Porcelain Veneers
Vibrant, straight, and uniform teeth are the hallmarks of an appealing smile. Fortunately, you don’t have to be one of the Hollywood elite to enjoy a dazzling smile when veneers can make it happen for you!
How Do Veneers Work?
Veneers are thin shells designed to look and function like natural teeth. The shells are cemented onto the front surfaces of your most visible teeth. Porcelain is the most common material used since it can match the luster, sheen, and translucence of natural tooth enamel.
The dentist designs your custom veneers to correct whatever issues you’re concerned about and ensures they look both natural and flattering to your smile.
What Issues Can Veneers Cover?
Veneers are highly versatile and can cover a variety of issues, including:
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Gaps between your teeth
- Severe discoloration
- Mildly crooked teeth
- Worn or misshapen teeth
Do Veneers Damage Teeth?
When veneers are placed, the top layer of the tooth enamel must be shaved down – this keeps them from being bulky and gives them a better hold. Afterward, the veneers become a permanent part of your teeth and will need replacing if one becomes damaged or dislodged. However, your tooth remains healthy and safe, and the new veneer functions just as well as your original tooth.
What are Inlays and Onlays?
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An inlay is a prefabricated restoration, like a small crown, that replaces the central chewing surface of a tooth. An onlay is slightly larger and covers one or more cusp (point or corner) of the tooth’s chewing surface.
Inlays and Onlays vs. Fillings and Crowns: What’s the Difference?
Sometimes a cavity extends too far for a filling to protect the tooth properly, but a crown would be excessive. Inlays and onlays cover the middle ground between the more common restorations.
Like crowns, inlays and onlays are designed and shaped in a laboratory beforehand. However, they only cover a small part of the tooth rather than the entire tooth, preserving more of your natural enamel.
Porcelain Crowns Offer Protection and Beauty
You may need a dental crown, but you can choose one that enhances your smile’s aesthetic rather than distracting from it. Porcelain crowns are carefully shaded and designed to blend in with your natural teeth, preserving your tooth’s strength and function as well as your dental appeal.
Who is Eligible for a Porcelain Crown?
Porcelain crowns can be placed on virtually any tooth. They’re shaped to fit into your unique smile and made to be durable enough to handle your full chewing force for years to come. If you need a crown, discuss with the dentist whether a porcelain crown is a good option for you.
Why You Might Need a Crown
Crowns are used for a variety of reasons. You may get a crown if:
- You’ve had a large filling placed
- You have a cracked or fractured tooth
- You just had root canal therapy
- You want to reshape a tooth that’s broken or worn
- You’ve received a dental implant
Healthy is Beautiful: Why Your Dental Health Matters
You may not pay attention, but what makes a winning smile so attractive is how healthy it looks: clean white teeth, all straight and uniform in size and shape, and soft pink gums. Most aesthetic issues occur because of a dental health problem, whether that’s a cavity, gum disease, or a dental misalignment.
When you use cosmetic treatments without addressing the underlying problem, the solution is only temporary. As your health worsens, your aesthetic will also decline.
At our dental office, we believe the most beautiful smile is a healthy one. We perform a thorough exam when considering any cosmetic treatment, and always recommend addressing any health issues first.
Implants offer both aesthetic and health benefits. As permanent tooth replacements, they restore your normal dental function and eliminate awkward spaces in your smile. They also keep your teeth from shifting out of alignment.
Most importantly, implants help replace your tooth root, which provides necessary stimulation to the jaw. This prevents your jaw bone from shrinking, protecting your youthful facial features.
Straight teeth look and feel better in your mouth, but also come with many other benefits. Straighter teeth are easier to clean, resulting in fewer cavities. They’re also less likely to be worn down by chewing or damaged through trauma. Straight teeth even allow you to chew more effectively, resulting in better digestion and better health overall.
In short: store-bought products might be fine for a quick touch-up, but only professional whitening offers the strongest whitening with the safety of professional supervision, ensuring best results.
Gums are often overlooked, but they’re an important part of your smile. Early gum disease makes gums turn red, inflamed, and prone to bleeding easily. As gum disease worsens, the gums turn dark and pull away from the teeth. This leads to infections and is the leading cause of tooth loss.
With so many health and aesthetic consequences, it’s important to address gum disease early and to take as much care with your gums as you do your teeth.
Take the First Step Toward a More Beautiful Smile
Dr. Clemmons and his team love helping our Fort Smith patients enjoy healthy, brilliant smiles, and we’re excited to help you do the same!
Why frown about your teeth when you can show them off in a confident smile? Get started on your cosmetic treatment by scheduling your visit to our friendly dental office today!
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