Teeth Whitening - Brighten Your Smile
Bleaching is a very conservative and non-invasive approach to creating a brighter and more appealing smile. Teeth can often take on a darker and unattractive appearance with age or from contact with staining substances. Tobacco, coffee or tea, juices, poor hygiene, genetics, and natural aging can cause the discoloration. Bleaching has become very popular for a whiter and brighter smile because it's fast, simple and inexpensive with excellent and predictable results.
How It's Done
There are two commonly used methods for bleaching: at-home and in-office. Both begin with an office consultation to determine if the patient is a good candidate for the bleaching process. The at-home technique is least expensive. The in-office method (power bleaching) allows the dentist to place a higher concentration of an oxidizing agent to the teeth.
At-Home Method
A custom mouthpiece or "tray" is made by the dental office to fit your teeth. This tray fits over the patient's teeth and holds the bleaching material against the teeth for a specified period of time. There are different concentrations of bleach that are worn via the tray for 30 minutes per day for an average of 10 to 14 days. The regimen will be determined by the dentist and may differ for each patient. If the teeth become more sensitive to hot and cold, a "desensitizing" material may be used in the same tray on alternating days. Results are usually excellent with this method and the trays can be used to remove future staining.
In-Office Method (Power Bleaching)
The gum tissues are covered to protect them from being irritated by a higher concentration of the bleaching material. The bleach may be then activated by a high intensity light or a laser to accelerate the process. This method is usually repeated at separate appointments. Most patients require a touch-up after one to five years, depending on the patient's habits and desires. This treatment is almost always followed by the use of custom trays at home for further whitening and maintenance of the new shade.
Tooth Colored Fillings and "Bonding"
The term bonding is used to describe procedures where tooth-colored dental resins and composites are used. Direct bonding techniques can be used to change the shape and color of teeth as well as to close unattractive spaces. It can also be used to repair chipped or broken teeth or even to cover up unsightly stains. Unlike crowns or caps, direct bonding requires only a minimal amount of tooth reduction thus making it a very conservative one visit procedure. Cerec - In office porcelain filings and crowns
 Cerec is the most advanced restorative technology we have available to dentistry today. Some of the benefits of Cerec include the ability to fabricate complex porcelain restorations in a single appointment. This procedure ultimately preserves and protects the patient's tooth structure. The ceramic porcelain is the most biocompatible and aesthetic material available to dentistry today. It mimics human enamel perfectly in every way. Learn more | See Before and After
 Laser Dentistry
Laser dentistry has come a long way. The two types of lasers, we use in the office are a diode laser called an Odyssey, and the Waterlase MD. The Waterlase laser is a revolutionary device that combines laser energy and water molecules. This allows us to perform many dental procedures with little or no local anesthesia. It reduces anxiety and pain. It is less invasive, more precise and more conservative than any other treatment modality all the while creating a more comfortable experience for the patient. Rapid healing and extreme patient comfort are our goals. Learn more.
Invisalign - Clear Braces
 Invisalign® is a great invisible way to straighten your teeth without braces. This unique cosmetic dentistry solution uses a series of clear removable aligners which straighten your teeth without metal wires or brackets. Invisalign® has been proven effective in clinical research and in cosmetic dentistry and orthodontic practices nationwide.
With Invisalign®, you wear each set of aligners for about 2 weeks, removing them to eat, drink, brush, and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth move until they have straightened to the final and desired position Dr.Farley has prescribed. You'll visit us about once every six weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as per your treatment plan. Treatment time averages 6 - 18 months using from 10 to 30 aligners. Learn more.
Types of Veneers
There are two types of veneers: direct and indirect. Direct veneers are completed in a single visit using composite or plastic material. Since indirect veneers require a dental laboratory to fabricate the final restoration, these type of veneers are placed in two separate visits. The indirect veneer can be
made of either a composite material or, more commonly, a porcelain material. Veneers are often used in place of crowns and are a more conservative treatment. Learn more | See Before and After
Lumineers - Ultrathin Porcelain Veneers
 Veneering a tooth means to cover its front, surface. It is actually very similar to placing acrylic fingernails on top of natural nails. Veneers are used to enhance the shape and color of teeth, as well as to close spaces between teeth. Veneers can also cover up significant stains such as those caused by tetracycline. As we age, wear of the front teeth may affect the aesthetics of our smile. Porcelain veneers may be used to lengthen worn or short teeth and restore the smile of our patients. Learn More | See Before and After
Porcelain Crowns and Bridges
A bridge is a fixture used to replace missing teeth. While removable bridges are available, most bridges are permanent or "fixed." They can be used to replace one tooth or nearly all the teeth in your mouth, thus having both functional and aesthetic importance. Gaps from missing teeth can cause other teeth to shift or move out of their sockets encouraging further tooth loss. Bridges provide an alternative to dental implants or even dentures. Temporary crowns and spacers will be used until the custom made crowns and bridge can be installed. The space between the crowns is then filled with the appropriate number of artificial teeth, which are attached to the crowns for support. Correctly installed porcelain crowns and bridges are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth. See Before and After
Dental Implants
 Since teeth and the underlying supporting bone work together to create the fullness and contour in a person's face, patients who have lost all of their teeth often will have a sunken, older appearance. Implants are an option for replacement of a missing tooth or teeth and often can be made more aesthetic than conventional techniques such as bridges or partial dentures. Implants can support dentures and prevent the bone loss and facial aging that unsupported dentures can cause. Implants can also completely replace full dentures for a natural appearance and greater comfort. An implant (usually made of titanium) is placed into the bone beneath the gum tissue. The implant serves as a "virtual root" onto which a tooth or teeth can be affixed.
After placement, the implant site is allowed to heal for two to four months. Placement of the implant requires the use of a local anesthetic (novocaine) and healing is usually quick with minimal discomfort. Although they take longer to place and can be more costly than other options, implants are considered a permanent restoration and have a very natural appearance. Research is currently being conducted on a single-visit, one-step implant that requires little or no healing time. Implants are considered a state-of-the-art option for tooth replacement. Implants provide a solution for life in replacing missing teeth and restoring biting surfaces. Learn more
Implant Supported Dentures
Full dentures rest on the edentulous ridges and the palate. The major problem with them is retention. This can be improved dramatically with implants and mini-implants. An implant can be placed into the ridge and a ball type fitting made to extend from the implant, a female attachment in the denture can the gain retention for the denture by snapping onto the ball fitting. Mini-implants are similar but don't require as extensive surgery or healing time. The fixture is like a small screw which is placed into the bone and the ball which extends out can receive the attached denture with no healing time because it is instantly integrated into the bone. This is possible when the stress is less than required of a traditional implant fixture. Learn more.
Custom Dental Appliances
Dr. Farley will create custom dental appliances to treat TMJ, snoring and night grinding. Dental appliances are often part of a cosmetic dentistry treatment plan to protect your new smile. Night grinding or clenching of your teeth can quickly undo your great new smile, so custom dental appliances are created to protect your entire smile.
Most people find they become accustomed to a corrective or protective dental appliance in a very short period of time. Any custom dental appliance you might need will be included in your treatment plan and thoroughly discussed with you.
Your spouse will really appreciate that snoring appliance.The way it works is to reposition your jaw while asleep opening the airway so as to eliminate the sounds coming from a restricted airway. That's what causes snoring. It helps for a better and healthier night sleep as well.
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