Cosmetic Dentistry

Southwest Family Dentistry is proud to offer our patients the latest cosmetic procedures for beautiful results that enhance your smile.

Over time, our teeth can begin to weaken and can become more susceptible to problems such as decay, cracks, and discoloration.   If you feel your smile isn’t what it once was, crowns can help you recover your smile. Dr. Batlle prefers to use the modern all-ceramic crowns that look and feel like a natural tooth. In cases like this, a filling or bonding procedure will not be sufficient to strengthen the tooth.  Dr. Batlle will typically take several photographs of the tooth in need of a crown for a fantastic shade match. His injection technique is painless.   He then shapes the tooth in need of the crown with careful attention to detail, using his 5X microscopic loupes with a bright LED light.  He has artistic talent with a trained eye for aesthetics.  The edges of all his preparations are polished to help attain a precision fit.  He partners with a top-quality dental laboratory for an outstanding result.  You shouldn’t be able to distinguish which is your new tooth at your delivery appointment.

Many patients are looking for a complete smile makeover that is accomplished with all-ceramic crowns or veneers. To do this properly, and with the most predictable results, it requires several steps. Facial and close-up smile photographs are taken along with initial diagnostic impressions of the patients upper and lower arches. From these impressions models are made of the patient’s teeth. These are sent to a dental laboratory that Dr. Batlle uses and the photos are emailed there. From this information the laboratory creates a diagnostic wax-up of the patient’s new smile. Corrections can be made for worn, chipped and discolored teeth along with ones that are tilted or rotated. These diagnostic wax-up models are then returned to Dr. Batlle where he reviews, with the patient this preview of the patient’s new smile design. If it is approved the wax-up model is then duplicated and a template is made of the new teeth design. That template is the mold for the patient’s temporary crowns. At the next appointment the patient’s teeth are carefully prepared with a minimal reduction of natural tooth structure. The temporary crowns or veneers are made after impressions are taken for the final ceramic restorations. The patient leaves that day with beautifully fabricated temporary restorations. This gives the patient a trial run over the next several weeks of how they like their new smile! Minor adjustments or contouring can be made until the patient and Dr. Batlle are pleased with the aesthetics and comfort of the new smile. Impressions of the temporary restorations are made so the dental laboratory has a model of the exact shape of the pleasing temporary restorations. This serves as a guide for the permanent ceramic restorations. At the next appointment the temporary restorations are removed and the final ceramic restorations are permanently cemented in place. Minor adjustments can be made at that time and on follow-up to assure a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing new smile.

Other popular cosmetic procedures include tooth whitening and conservative (white resin) bonding procedures. These white resin fillings can be used on front and back teeth. They can replace unsightly silver amalgam restorations or conservatively repair chipped or fractured teeth.