Cosmetic

Is your smile bright enough or are your teeth discolored, worn or irregularly shaped? Do you like what you see? In as little as two visits, you can have the smile you have always dreamed of.

Enhance your smile through a combination of methods used at Dental Village. Much to the surprise of our patients, much more than teeth are considered when creating a smile just for you. Eyes, face, lips, cheek bones, skin tone, and a host of other factors are measured when making your custom smile.

Discover what can be done with your dreams and desires of a smile to be proud of.
After all, you deserve it!

Restorative

The term ?restorative? refers to reproducing a tooth using non-hazardous metal and/or tooth-colored materials. This process is common for non-cosmetic oriented applications. Common procedures are crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, etc.

Teeth Whitening with BriteSmile

Tooth whitening is one of the most popular areas of cosmetic dentistry. Even subtle changes to shading can make someone look years younger and feel much better about one's self. Several factors can contribute to the darkening of teeth, including the effects of age, certain food and drinks, smoking, and medications. Call today and learn how quickly you can have whiter teeth!

Q. What is BriteSmile?
A. A smile you can't wait to share with the world. That's what we call a Brite Smile. This new technology eliminates the need for messy trays and weeks of treatment. The BriteSmile system you have been reading about in Vogue and other magazines, is available here in Tucson at Dental Village. It's a gentle, simple, one-visit procedure - about an hour is all it takes.

Q. Why BriteSmile?
A. Simple, convenient, dramatic results in just one visit; also comfortable, relaxing and performed by a dental professional.

Q. How does it work?
A. A combination of a 15% hydrogen peroxide based gel and a special plasma blue light creates a chemistry of teeth whitening that results in a smile an average of up to 9 times brighter in about an hour!

Q. Is it safe?
A. Yes. Your gums are protected and only trained dental professionals perform the procedure. It will not soften tooth enamel or existing fillings. Proven safe in independent clinical studies by universities and researchers.

Q. How long will the results last?
A. It will last two to three years depending on your lifestyle. Certain habits (tobacco, coffee, tea, dark soft drinks, and infrequent dental visits) can work against the results. Our maintenance program and regular professional dental care will help maintain results.

Q. Will it whiten existing dental work?
A. BriteSmile may remove stains from crowns, veneers or colored fillings. However, replacement may be needed to match your new "brite smile".

Q. Will it hurt?
A. This is a very comfortable process. Some patients have experienced a "dull ache." If you are sensitive, please consult with your Dental Village Dentist.

Q. What is the maintenance?
A. The only real maintenance is to use your touch up kit when needed and good oral hygiene with a Sonicare? toothbrush. Virtually all of our patients have been very pleased with the results. Please call your nearest Dental Village or email us to schedule your BriteSmile appointment today.

Periodontal (Gum) Disease Treatment

Periodontal diseases are classified according to the severity of the disease. The two major stages are Gingivitis and Periodontitis. Gum disease is caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth. These bacteria create toxins that can damage the gums. However, other factors can affect the health of your gums, and they include: Smoking, Genetics, Pregnancy, Stress, Medications, Teeth Grinding, and Poor Nutrition.

Gingivitis is a milder and reversible form of periodontal disease that only affects the gums. It causes the gums to become red, swollen, and bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort at this stage. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good at home oral care ? daily brushing and flossing.

Untreated gingivitis can advance to a more serious and destructive form of gum disease: Periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below the gum line and destroy tissues and bone. In periodontitis, unremoved plaque hardens into tartar. As plaque and tartar continue to build up, the gums begin to recede from the teeth, and pockets form between the teeth and gums. With advanced periodontitis, the gums recede farther, destroying more bone and the periodontal ligament. Teeth may become loose and may require extraction.

Proper treatment is necessary at the first signs of Gum Disease. Please call our offices when you notice any of the following:

- Gums that bleed when you brush your teeth
- Red, swollen or tender gums
- Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
- Bad breath that doesn't go away
- Pus between your teeth and gums
- Loose teeth
- A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
- A change in the fit of partial dentures

Mercury Free Fillings

Mercury fillings are a 150 year-old technology and the simple fact is that mercury is a toxic substance. It can be more toxic to humans than arsenic, cadmium or lead. Some scientific researchers claim that each time you bite down on mercury-based fillings, you may be releasing a small amount of mercury vapor into your mouth, and thus into your system.

While the American Dental Association still sanctions the use of mercury-based silver fillings, some studies suggest that people suffer from side effects.

Several studies indicate that nursing mothers with mercury fillings pass detectable levels of mercury to their new born children through their natural breast milk. Please note these theories and studies are ongoing, and a final decision on the safety of mercury in dentistry--and its effects on humans-- has yet to be made.

Dental Village has not used mercury based fillings for over 10 years!

At Dental Village we do not to take chances with the health of our patients. For years studies confirm that silver fillings, over time, can crack the teeth.

Oral Cancer Screening

The Doctors at Dental Village have the skills and tools to ensure that early signs of cancer and pre-cancerous conditions are identified. It is now easier than ever to detect oral cancer early. Currently only half of all patients diagnosed with oral cancer survive more than five years. Approximately 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, oral cancer occurs almost as frequently as leukemia and claims almost as many lives as melanoma cancer.

Our goal is to ensure preventive measures are in place to keep your health safe. At our offices, with every new patient visit and regularly scheduled check up visit you receive an oral cancer screening.

Laminate Veneers

Of all the methods available today for changing and improving the look of your smile, laminate veneers (also known as Porcelain veneers) are among the most popular and successful with our patients. Veneers are thin, strong, custom-made porcelain restorations which are bonded to the front surface of a tooth, to improve position, shape and tooth color. The result is a restoration that mimics natural beautiful tooth structure. Common problems which can be satisfactorily treated with veneers include discolored teeth, midline spaces (the gap-toothed look of the two front upper teeth), or chipped, malformed or improperly positioned teeth. The artistic fabrication of veneers contributes greatly to the final result. Each veneer is custom fit to your tooth, and therefore we are careful to work with only highly skilled artistic ceramists. This process is generally completed in 2 visits in about a month. Ask the doctors at Dental Village if this treatment is right for you!

Crowns

When a tooth is beyond repair with a filling or other dental procedures, we may recommend the use of a crown in order to save the rest of the natural tooth. By removing unhealthy or cracked tooth structure and replacing it with natural looking porcelain, which fits the tooth like a thimble? or jacket? we protect the remaining tooth structure and achieve a beautiful result.

Crowns are designed to match the natural function of the original tooth. With proper care, they can last for years without the need for replacement. Crowns may also be used like veneers for purely cosmetic reasons, to improve the overall look of the mouth, smile, and teeth.

Perhaps you may have experienced an older style crown. They contain metal cores for strength, which causes the ?finish? line to show a dark dray shadow or line. Because of the skill of our dental laboratory technicians, it is now possible to eliminate the gray finish lines giving a much more natural and healthy look to the tooth, without sacrificing the strength. Dental Village crown work does not show the gray finish line, yielding a much more natural and healthy look to not only the tooth, but the gums are also healthier.

Intra Oral Magnification

Working in a small area (the mouth) and looking at small items (teeth) is difficult from a vision standpoint. Dental Village believes that you cannot fix that which you cannot see. To get your teeth fixed the first time, customized surgical telescopes are worn, which magnify the mouth 2.5 times. This magnification and extra lighting allows us to take your dental experience to a higher level.

Implants

If you are missing teeth, implants may be a solution for you. At Dental Village, we offer dental implants that can provide the comfort and quality you've been looking for.

Crowns and conventional bridges or dentures may not be your only options when replacing missing teeth. For some people, dental implants offer a smile that looks and feels very natural. Implants fuse to the jawbone and serve as a base for individual replacement teeth, bridges or a denture.

Integration of implants into your jaw also helps your replacement teeth feel more natural and most people also find the secure fit more comfortable than conventional substitutes.

Implants offer stability. Find out if you?re a candidate!

Invisalign

The days of metal wires and brackets are gone!

Invisalign is the invisible way to straighten your teeth without braces, using a series of clear removable aligners to straighten your teeth without traditional braces.

You wear each set of aligners for about 2 weeks, removing them only to eat, drink, brush, and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth will move - little by little, week by week - until they have straightened to the final position!

Invisalign can help you get the great smile you've always wanted because it's...

Invisible, so no one can tell you're straightening your teeth. So you can smile more during treatment as well as after.

Removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment, plus brushing and flossing are no problem.

Comfortable, because it has no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment. And no metal and wires means you spend less time in your doctor's office getting adjustments.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is the invisible way to straighten your teeth without braces. Invisalign uses a series of clear removable aligners (pictured to the left) to straighten your teeth without metal wires or brackets. Invisalign has been proven effective in clinical research and orthodontic practices nationwide.

How Does Invisalign Work?

You wear each set of aligners for about 2 weeks, removing them only to eat, drink, brush, and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth will move - little by little, week by week - until they have straightened to the final position your dentist has prescribed.

You'll visit your dentist about once every 6 weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned. Total treatment time averages 9-15 months and the average number of aligners worn during treatment is between 18 and 30, but both will vary from case to case.

Dentures

At Dental Village, we believe that new dentures not only improve smiles, but more importantly, they improve lives. Not only will you be more confident in your appearance, but you should be able to eat better, and that can have a very positive impact on your overall health. Our goal is to provide you with a denture, hand-crafted to your personal needs.

The dentists and specialists at Dental Village create esthetic dentures that go back to the days of old-world skill, utilizing modern smile design techniques to improve function and make dentures look like natural teeth.