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Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry involves improving the aesthetics of your teeth, whether that's by means of teeth whitening, implants, crowns, or fillings.

At Martina Dental, we offer a wide range of options for refining and enhancing your smile.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is a safe way to brighten your smile and increase your confidence. This treatment is one of the most popular across all cosmetic dentistry. 

Unfortunately, teeth stain naturally with age. Most people are familiar with the fact that smoking and consistent tea, coffee, and red wine drinking over the years will stain the enamel of your teeth. Everyday food choices, however, also cause colour deposits on the teeth, gradually darkening them over time.

While stained teeth are a completely normal and natural part of the ageing process, you don’t have to settle for a declining smile. Teeth whitening is the perfect solution to revitalising your teeth and brightening your smile.

What is Teeth Whitening?

All teeth whitening products contain peroxide - either in the form of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Both types penetrate the microscopic pores within tooth enamel to effectively bleach away stains that have collected over the years.

Successful teeth whitening can take years off the appearance of your smile and grant renewed confidence in your appearance. 

At Martina Dental, we use  both in-studio appointments and take-home products.

Procedure

The average teeth whitening procedure takes approximately an hour. The process could potentially last slightly longer depending on how many applications are needed to lighten your smile. 

Dr. Martina will place a lip guard in your mouth to keep your mouth open and tongue away from the whitening gel. Next, she will apply a protective barrier to the gums to reduce irritation and sensitivity. This will then be set with a curing light. Lastly, she will place the professional-grade whitening gel on the surface of the teeth and allow it to penetrate and absorb into the enamel. This process can be repeated up to three times per visit to achieve the desired results.

After the teeth whitening procedure at our Baulkham Hills clinic, we provide a custom take-home whitening kit professionally constructed to perfectly fit your teeth and avoid your gums. This allows you to continue the process at home to maintain your newly brightened smile.

If you are whitening your teeth for a big event, we suggest booking at least 2-3 weeks prior to the big day.

Smile Makeovers

If you are seeking restorative dentistry, such as crowns, bridges, veneers, or fillings, you may achieve more desirable results after teeth whitening treatment. 

Restorations do not whiten or stain in the same way as natural teeth. Since the aim of all treatments is to have a bright and healthy smile, we recommend teeth whitening in order for the most seamless results. This ensures your tooth colour will blend best with the new restoration work.

Cost

Teeth whitening treatments vary among patients due to the severity of the discolouration of the teeth. We always recommend a consultation prior to treatment, so Dr. Martina can provide a tailored plan for best results.

 

Dental Implants

Missing teeth are about more than just aesthetics. Gaps in your teeth can make chewing and speaking properly a challenge. It can also have negative effects on confidence and feelings towards your appearance.

Thankfully, there are many effective solutions available today. Dental implants are the most authentic and well-functioning tooth replacement option, as they most closely mimic natural teeth.

The Definition of a Dental Implant

At Martina Dental, we can replace a single tooth or several missing teeth using dental implants. 

A dental implant is a titanium post that is placed into the jawbone to replace the root of a tooth that has been pulled or lost. The surgical procedure required is generally tolerated well by patients.

We also can use implants to hold a full arch denture in place - usually four implants are placed to hold a full arch in place. Dental implants integrate seamlessly into the jawbone after placement, so they provide a sturdy, secure, and stable way to support a single tooth or a restoration, such as a bridge or denture.

How Dental Implants Work

A dental implant acts as a tooth root in place of a missing tooth. There are three parts:

  • The Base - This part takes the place of the tooth root. It is usually made of a biocompatible material such as titanium which acclimatises seamlessly into the body. It fuses with the jawbone, providing a stable base for a restoration.

  • The Connector or Abutment - This is where a restoration is connected to the implant. It can be a dental crown, a dental bridge, or a denture.

  • The Crown - When an implant is taking the place of a single tooth, a dental crown connects to the abutment and forms the natural-looking tooth replacement.

When a tooth is missing, Dr. Martina can surgically place a dental implant into the jawbone to replace the tooth root. A crown is then added to the implant by the abutment. Lastly, a crown is glued or screwed onto the abutment, resulting in a healthy, natural smile.

What Makes Dental Implants Such a Great Tooth Replacement Option

Since dental implants become an actual part of the body, they most closely resemble your natural teeth in both form and function. After the implant is placed into the jaw, there is a healing process of about four to six months during which ‘osseointegration’ takes place. When the implant is secure, a dental crown is placed on the implant. This allows the implant to blend into your smile, looking and functioning very much like a natural tooth.

Recovery

Healing times can vary from patient to patient, but most people can expect their implants to be fully healed and integrated into the jawbone after about four to six months.

Why Dental Implants?

When people lose one or more teeth, they don’t consider the residual effects the loss can have on the healthy teeth that remain. When a tooth is missing, the adjacent teeth are no longer held into place properly -  resulting in potential movement or loosening. Dental implants will protect against such shifts.

Without a tooth root to stimulate the jawbone, the body no longer sends nutrients to the area. Over time the jawbone can start to deteriorate and potential dissolve. With a prosthetic tooth root, the jawbone stays healthy and functions normally.

Maintenance

With proper care, your dental implants can last a lifetime. Unlike dentures that need to be removed for cleaning, you can brush and floss your implants the same way you would your natural teeth. To ensure long-term maintenance, it is imperative you stay current with routine cleans and check-ups to ensure proper overall oral hygiene.

Cost

The cost of dental implants varies from patient to patient. The cost depends on the bone quality, the number of implants required, and the restoration of the implant after placement. We tailor our treatment plan to best fit each individual patient’s needs and goals. Our team will present a comprehensive explanation of costs prior to procedure.

Are Dental Implants Right For You?

Contact us to book a consultation and we can review all of the options for tooth replacement. If there isn’t enough bone present, Dr. Martina can discuss bone grafting as a possible solution. If it turns out that dental implants are not right for you, we also provide dental bridges and full and partial dentures.

What Our Patients Love about Dental Implants

Patients of Martina Lavery Dental report loving their dental implants for many reasons, such as:

  • They look better than other tooth replacement options - dentures have come a long way in recent years, but nothing beats the natural look of a dental implant

  • Because they become part of the body, they feel more natural than other tooth replacement options

  • Speaking clearly is easier with dental implants and there is no learning curve - even the best-fitting dentures can slip and slide, causing potential difficulty with speech

  • Osseointegration means complete comfort, you won’t even notice you have implants

  • There are no food restrictions as there are with dentures

  • They make you feel better about appearance and your smile

  • They are easy to care for by brushing and flossing, just as you would your natural teeth.

  • Implants can last you a lifetime when cared for properly

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are restorations that cover the entire tooth structure. Occasionally called a cap, dental crowns provide solutions to a number of oral health and aesthetic concerns.

  • Repairs broken, cracked or chipped teeth

  • Provides an anchor for dental bridges

  • Addresses aesthetic concerns

  • Restores length to worn teeth

  • Corrects bite-related issues

  • Covers dental implants

At Martina  Dental, we offer dental crowns in various materials including porcelain, metal porcelain blends, and full gold crowns. Our team will discuss the benefits of each material and advise on the best choice for your personal needs.

Procedure

Dr. Martina is skilled at delivering anaesthetic both safely and comfortably. Her gentle approach and kind nature make dentistry a positive experience for all patients in our Baulkham Hills Clinic.

When placing a crown, the procedure is similar whether you are receiving a single-unit crown or a bridge. Dr. Martina will prepare the tooth. She will then take an impression of your teeth for the precise design and fitting of your crown. 

We will place a temporary crown to protect your damaged tooth while our local dental lab makes your final restoration. Once we receive your completed personalised restoration, Dr. Martina will bond it to your tooth.

Dental Implants

For dental implants, no preparation is required since your crown will attach directly to the implant or custom abutment. The crown will match seamlessly with your smile, as our team always ensures the colour and shape complement your natural teeth.

Dental Bridges

Dental crowns, placed on one or more healthy adjacent teeth, suspend an artificial tooth in place to ‘bridge the gap’ in your smile.

Aesthetic Dental Crowns

Shortened or worn teeth benefit from dental crowns in many ways. Crowns not only improve the appearance of your teeth, but also immensely reduce the sensitivity and tenderness that occur when dentin is exposed. Crowns are also beneficial in covering severely stained and discoloured teeth, as well as teeth with an irregular appearance.

Full Mouth Rehabilitation

A long-term clenching and grinding habit, called bruxism, can result in uneven or severely worn teeth that potentially cause many long-term effects. Such habits can negatively affect your ability to chew and can also lead to temporomandibular jaw joint dysfunction, called TMD. TMD often causes clicking and locking jaw joints, muscle soreness, and headaches.

Rebuilding the worn teeth with dental crowns can restore normal function. Dr. Martina might also advise the use of a night mouthguard to protect your new smile from continued grinding.

Dental Fillings

At Martina Dental, we offer many types of fillings.


We offer white fillings, such as composite resins, glass ionomer-fluoride releasing porcelain fillings, and laboratory-made composite resin, along with cast gold fillings. We encourage composite fillings as they prevent expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, unlike metal fillings. Ultimately, the type of filling that best suits will depend on your condition and goals for your smile. Our aim is to always provide lasting results and the optimum outcome for your individual and personalised needs.


It is important to note, we do not offer the placement of amalgam ‘silver fillings’ as we find they are less reliable and result in a much less natural appearance. Since tooth-coloured options bond directly to your natural teeth, they encourage a much healthier tooth structure.


What is a Filling?

A ‘filling’ is a general term for the material used to fill a hole in your tooth due to decay or fracture.


The hole is usually surrounded, at least in part, by sound tooth structure. Common filling materials are composite resins and glass ionomer fillings – notably, both are tooth-coloured.


Occasionally, half the tooth falls off and the filling  doesn’t simply ‘fill’ a hole, rather, it must replace the missing portion of the tooth as whole. In back teeth, this means enlarging the filling to take the pressure of forming the cusp – the mountain peak of your tooth. As this places more stress on the restorative materials, the filling must be much stronger and more reliable. In this case, we may recommend a crown to give you the longest lasting results.


Each case is as unique as your smile. Our team will discuss all available options and provide personalised recommendations based on your needs and goals. 
Inlays


An inlay is a filling made in a laboratory.  An inlay repairs a tooth between the cusps. Inlays still serve the purpose of a filling, but usually provide a superior result.


Onlays

An onlay is an inlay with an extension ‘wing’ that covers one or more of the cusps of your teeth on the premolar and molar teeth. The extension stops the cusp from splitting apart from the main body of the tooth and filling.
Please contact our Baulkham Hills dental clinic to arrange a booking. Please note - we also service Northmead, Winston Hills, and Bella Vista areas.