O'Leary Dentistry
Creating Healthy Smiles

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry in Lakewood, Ohio

There has never been more interest in aesthetic dentistry than there is today. With more procedures available now than ever before, it is easier to achieve your optimal smile. Whether you would like to fill gaps between your teeth, or simply brighten your smile, we provide the cosmetic dental treatment options you need.

CALL US: 216-226-2344 REQUEST APPOINTMENT


What is Cosmetic Dentistry?

Happy smiling young woman face close-up isolated on white background

We all know that having a bright and attractive smile can help you make a great first impression and increase your self-confidence. Cosmetic dentistry encompasses the dental treatments, which primarily focus on improving the aesthetic appearance of your teeth and gums.

What Can Cosmetic Dentistry Do?

Perhaps you have dental issues and previously just thought that it was something you couldn’t do anything about. With our comprehensive range of modern cosmetic dental services, now you can. We offer a variety of services that can:

Whether you have dental damage due to an accident, illness, or other cause, restoring your smile can help elevate your self-confidence and even restore your oral health. Not all dental restorations are equal, and you can expect different results from each. We want to provide you with the very latest in state-of-the-art modern smile restoration, so we offer Digital Smile Design technology.


What is Smile Design?

A woman is smiling while being at the dentist

Smile Design is a dental treatment planning tool that combines a variety of cosmetic and restorative dental treatments to create your ideal smile. During this process, we work with you closely to help you understand the available options and how each of them would affect the aesthetic appearance of your smile. This is an important part of the process, as it creates a detailed and comprehensive plan that involves a variety of dental treatments, so we can work with you to create the smile you want. You will be involved in the entire process from beginning to end, and we will only proceed when you are completely happy with the proposed treatment strategy. Your personalized plan could include veneers, bonding, implants, and teeth whitening.

The predictability provided by our smile design process strengthens diagnostics and communication, greatly enhancing the predictability of your treatment. This enables us to serve you better and provide results you are truly happy with. With smile design, you can finally create the smile you deserve.


In-office Teeth Whitening Treatment

With our whitening system, we can brighten your teeth by up to 8 shades in under an hour. This treatment also has the added advantaged of greatly reduced sensitivity compared to other teeth whitening options. If you are looking for rapid teeth whitening results in a single dental office visit, this treatment might be for you.

What Should I Expect During Teeth Whitening?

Laughing best friends posing for a selfie outdoors in autumn

When you arrive for your appointment, we will greet you and show you to the treatment room. Then we’ll provide you with the necessary paperwork and go over everything with you, so there are no surprises. Your first 12-15-minute session begins with applying the whitening gel and activating the laser light to activate the gel.

Next, we will apply a second layer of whitening gel, and activate that with the laser light as well for a second session. A third session concludes your treatment, with another coating of activated whitening gel. Most patients find this process provides them with great results that last.

What Should I Avoid After Teeth Whitening?

For the first 24 hours after your treatment, it is important that you follow some post-whitening guidelines, including:

  • Avoid dark drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, or fruit juices
  • Do not smoke for the first 24 hours, as this will stain your teeth
  • Avoid dark foods like red meats, soy sauce, chocolate, Bolognese and all fruits except bananas
  • Avoid any food or drink that is extremely hot or cold

It is okay to use e-cigarettes in moderation and to eat light-colored foods like cereals, clear sodas, white wine, chips, and white meats during the first 24 hours after whitening.


Composite Restorations for Optimal Aesthetics

Dental veneers, inlays, crowns, and bridges are all important restorations which can help bring back the health and functionality of your natural teeth. Restoring your smile can be a major boost to your self-confidence, and help you feel a lot better about yourself.

Composite restorations are designed to look as natural as possible and reestablish functionality as well. These restorations stand out in comparison to conventional dental ceramics, because they are much stronger and less brittle, as well as being less expensive to repair. Their improved durability leads to fewer dental visits, less expense, and a lasting, comfortable smile.


What is a Dental Veneer?

Dental veneers are one of the solutions we provide to help you create the smile you desire. They tend to work well in situations where you have chipped teeth, gaps between your teeth, or misshapen teeth.

A dental veneer is a thin piece of porcelain material which attaches to the front of your teeth to provide them with a more even, attractive appearance. We provide a variety of veneer options for you to choose from, and we can tailor each of them to match your natural shade of enamel closely.


Inlays vs. Onlays – What’s the Difference?

3d render of teeth with inlay, onlay and crown filling in gums

Inlays typically serve to replace a small section of tooth structure damaged by decay. In this way, they are similar in functionality to fillings. Like fillings, inlays sit inside the tooth and historically consisted of gold. Today, inlays consist of tooth-colored materials like ceramic/porcelain or a special dental composite material. Inlays can strengthen the structure of a tooth, thanks to their bonding process.

Onlays, like inlays, fit inside of your tooth. However, unlike Inlays, they extend up onto the chewing surface of a back tooth where they serve to replace cusps. Like inlays, they utilize a tooth-colored composite material which closely matches the shade of your surrounding teeth. As with inlays, onlays can strengthen your tooth structure with the way they bond to the tooth.

It can be tricky to determine whether to use an inlay or onlay rather than a crown or cap in certain situations. We are happy to help answer any questions you may have regarding inlays, onlays, crowns, or caps and help you choose the ideal solution for your unique dental needs.


What is a Crown?

A crown is a type of cover or cap that we can place over your tooth for a variety of reasons. The crown restores your tooth’s original functionality, shape, and size. It can both improve both the strength and appearance of your tooth.

You might benefit from a crown if you have:

  • A cracked, worn, or chipped tooth
  • Discolored or misshapen tooth
  • A cavity that is too large to fill
  • Root canal treatment that needs a crown to protect the restored tooth

Crowns come in a variety of materials, ranging from metal alloys, ceramics, porcelain, composite resin, and porcelain fused to metal. We usually color the crown to match the shade of your surrounding natural teeth. The selection of material for the crown will depend on several different factors, including the tooth’s location and function, your preference, the position of your gum tissue, and whether the tooth shows when you smile.

How Long Does a Crown Last?

Most well-maintained dental crowns can last for an average of 15 years. However, if you take good care of your crown by following good oral hygiene habits and keeping up with your routine dental visits, it is not uncommon for them to last 25-30 years.

You can help your crown to last a long time by following these simple habits.

  • Brush twice a day and floss once a day. Keep the area around your crown clean, especially along the gum line.
  • Don’t grind or clench your teeth. If you have a history of grinding your teeth at night, consider a custom mouth guard for when you are sleeping.
  • Avoid chewing on your fingernails, ice, or other hard objects.
  • Keep up your regular dental cleaning visits and checkups.

Why Would I Need a Bridge?

Close up of middle aged couple outdoors

If you have one or more missing teeth, this is a serious issue that you should not ignore. Your teeth need to work together in tandem to function properly. If you lose one tooth, the other teeth will shift their positions to fill the gap. Simultaneously, the teeth in your opposite jaw may shift up or down toward the gap. This can change the appearance of your face and affect your bite. It places increased stress on your teeth and jaw joints, which can lead to jaw pain and eventually damage.

Additionally, teeth that shift into gaps become harder to clean and begin to accumulate debris and bacteria, which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. As you can see, these problems can, in turn, lead to more serious problems if left unchecked, such as cavities, more lost teeth, or in severe cases, periodontitis.

Your bone may also shrink when you lose a tooth, which will alter the shape of your face. A bridge can help prevent these issues before they become a problem. If you have lost one or more teeth, we can help you fill the gap with one of our dental treatment options.

We look forward to helping you get back on track to improved dental health and a more attractive smile.


Achieve the Smile You Deserve with Cosmetic Dentistry

We are passionate about helping our patients achieve their best smile, and we would love to help you with yours, so you can experience the many benefits a better smile brings. If you have any questions about how these ceramic dental restoration treatments could work for you, please contact our office, and we would be happy to help!

CALL US: 216-226-2344 REQUEST APPOINTMENT

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