Invisalign in St. Louis, MO

At our office in St. Louis, MO, we offer Invisalign aligners so that you can straighten your teeth without committing to a mouth full of metal. Using a series of thin, clear plastic aligners, Dr. Eric J. Aubert can guide your teeth into a smile you can be proud of.

While regular braces are still best for the most serious cases of teeth straightening, Invisalign is great for cases of mild to moderate spacing or crowding. For these cases, Invisalign provides teeth correction that bypasses the discomfort, soreness and restrictive diet that those who have traditional braces must face.

With a computer program that generates a series of aligners with small changes in each, Invisalign will allow you to straighten your teeth without anyone even knowing. Virtually invisible, the aligners are made of thin, comfortable plastic and are completely removable. Therefore, your teeth will not experience the same discoloration and plaque buildup that can normally occur with metal brackets and wire. In addition, you will be able to eat all the foods you like, such as popcorn, chips, pretzels, nuts, apples, carrots and corn.

If you think Invisalign might be the best option for achieving the smile you’ve been dreaming of, schedule an appointment at Forest Park Dental by calling 314.367.7200. For more information, visit www.forestparkdental.com.

Dental Bonding at Forest Park Dental

Of all the cosmetic and restorative procedures we offer at Forest Park Dental, bonding is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to enhance your smile. Called bonding because tooth-colored resin is bonded to your teeth, the procedure is used to repair teeth that are discolored, unevenly shaped or chipped. At our office in St. Louis, MO, we can even use bonding as an alternative to amalgam fillings if only a small filling is required.

Bonding is achieved by applying incredibly strong resin to the tooth in need of restoration. The procedure can usually be accomplished in one visit and allows you to keep most of your tooth’s enamel, which makes bonding preferable to veneers in many cosmetic cases. Once the right color resin has been chosen for your smile, Dr. Eric J. Aubert will apply an adhesive gel to your tooth or teeth to help the resin adhere. The putty-like resin is then applied to your tooth and molded and smoothed until it is in the proper shape. After it is hardened with an LED light, Dr. Aubert will trim and shape it even more and then polish it until shines like a tooth. Altogether, the procedure usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour for one tooth.

If you’re unhappy with your teeth but unwilling to go as far as veneers, bonding can be used to improve your smile quickly and effectively. To schedule an appointment with our office, call us at (314) 367-7200. For more information, visit www.forestparkdental.com. 

Forest Park Dental Restores Patients Smiles with Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are two procedures that use the tooth structure as a base for restoration. Often called partial crowns, both inlays and onlays strengthen the tooth while restoring its shape and working to prevent further damage or decay. At our office in St. Louis, MO, we use these procedures to repair teeth when decay is too extensive to support a filling but not extensive enough to use a crown.

When there is no damage to the cusps of a tooth, Dr. Eric J. Aubert uses an inlay for restoration, bonding it right on top of the tooth structure. Made of porcelain, inlays are both strong and natural-looking, providing an attractive solution for repairing your tooth. Dr. Aubert uses onlays when damage is a little more extensive and repairs to the cusp of the tooth are required.

Inlays and onlays can be created at a lab out of porcelain, gold or composite resin. Fabrication normally takes between two to three weeks, and during that time, you will be provided with temporary restorations while you wait. Once they are ready, they are cemented in place.

To ensure that your teeth get the best dental care available, schedule an appointment with Forest park Dental by calling 314.367.7200. For more information, visit www.forestparkdental.com.

Lumineers vs Veneers in St. Louis, MO

You have probably heard a lot about veneers, but do you know about Lumineers? If not, you should know that they can transform your smile in less time and more comfort than you ever imagined. Similar to veneers, Lumineers are hard, porcelain shells that can be applied seamlessly over your teeth. They are digitally designed to be ultra-thin and give you a beautiful and natural-looking smile.

Because traditional veneers tend to be thicker, they require more aggressive removal of healthy tooth enamel. On the other hand, Lumineers are about as thin as a contact, so they require a less-invasive procedure than traditional veneers, and it only takes two visits to our office to get them. Since very little enamel has to be removed from the teeth to make room, the procedure does not typically require shots or a temporary device as you wait for your custom-made Lumineers to be crafted.

While Lumineers offer many benefits, Dr. Eric J. Aubert recommends that they only be used for minor cosmetic adjustments and not for a major makeover. If you want to extend the size of small teeth, fix minor chips, make teeth appear straighter or change the color of your smile, Lumineers are an exceptional option. However, if your teeth are dark or require more extensive cover up, veneers are the better choice.

To get a smile that you will love showing off, schedule an appointment with our office in St. Louis, MO by calling 314.367.7200. For more information about Forest Park Dental, visit www.forestparkdental.com.