Dr. Ami Barakat

Cosmetic, General and Neuromuscular Dentistry

Archive for December, 2010

Porcelain Veneers vs. Crowns

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

Both porcelain crowns and porcelain veneers offer unique advantages that make them good choices for creating a more pleasing smile. Both, however, have their limitations.

All dental crowns, whether crafted from porcelain or ceramic, improve the appearance and function of damaged teeth. Crowns, which are sometimes called “caps”, cover the entire surface of the tooth, protecting it from further damage, strengthening a weak tooth and eliminating discomfort.

For badly damaged teeth with large areas of tooth decay or large fillings, dental crowns are often the most effective treatment option. In addition to treating a damaged tooth, a crown may serve to anchor a dental bridge or cap a dental implant post.

Crowns are made of ceramic, metal, or porcelain fused to metal. Dr. Ami Barakat will advise you as to which type of crown is best for you. Generally, porcelain crowns are stronger and more closely resemble your natural teeth. Ceramic crowns are another good choice when working to achieve a natural beautiful smile. However, a large portion of enamel must be removed to make room for the dental material.

If you have old metal crowns, you may wish to replace them with crowns made of today’s newer, strong cosmetic dental materials. Typically, dental crowns must be replaced every 10-15 years.

Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin shells of porcelain affixed to the front and biting edges of the teeth to change size, shape, alignment and color of your natural teeth. Porcelain veneers for correct teeth which are discolored, gapped, broken, cracked, chipped or crooked.

Veneers are growing in popularity among cosmetic dentists. One reason for the growing popularity of dental crowns is that very small amounts of enamel must be removed from the tooth. The most knowledgeable dentists understand each patient is different, and a cookie-cutter solution won’t work for everyone. Your unique occlusion (bite), tooth damage, and periodontal (gum) condition can affect whether veneers or crowns are right for you.

Please contact our Ottawa cosmetic dentist to schedule a complete dental examination at Dentistry @ Main, serving Ottawa, Stittsville, and Kanata, Ontario.

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Bad Porcelain Veneers and How to Correct

Friday, December 17th, 2010

Only a highly trained cosmetic dentist, working closely with a superb cosmetic dentistry lab provider, is qualified to create your dental veneers. Always choose a dentist who has received advanced cosmetic dentistry training from the Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies (LVI). Like Ottawa cosmetic dentist Dr. Ami Barakat, dentists with LVI training have completed a rigorous educational process and are far less likely to work with inferior materials and procedures that may create a less-than-perfect smile. In some cases, the veneers are too long, too square, too bulky or too opaque. Highly experienced cosmetic dentists are artists as well, and understand the esthetics of beautiful veneers as well as their function.

The type of veneer chosen is not as important as the skill of your doctor. At Dentistry @ Main, we offer several options in porcelain veneers:

  • Empress porcelain veneers
  • Cristal porcelain veneers
  • Lumineers

But we don’t stop with the product. We use only the finest quality materials, advanced cosmetic dentistry techniques, and cutting edge technology to ensure the best results.

If your porcelain veneers are just not “right”, please contact our Ottawa cosmetic dentist today to learn more about corrective options. Dentistry @ Main serves patients in Ottawa, Stittsville, and Kanata, Ontario.

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Porcelain Veneers Process

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

Porcelain veneers, often referred to as dental veneers, are a cosmetic dentistry procedure in which Dr. Ami Barakat can alter the surface and appearance of teeth and ensure completely natural-looking results.

Porcelain veneers are very thin shells of porcelain affixed to the front and biting edges of your teeth to change size, shape, alignment and color of your natural teeth. Porcelain veneers are a wonderful treatment option for correcting teeth which are stained, gapped, broken, cracked, chipped or crooked.

  • At Dentistry @ Main, we offer several porcelain veneer options:
  • Empress porcelain veneers
  • Cristal porcelain veneers
  • Lumineers

Porcelain Veneer Procedure

  • Dr. Barakat removes a very thin layer of enamel to prepare your tooth to accept the veneer.
  • An impression of your prepared teeth is sent to Classic Labs, our porcelain veneer provider
  • Completely functional temporary veneers are placed while waiting for the Lab’s rendition of your final veneers
  • When your new porcelain veneers arrive, the temporary veneers are removed and the permanent veneers are placed on your teeth

The porcelain veneer process is simple. However, it is the skill, training and expertise of Dr. Barakat which ensures the best results, with minimal downtime and no pain. Not every cosmetic dentist can make this claim.

Please contact our Ottawa cosmetic dentist today to learn more about porcelain veneers available at Dentistry @ Main, serving Ottawa, Stittsville, and Kanata, Ontario.

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