Achieve The Smile of Your Dreams,
at an Affordable Cost

What is Invisalign® Treatment?

Invisalign® aligners are a convenient and effective alternative to pesky metal braces. The custom made, high-quality clear aligners can transform smiles in six months while remaining affordable and invisible. You shouldn’t have to hide your smile!

In the treatment process, one of our doctors will take a thorough 3D digital scan of your teeth (the result of an iTero Element® scanner) in order to prepare an Invisalign® clear aligner that fits your mouth perfectly. Using the 3D scan, your doctor can work with you or your teen to create an optimal Invisalign® treatment plan.

Advantages of Invisalign® Aligners

At Southern Dental Associates, we are proud to offer the Invisalign® clear aligners. The Invisalign® treatment is customizable, and because it uses digital scanning rather than putty to ensure the perfect aligner fit for you or your teen, the process is guaranteed to be both more accurate and far more comfortable.

Over the course of your treatment plan, the custom-made Invisalign® aligner will slowly manipulate the structure of your teeth until you are left with a beautifully straight smile and a little extra confidence!

Advantages include:

• Customizable
• Accurate and comfortable fit
• Individual-specific treatment plan
• Clear and subtle
• Time efficient
• Convenient

Braces are no longer your only choice. Thanks to the latest technology, an Invisalign® clear aligner is the convenient alternative you need.

What is Cosmetic Bonding?

If you have a chipped, crooked, or otherwise imperfect tooth that needs cosmetic restoration, we may suggest one-appointment bonding. Bonding is a dental restoration process that can be used to repair cracks, chips, discoloration, or gaps between teeth. It also provides the benefits of improving the appearance of your smile, as well as providing long term protection against future damage and discoloration.

Your dentist can apply liquid composite resin, shaded to blend with your tooth’s color, to rebuild a pleasing shape to your tooth. After hardening the resin with a curing light, he will artistically sculpt and polish the restoration. In just one visit, you can enjoy a beautiful new smile!

Advantages of Cosmetic Bonding

Cosmetic bonding can be a viable, affordable alternative to porcelain veneers, that lasts 5 to 10 years with proper care. Bonding will not discolor as your natural tooth enamel will, so touch-up teeth whitening may be required to keep your natural teeth the same shade as the bonded area.

Additional benefits to cosmetic bonding include protection of exposed roots, replacing old or unattractive silver filling, and stabilizing loose teeth.

When do I need Full Mouth Reconstruction

Sometimes a few crowns, fillings, or replacement teeth aren’t enough to completely restore dental health. When you visit Southern Dental Associates, your dentist will evaluate your teeth, gums, and soft tissues, as well as your occlusion (how your teeth fit together when you shut your mouth). We will take X-rays, intra- and extra-oral images, and possibly a Panorex image to provide us with detailed information to create your full-mouth reconstruction plan.

We will also talk with you about your concerns. Do you have pain? Does dental work make you nervous? What do you want to achieve from your dental work? The dentist will address your concerns and present a plan to restore your optimal oral health. We will explain our suggestions, your options, and the time and financial commitment involved. With creative scheduling and financing, as well as options for anesthesia and sedation, you can enjoy the healthy, comfortable, beautiful smile you deserve.

What procedures can I expect for a Full Mouth Reconstruction?

We may recommend fillings, crowns, inlays, or onlays to restore teeth. Crown and bridgework, partials, dentures, and dental implants offer stable, lifelike solutions to replace missing teeth. Orthodontics, oral appliances, and other treatments may help your unique situation, as well. We sometimes work with specialists in an interdisciplinary approach to ensure that patients receive the treatment they need. Our goal is to deliver the smile you want, then help you maintain it for life.

About veneers and Lumineers

Long lasting porcelain veneers or Lumineers can enhance the appearance of your smile by brightening teeth, closing spaces, and altering the size and shape of your teeth. Made from strong dental porcelain, veneers and Lumineers are stain-resistant and reflect light much like tooth enamel so that you can enjoy the flawless smile you have always wanted.

If you select traditional porcelain veneers, plan on two or three visits to our office. During the first appointment, Dr. Liner or Dr. Ward will examine your mouth, study your skin tone, and choose veneers that will complement your facial features and personality. The doctor will then prepare your teeth and take molds so that the skilled ceramist can use the impressions to handcraft your veneers. At this visit, the dentist will also place temporary veneers, which you will wear until the custom restorations arrive. Once we receive the permanent veneers, you will return for any necessary adjustments and final placement.

No-prep veneers like Lumineers allow our dentists to enhance your smile with the most conservative method available. Lumineers don’t require enamel removal, so patients can reverse the procedure and return to their original smiles in the future. Because Lumineers may look bulky or unnatural on some patients, your dentist will discuss both options in detail so that you can make the best choice for your smile.

What to expect from a Smile Makeover

A smile makeover can renew your image and boost your confidence. Our cosmetic dentists can repair chipped or broken teeth, treat tooth decay, straighten crooked teeth and correct almost any defect to produce a stunning, beautiful smile.

For a successful smile makeover, we need to understand your vision for a perfect smile. Your dentist will consult with you about how you feel about your smile, what cosmetic options you’d like to consider, and the outcome you want to achieve. Once you determine how you’d like to have your smile changed, Dr. Liner or Dr. Ward will develop a specific treatment plan for your total smile makeover, which may include teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, bonding, or replacement teeth.

About Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is a popular and affordable option for brightening your smile. In fact, teeth whitening treatments are one of today’s most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures. Teeth whitening can treat stains and give your smile a beautiful glow. Here at Southern Dental Associates in NC we offer Whitening for Life!

When you come to our office for your preventive examination, x-rays and cleaning, we will provide you with custom bleaching trays and materials for a ONE-TIME ENROLLMENT FEE. Then, at each recommended preventive visit, we will give you a complimentary touch up kit of bleaching gel. This ensures that you will be able to keep your teeth bright and beautiful for life! Whitening allows us to erase years of tea, coffee, tobacco, and signs of aging in one treatment.

After teeth whitening, you may experience mild sensitivity, but this sensation will fade over time. Fill the custom trays with the whitening gel and wear them for several days when you notice your smile’s youthful luster is beginning to fade.

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are usually prescribed when one or more teeth are missing and there are healthy teeth on both sides of the open space. Teeth may be lost due to accident, injury, or gum disease. We can create a permanent bridge to restore your smile. A bridge fills the gap due to missing teeth and also prevents the re-positioning of remaining teeth. It can correct a misaligned bite, improve chewing function and speech articulation, and provide internal structure for the face to help improve your overall appearance.

What is Bridgework?

First of all, a bridge is a prosthetic tooth (or teeth) that attaches on one or both sides to teeth prepared with dental crowns. A fixed bridge is permanently joined onto the neighboring abutment teeth (crowned teeth) and consists of three basic units: the false tooth or teeth (called a pontic) and two abutment crowns.

The style of bridge we suggest will depend upon the strength and health of the abutment teeth, as well as the location of the gap in relation to the rest of your dentition. If healthy adjacent abutment teeth aren’t available, a surgically-implanted metal post, known as a dental implant, may offer a solid alternative. For a bridge that replaces many teeth, we may recommend a removable partial denture or implant-supported prosthesis. With proper care, a fixed bridge may last at least 8 to 10 years.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are usually prescribed when a tooth becomes too damaged or decayed to be restored by fillings. A crown can return structure, strength, and function to a tooth with extensive decay or damage. Designed to fit snugly and function as a healthy tooth, a crown will protect your tooth from further damage and preserve the jaw’s correct natural alignment.

Options for Dental Crowns

We use precious metal, porcelain pressed (or fused) to metal, or all-porcelain crowns. To maintain a fully white smile, we recommend all-ceramic crowns. Our precise color-matching system allows us to find the right shade of porcelain to blend with your natural tooth color. Porcelain crowns are also extremely durable and long lasting, and these benefits make them popular with dentists as well as patients.

Typically, we can design, fit, and place your crowns in just a couple of short appointments. Once a crown is placed, you can care for it as you do your natural teeth. Conscientious brushing twice a day and daily flossing will protect the base of your crown from bacterial growth. Be sure to see us at least two times each year for professional cleanings and a preventive exam, too.

Dentures and Partial Dentures

Dentures and partial dentures are prescribed in order to replace natural teeth that are missing and are designed to have the look and feel of natural teeth. They are made to closely resemble your natural teeth and can improve your dental health as well as revive supporting tissue.

You will need either complete or partial dentures, depending on how many teeth you have lost. Complete dentures substitute for all the teeth on your upper or lower jaw, while partial dentures are used when some original teeth remain. A partial denture will fill in the spaces created by missing teeth and prevent other teeth from moving.

Getting Fitted for Dentures

To ensure the best fit, Dr. Liner or Dr. Ward will take detailed impressions and measurements for the technicians who will create your custom dentures. When you return, the dentist can check for proper color, shape, and fit. At the last visit, your doctor will adjust and place the completed denture to produce a natural, comfortable smile. Some patients experience soreness, increased saliva, and speech or chewing difficulty, but these issues will subside as your mouth adjusts to the dentures.

Dental Implants for Tooth Replacement

Dental implants are a common treatment when there is a need for full tooth replacement due to periodontal disease, injury, or other reasons. Implants differ from traditional bridgework because implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support. Implants may also be used in conjunction with bridges to create the necessary support structure.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are small, metal posts that your implant dentist will surgically position into your jawbone. Made of biocompatible titanium, dental implants allow the bone to fuse with the posts, creating a permanent replacement for missing teeth.

Before our implant dentists can begin therapy, we will evaluate your teeth and gums to make sure you have enough bone structure to support the dental implants. Then, Dr. Liner or Dr. Ward will perform the implant surgery. Once your mouth heals and the bone firmly attaches to the posts, your doctor will position permanent crowns on the dental implants. After implant therapy, our patients can once again enjoy their favorite foods and smile with confidence.