Commack Cosmetic Dentist

Strong teeth are an important aspect of living a healthy life. With strong teeth, an individual can eat a nutritional, highly diverse diet full of fresh fruit and vegetables. Besides strength, teeth need to be visually appealing. A beautiful smile allows an individual to feel confident as he or she smiles and while interacting with others. Commack Dentist Dr. Aimee M. Zopf is a highly sought after, board-certified cosmetic dentist and Invisalign certified provider at Gentle Dental in Commack, NY. As a dental professional, Dr. Zopf helps people who have discolored, misshapen, chipped or missing teeth attain the strong teeth and beautiful smile they desire. A cosmetic dentist specializes in esthetic dentistry (aka cosmetic dentistry), which is a method of dentistry that concentrates on improving an individual’s smile.

Why Do People Seek the Help of a Commack Cosmetic Dentist?

Since an individual’s smile is usually one of the first features people see, a person’s smile can affect the way he or she is perceived by others. Dr. Aimee Zopf is a Commack Cosmetic Dentist who improves her patients’ smiles by determining which treatments an individual needs and then creating the patient a personalized smile-makeover treatment plan.

Issues a cosmetic dentist addresses include:

• Crooked teeth
• Missing teeth
• Tooth decay
• Gaps
• Cracked, chipped or damaged teeth
• Misshapen teeth
• Discolored teeth

What Procedures Does the Cosmetic Dentist at Gentle Dental in Commack, New York, Use to Improve the Teeth?

Dr. Aimee Zopf uses a variety of innovative products, state-of-the-art procedures and technologically advanced equipment to address aesthetic issues that frequently cause an individual to feel self-conscious about his or her smile.

Aesthetic procedures cosmetic dentists use to make these changes include:

• Porcelain dental veneers (aka laminates)
• Teeth-whitening treatments
• Dental implants
• Porcelain and metal crowns (aka traditional crowns)
• All-porcelain crowns
• Invisalign treatment
• Gum lift surgery
• Full-mouth restoration procedures
• Porcelain and metal bridges (aka traditional bridges)
• All-porcelain bridges
• Tooth-colored dental fillings
• Tooth-colored inlays and onlays
• Dental bonding
• Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic (CEREC)(by Sirona)
• BOTOX

Cosmetic Procedures and Products Available at Gentle Dental in Commack, New York

The cosmetic procedures that Dr. Zopf includes in a patient’s smile-makeover treatment plan depend on his or her specific needs. Moreover, if a patient requires general dentistry procedures before his or her cosmetic procedures, Dr. Aimee M. Zopf includes these general procedures in the patient’s treatment plan as well.

Porcelain Dental Veneers (aka Laminates)

Dental veneers are thin, white shells made of porcelain. A cosmetic dentist adheres these thin porcelain shells to the front of the patient’s natural teeth. By covering the front of the natural tooth, the appearance of the teeth improves greatly. Dental veneers are perfect for treating discolored, chipped, crooked and misshapen teeth.

Dental Veneers Offer Patients Longevity

Many of Gentle Dental’s patients who want whiter teeth choose veneers over teeth-whitening treatments. Most patients make this choice because dental veneers can last up to 15 years and the results of a teeth-whitening treatment only last from one to three years.

In-Office Teeth-Whitening Treatments

Many individuals visit a cosmetic dentist to address discolored teeth. When it comes to cosmetic dentistry, in-office teeth-whitening treatments are one of the least expensive procedures available. Nonetheless, since the results of an in-office teeth-whitening treatment are relatively short-lived (lasting from one to three years), many of Dr. Aimee M. Zopf’s patients choose to have dental veneers placed instead. Dental veneers can last up to 15 years.

What Causes Tooth Discoloration?

Eating certain foods, drinking colored beverages, smoking and taking certain kinds of medication can result in tooth discoloration. Smoking can cause tar to build-up on the teeth, making them look yellow, especially at the neck of the tooth near the gum line.

Exposure to the antibiotic tetracycline while still in the womb or during early childhood can cause grayish-blue or yellowish-brown horizontal stripe stains on the teeth.

Traditional Dental Crowns and All-Porcelain Dental Crowns

A dental crown may also be referred to as a cap. The cosmetic dentist uses dental crowns to improve the appearance of misshapen or discolored teeth. Crowns are also ideal for placement over decayed and damaged teeth. In addition, a dental crown serves as the visible portion of the tooth when a patient receives dental implants or a bridge to replace missing teeth. Moreover, when a patient receives a root canal, a dental crown covers the portion of natural tooth that remains.

Traditional dental crowns consist of metal and porcelain. While a traditional crown serves its purpose well and provides the patient with beautiful results, an all-porcelain crown has the translucency characteristic that is seen in the natural tooth. Therefore, the all-porcelain crown offers patients a higher degree of realism than its traditional counterpart does.

Tooth-Colored Dental Fillings

Tooth-colored fillings are composite resin fillings that consist of materials the cosmetic dentist can use to match the natural color of a patient’s teeth. After removing the cavity or the damaged portion of a tooth, the dentist uses specially fabricated composite resin to restore the patient’s tooth.

Resin fillings offer patients several benefits, including:

• The ability to bond directly with the tooth.
• An extremely strong seal, which protects the natural tooth that is underneath the filling.
• Durability.
• Since the color of a resin filling matches the patient’s remaining teeth, the results look completely natural.

Tooth-Colored Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays address the same issues as dental crowns and fillings. Nonetheless, inlays and onlays provide more protection for a tooth than can be accomplished with just a dental filling. In addition, the process for applying inlays and onlays is less invasive than that which is used to apply a dental crown.

Dental Bonding (aka Tooth Bonding)

This branch of dentistry concentrates on the bonding of cements or adhesive material to the enamel and dentin of the teeth.

Dental bonding is the perfect solution for broken, chipped or cracked teeth as well as many other minor aesthetic issues. This bonding process can also help individuals who have misshapen teeth or tooth decay.

During the dental bonding process, the cosmetic dentist applies moldable resin to the treatment area. Dr. Zopf uses an ultraviolet light to harden the resin. Once the resin hardens, she trims, shapes and polishes the resin.

Dental professionals use bonding techniques in a variety of clinical applications, including:

• Preventative dentistry
• Pediatric dentistry
• Operative dentistry
• Esthetic dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Prosthodontics

Gum Lift and Gum Contouring in Commack, New York

As a cosmetic dentist, Dr. Zopf uses gum-contouring and gum-lift procedures to remove the excessive gum tissue that is causing an individual to have a gummy-looking smile. In addition, a gum-contouring procedure can address any overgrowth of gum tissue resulting in irregularities that make a patient’s gum line to look asymmetrical.

A Gum Lift

A cosmetic dentist addresses a gummy smile with a gum lift. Dr. Aimee M. Zopf lifts the gingival tissue (aka gums) and gently removes the excess, carefully sculpting the gingival tissue during the removal process. Once the gum lift is complete, the patient no longer has a gummy smile and enjoys an even gum line.

Gum Contouring

During a gum-contouring procedure, the cosmetic dentist reshapes the underlying bone and tissue to make the teeth appear longer or more symmetrical.

Following a gum-lift or gum-contouring procedure, the patient’s teeth and gums are more aesthetically pleasing.

Full Mouth Restoration

At Gentle Dental in Commack, New York, Dr. Aimee Zopf performs full mouth restorations to enhance her patients’ smiles and correct any bite imperfections that are present. Individuals who have short, worn-down teeth or broken and chipped teeth throughout their mouths are usually good candidates for a full mouth restoration in Commack, New York.

To fully restore the mouth, a patient may require a combination of dental treatments. Restoration treatments include, porcelain veneers, dental implants, porcelain crowns, dental bonding and tooth-whitening treatments.

The first thing a cosmetic dentist does is determine if an individual has a healthy enough dental foundation to withstand the restoration treatment that he or she needs. If necessary, Dr. Aimee M. Zopf recommends treatments to create the patient a strong and healthy dental foundation. For example, an individual with gum disease takes a round of antibiotics and a patient receiving dental implants may need to have a bone graft to build up a deteriorated jawbone.

A cosmetic dentist can also correct a patient’s bite. Therefore, besides having a beautiful, healthy smile, the patient no longer experiences the negative side effects associated with bite irregularities (e.g., a sore jaw or headache upon awaking).

Traditional Dental Bridges and All-Porcelain Dental Bridges

Traditional bridges consist of metal and porcelain; however, technological advancements in cosmetic dentistry have led to the creation of bridges that consist entirely of porcelain.

The Traditional Bridge

Previously, the only type of bridge available for individuals replacing missing teeth was the traditional metal and porcelain version. Traditional bridges have a metal core. Previously, this metal core was necessary because it allows the bridge to withstand the bite force of 150 to 200 pounds per square inch (psi). Nonetheless, these metal cores can create a visible dark blue line on the edge of the traditional bridge.

The All-Porcelain Bridge

The stronger porcelain materials and adhesives available today allow for the creation of bridges consisting entirely of porcelain. An all-porcelain bridge provides the patient with a dental prosthesis that has a translucency similar to that of the natural teeth.

Without the need for a metal core, the dark line along the edge of the bridge is no longer a concern. Furthermore, using this all-porcelain version allows the edge of the bridge to rest above the patient’s gum line, which is healthier for the teeth and gums.

Dental Implants

When a tooth is missing, the gap it leaves behind allows the surrounding teeth to lean in toward the opening. As the teeth lean in, they slowly begin to move. These moving teeth become crooked, which can negatively affect the individual’s bite pattern. Before any of these issues occur, a cosmetic dentist can use a dental implant with a crown to replace the missing tooth.

What is a Dental Implant?

The dental implant resembles an ordinary house screw, without the point at the end. This implant may consist of titanium and ceramic or just pure titanium. Nonetheless, most of the time, a cosmetic dentist uses a pure titanium dental implant. The surface of the dental implant can be rough or smooth, and the crown may be attached to the implant itself or to a connecting element (i.e., an abutment). With proper care, a dental implant can last from 25 years to the rest of the patient’s life.

The first thing a dentist will do is create a space in the jawbone to hold the implant. Since this screw replaces the missing root, the jawbone receives stimulation, which means that the body will not begin breaking down or resorbing the bone.

After placing the implant, a process called osseointegration takes place. This process involves the patient’s jawbone fusing with the implant, once this process is complete; the implant is essentially part of the patient’s jawbone.

The next step is to place a dental crown on top of the implant. The dental crown replaces the visible portion of the patient’s tooth. The crown may be attached directly to the implant or via an abutment.

The All-on-4 Dental Implant Technique (aka Teeth in a Day)

Today, advancements in cosmetic dentistry have made it possible for cosmetic dentists to permanently replace an entire arch of missing teeth using only four dental implants.

Using the innovative All-on-4 technique, Dr. Aimee M. Zopf provides her patients with beautiful teeth that look and feel completely natural. The most exciting part of the All-on-4 technique is that patients can replace an entire arch of missing teeth during a single office visit.

Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic (CEREC)

At the basic level, this innovative piece of technology allows cosmetic dentists to create a replacement tooth or replacement parts for teeth out of a ceramic block on site.

Since there are numerous shades of ceramic available, the cosmetic dentist can easily match the ceramic for the patient’s replacement to the color of his or her teeth. Having an identical color match ensures that the patient’s restoration appears to be completely natural.

CEREC consists of CAD/CAM software and a state-of-the-art instrument that allows cosmetic dentists to scan the patient’s teeth, creating a 3D image. Following this scan, a milling chamber creates the replacement part or the entire tooth from a block of ceramic. The length of time from 3D scan to creation is only about 10 minutes.

The ability to create these restorative materials on site means that patients no longer need to contend with wearing temporary dental prostheses. With CEREC, Dr. Aimee Zopf solves many of her patients’ dental problems in a single visit.

BOTOX for the Treatment of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)

Although BOTOX is well known for its ability to address certain signs of aging in the face, it is also beneficial for individuals who have dental problems like TMJ. This disorder can cause an individual to experience a considerable amount of pain in his or her jaw area.

For many TMJ sufferers, traditional treatments, including pain medication, offer little to no relief. Since the pain associated with temporomandibular joint disorder occurs due to tightly contracted jaw muscles, alternative treatments like BOTOX can be useful. A cosmetic dentist can use a BOTOX injection to relax the contracting muscle that is causing the patient’s pain.

Following BOTOX injections, the patient’s jaw muscles will not contract as tightly as before. Once these contractions stop, the patient finds relief.

The results attained with BOTOX injections for TMJ treatment can last anywhere from two to six months. Once the results wear off, the patient needs to return for more injections. Dr. Zopf recommends that patients make an appointment with her as soon as they notice their jaw muscles starting to feel tight.

After the first treatment, the patient will have a good idea as to how long he or she can expect the BOTOX results for the treatment of TMJ pain to last.

BOTOX Can Also Treat a High Lip Line

Using BOTOX, a cosmetic dentist can also treat a high lip line. Following injection, the lip muscles relax and the patient is unable to raise his or her upper lip as high as before the BOTOX injections. Thus, correcting the high lip line. BOTOX injections into the upper lip area will not affect an individual’s ability to chew, speak or kiss.

Invisalign Clear Aligners

Just like braces, Invisalign is a type of orthodontic treatment that improves the appearance of the teeth by slowly moving them to the correct position within the mouth.

The main differences between traditional metal braces and Invisalign aligners are that patients can remove their Invisalign aligners to eat whatever they like and that the aligners are essentially invisible.

The Invisalign treatment consists of clear aligners that gradually move the patient’s teeth into the desired position. These aligners remain in the mouth continuously, only being removed while eating, drinking beverages or brushing and flossing. Every few weeks, the patient switches out to a new set of aligners.

At Gentle Dental in Commack, New York, adults and teens who have misaligned, crooked teeth will meet with a cosmetic dentist to discuss their orthodontic treatment options.

High-Tech Diagnostic Devices Are Available at Gentle Dental in Commack, New York

DIAGNOdent

Using this advanced laser technology, Dr. Aimee M. Zopf finds tooth decay. She uses this tool alongside her visual examination, x-rays and dental explorers.

Dental explorers and visual examinations work well for finding surface decay on teeth, and x-rays offer the ability to find advanced decay as well as decay between the teeth. Upon adding in DIAGNOdent, Dr. Zopf can locate decay hidden inside a patient’s tooth where dental explorers, visual examinations and x-rays are of no use.

How DIAGNOdent Technology Works

Using the tip of the DIAGNOdent hand piece, Dr. Aimee M. Zopf scans the patient’s teeth. These scans use harmless laser light pulses to find any hidden decay located beneath the surface of teeth.

As the light bounces back and forth from the patient’s teeth to the laser diode in the hand piece. During this scan, any decay that is present emits a fluorescent light. As this fluorescent light from the cavity bounces back to the hand piece’s laser diode, it is translated, becoming an audible signal that creates Dr. Zopf a digital readout. Typically, the higher a number is on the readout, the greater the amount of decay that is present.

With this innovative device, Dr. Aimee Zopf can find this hidden decay while it is still in its earliest stages. Early diagnosis and treatment means Dr. Zopf addresses the issue before it has the opportunity to create widespread damage. Since the patient does not require extensive treatment, procedure costs are more economical. Furthermore, the patient retains a larger portion of his or her natural tooth.

An Intraoral Camera

The intraoral camera offers Dr. Aimee M. Zopf a close-up view of the inside of her patient’s mouth.

This camera consists of a hand piece that is about the size of a dental mirror. Its shape is also similar to that of a dental mirror. The camera has its own light source, which allows Dr. Aimee Zopf to easily see the videos and still pictures she takes inside her patient’s mouth.

With this intraoral camera, Dr. Zopf can give the patient a video tour of his or her entire mouth, or just focus in on a single tooth. While using this innovative camera, patients view the same images as Dr. Aimee M. Zopf. The camera projects these images onto a computer monitor or a television.

Providing a patient with the means to view the inside of his or her mouth allows Dr. Aimee Zopf to show the patient any dental issues she finds. Potential issues include cracked teeth, worn-down or broken dental fillings, cavities, deposits of plaque, excessive wear on the teeth or gum disease.

Once treatment is complete, Dr. Zopf uses the intraoral camera to show the patient the results of his or her dental treatment.

In addition, Dr. Aimee Zopf can usually print the images she captures with the intraoral camera. These printed images typically remain in the patient’s dental record. Furthermore, these photos can be sent to the insurance company as well as a specialist’s office. Dr. Zopf can also print up a set of images for the patient to take home.

Digital X-Ray Technology: Digital Radiography

Digital radiography is an exciting new technology that is available at Gentle Dental in Commack, New York. Using digital radiography, board-certified cosmetic dentist, Dr. Aimee M. Zopf uses special software and computerized equipment to capture radiographic images of a patient’s mouth and teeth.

When compared to a conventional dental x-ray, digital radiography offers a variety of benefits, including:

• The dental professional can view the patient’s images immediately.
• The amount of time necessary to take a digital radiography x-ray is shorter than the time required to take a conventional dental x-ray.
• Whereas a conventional dental x-ray requires film that must be developed using chemicals, digital radiography skips this step.
• Since digital radiography does not require chemicals, this form of x-ray is more environmentally friendly than its conventional counterpart is. Furthermore, the digital radiography unit is extremely sensitive; therefore, the amount of radiation necessary to take these x-rays is up to 80 percent less than the amount that is required to take a conventional x-ray.
• Dr. Zopf can enhance digital radiography images to make them easier to view.
• At Gentle Dental, Dr. Aimee Zopf stores the patient’s images electronically. By storing them in this manner, she can email copies to insurance companies and the offices of other dental professionals who are also treating her patients.
• Taking a digital x-ray is faster than taking a conventional one. The digital x-ray has a sensor that simply moves from one tooth to the next. Since a digital x-ray does not require chemical development, the results are visible within just a few moments.
• Using digital x-ray technology, Dr. Zopf can diagnose patients quicker, which allows her to start treatment sooner than she could have with conventional x-ray equipment and film.

If you are in Commack, New York, or one of its surrounding communities, and you are looking for an experienced dental professional, contact Gentle Dental today. Dr. Aimee Zopf has experience in cosmetic dentistry, periodontics, family dental care, orthodontics, general dental care and emergency dentistry.

At Gentle Dental, highly experienced, board-certified dentist, Dr. Aimee M. Zopf, dedicates herself to providing patients with the highest quality of dental care available in and around New York. To schedule a complimentary initial consultation with Dr. Zopf, please call (631) 261-3033. Gentle Dental is located at 777 Larkfield Road, Suite 107, Commack, New York.