Very few people have a celebrity-like smile—normal wear and tear changes tooth shape and color over time and your genes also play a role in how your teeth line up and bite together. If you'd like your smile aesthetics to improve, the cosmetic dentistry services from Dr. John Chu and Dr. Mary Lin in South Pasadena could be for you! Their customized treatment plans make their patients smile!

What is cosmetic dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry is a subspecialty of general dentistry. A cosmetic dentist's artistic services build on the foundation of a healthy smile and remake flaws such as surface pitting, odd shape and size, deep discoloration, cracks, gaps and more. Furthermore, cosmetic dentistry has gained tremendous popularity over the past three decades, which has lead to the treatments themselves becoming more and more predictable, realistic, and long-lasting.

When you see Dr. Chu or Dr. Lin, you'll discuss the simple or not so simple defects you'd like to makeover. Then, you'll agree on a plan which fits your goals. You can work through the entire plan all at once or spread out across multiple treatments over time as you wish.

Goals and treatments

If you wish to improve tooth color, Dr. Chu's Brite White in-office whitening treatments may be right for you. The one-hour service removes organic material embedded in tooth enamel. The proprietary whitening gel is activated by gas plasma light technology, and your teeth will become up to eight shades brighter.

If you wish to change tooth shape without a lot of fuss and muss, ask Dr. Chu or Dr. Lin about cosmetic contouring and composite resin bonding. The two services are often used together and are performed quickly right in the treatment room. Contouring uses small tools and fine grit sandpaper to smooth small surface and corner defects. Composite resin bonding, on the other hand, uses a tooth-colored putty to add proper shape and size to cracked or oddly shaped teeth or to fill in gaps. It's hardened with a special blue light and is the same material used in tooth-colored fillings.

Finally, porcelain veneers are thin, translucent shells of premium ceramic. Customized to cover the front of teeth that are marred by a wide range of flaws, veneers permanently improve the shape, color, and size of healthy teeth. Veneers do require enamel resurfacing but far less than porcelain crowns do.

Call our South Pasadena Office Today!

Come see Dr. John Chu and Dr. Mary Lin's professional, caring team and learn how your smile can change. Call today for an appointment in our South Pasadena office: (626) 799-0852