Everything the Smile Center does is guided by what is best for the patient. Assuring you as a patient have the most comfortable and pleasant experience is a cornerstone of our practice. We are also proud of our ability to meet all of your dental needs.
Most general dental practices depend on partnerships with specialists, such as oral surgeons to place dental implants in the jawbone. Most practices also partner with dental labs. The lab’s technicians then make the crowns and other restorations, based off of impressions or molds of your mouth taken by the general dentist.
Dr. Gordon Kent and his team at the Smile Center offer a unique approach. For example, Dr. Kent can handle every step of the dental implant process. If you need a dental implant to replace a missing tooth, he performs the surgical procedure, which is usually referred out to another specialist. In addition, the Smile Center can design and make the part of the tooth everyone can see above the gum line — the crown.
The crown is just one way to rebuild tooth structure and improve the appearance of your tooth. Veneers or facings may be applied to the front of the tooth to cover up stubborn dark or gray stains. This discoloration may be resistant to the in-office whitening or at-home whitening treatments prescribed by Dr. Kent. Facings may also:
- Correct some spacing issues
- Reshape teeth
- Repair chipped, broken or worn teeth
The Smile Center is able to make these restorations in-house, thanks to an onsite lab. Thanks to digital technology, some practices may claim to also build the new tooth or tooth structure onsite. Software is used to build a 3-Dimensional model of the tooth first. Then this model is used as a guide for the milling machine, which carves and shapes the tooth from the material used to make your restoration.
At the Smile Center we don’t just have the software and a high-tech milling unit. We have comprehensive lab services. This means our professionals are able to control all features of your new tooth — from the materials used, to the shade and shape, and even how light reflects off of the tooth. To assure the restoration looks natural, Dr. Kent only uses tooth-colored materials such as porcelain. If the new tooth doesn’t look or feel right, any adjustments can be made while you wait. There is no need to wait for a few weeks for a lab to make your new crown, nor will you have to wear a delicate temporary crown during that time.
In the Cheektowaga area, there may be many cosmetic dentists to choose from, but it’s important to consider the convenience and quality of care that comes in part with a comprehensive dental lab. Call to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kent, one of the first dentists to bring modern-day veneers and other treatments (such as dental implants) to Western New York.