Cosmetic Dentistry Irvine, CA | Dr. Ursula Levine, DDS

Our smiles are very important in our social and professional lives. Any visible problems with the smile can have a significant effect on a person’s self-esteem, confidence, and even career. By fixing these problems and restoring the smile, cosmetic dentistry can have a significant positive effect in many areas of a patient’s life. Improvements in materials and technique have led to many advances in cosmetic dentistry, allowing a skilled dentist to create a natural-looking smile no matter what problems initially exist.

Although many people want a better smile, most don’t want a “cookie cutter” look. Rather, they want to look like themselves, only better. Dr. Ursula Levine, a highly-regarded cosmetic dentist in Irvine, understands this desire. She wants your smile to reflect your unique personality and spirit.

Using a variety of modern treatments along with state-of-the-art dental technology, Dr. Levine can minimize flaws and accentuate what makes your smile so beautiful and so distinctly yours. Dr. Levine will work with you to design a plan of treatment that considers every aspect of your smile, including your teeth and gum tissue, as well as your lips, skin tone, hair color and facial features. She aims to boost your confidence, so that you smile more.

Smile Design

Smile design is the process of transforming the smile through a combination of cosmetic dentistry treatments. A wide variety of problems with the smile can be addressed, including discolored teeth, chipped or cracked teeth, teeth that are too small or too large, missing teeth, and crooked teeth.  

Personal factors, such as tooth color, alignment and spacing of the teeth, and missing teeth, are carefully considered during the process of smile design. Dr. Levine combines her artistic eye with top-notch technical skills to carry out each treatment. Depending on which procedures are selected, these may be performed individually during separate appointments or in tandem during a single visit.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers can refresh the entire smile at once. These thin shells are bonded to the teeth to mask a variety of imperfections, including small chips, cracks, stains, discoloration, and uneven shape or size. Although they are thin, veneers are extremely durable and can last for many years with the proper care. Their color and translucency closely mimics that of tooth enamel, so the resulting smile looks completely natural.

Each patient is fitted for customized veneers, to create the desired shape, size, color and texture for each tooth. By placing a full set of veneers on the visible teeth, the entire smile can be refreshed in just two dental visits. At the first visit, Dr. Levine will consult with you about your desires and needs, prepare the teeth, and take the necessary impressions. These are sent to a dental laboratory, where your veneers are fabricated by expert technicians. Once Dr. Levine receives them, you’ll have your second appointment to place your new veneers. The result will be a gorgeous smile that looks totally natural.

Dental Bonding

For patients who have relatively minor problems with one or a few teeth, dental bonding can offer a solution in one easy dental visit. For this procedure, a dentist uses composite resin, which is the same tooth-colored material that’s used in modern fillings. For dental bonding, this material is applied to a tooth without drilling first. Composite resin can be color-matched to any tooth, and looks like a natural part of the tooth.

It can be used to repair chipped or cracked teeth, to make a tooth that’s too small look larger, to cover a stain on a tooth that has been resistant to removal with  whitening agents, or to create the appearance of well-aligned teeth in teeth that are slightly crooked.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth can become discolored for a variety of reasons. One of the most common reasons is surface staining, which can result from a number of common substances, including coffee, tea, red wine, curry, or tobacco. Aging, certain medications, and genetics can also contribute to teeth looking dull or discolored.

To brighten the teeth, whitening agents can be used. These chemicals break up the stains and remove them from the teeth. In-office professional whitening provides the most dramatic results but can leave teeth uncomfortably sensitive. Take-home whitening trays are  recommended to do the whitening at home, and these produce satisfying results with minimal or no sensitivity. Teeth whitening can make the smile appear brighter, giving a more refreshed and youthful look.

Cosmetic Dentistry Irvine, CA, with Dr. Ursula Levine

If you would like to learn more about cosmetic dentistry in Irvine, schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Levine by calling 949-727-9600 today. Together, you and she will identify your areas of concern and develop an appropriate plan of treatment. Dr. Levine wants to help you feel confident about your smile, so that you’ll smile more.