From the Office

If you are unhappy with the appearance of an old dental crown, our professional smile makeover team in Boulder, Colorado can help you improve the look of your overall smile with a new, state-of-the-art ceramic crown.

The Lifespan of a Crown

Originally placed to strengthen a damaged tooth or as part of TMJ therapy to improve the bite, dental crowns performed correctly should help protect and preserve a tooth’s natural structure and function for up to 10 years. However, weak designs, cheap materials, or improper placement can cause crowns to deteriorate long before they should. Dental crowns that have begun to show signs of wear and tear are not only an eyesore, they may also pose a threat to your dental health.

You can tell when it is time for a crown replacement when a crown starts to look unnatural (when a dark line at the gums becomes noticeable) or when the tooth feels sore or sensitive upon biting. Once this protective armor has become compromised, it’s best to replace it as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage to your natural tooth structure. Replacing an ineffective crown will make a noticeable difference in the appearance of the tooth and allow you to bite and chew normally without worry.

Our Superior Ceramic Crowns

At my dental practice in Boulder, we pride ourselves on superior craftsmanship, excellent design, and personalized crown placement. Each dental crown is handcrafted in our lab with FDA-approved, metal-free ceramic materials. Choose from Empress® and IPS e.max® crowns to strengthen, protect, and beautify your smile.

If you have a dental crown that is loose, weak, or revealing a dark line at the gums, come in and talk to me about your crown replacement options. Please contact us today to set up your appointment.

Dr. Ania

Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dentistry

How your upper and lower teeth come together is referred to as your dental “bite.” A healthy bite is one in which the teeth fit together precisely in a comfortable manner, with no excessive underbite or overbite.

Many things can cause a bad bite, including poorly placed fillings, dental crowns that are worn or misshapen, crooked or rotated teeth, and excessive wear and tear from tooth grinding and hard foods. At my Boulder dental practice, we diagnose and treat bite problems to avoid the long-term problems that can stem from a bad bite.

Neuromuscular Issues

Problems with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can cause a condition called temporomandibular disorder (TMD). TMD refers to a misalignment of the jaw joints, due to dysfunction of the muscles, ligaments, or tendons of the jaw.

Signs you may have a neuromuscular problem include:

• Headaches
• Jaw joint pain
• Clicking or popping in the jaw joints
• Clenching or grinding
• Neck pain
• Tooth sensitivity
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Ear congestion
• Limited jaw range of motion

Bad Bite Treatment

An experienced cosmetic dentist can turn your bad bite into a healthy one with advanced dental rehabilitation. The goal of TMJ therapy is to determine the ideal at-rest position of your jaw, and then make the necessary modifications to encourage your upper and lower jaws into this comfortable and functional spot. We are essentially applying the most conservative treatments possible to achieve harmony with your bite. Elements like body posture, oral habits, stress, past dental work, and fitness will be evaluated and tweaked to help you eliminate discomfort.

If after a thorough dental evaluation, we determine that there are neuromuscular problems behind the bad bite, there are a number of TMJ therapies we can apply to help restore the ideal jaw position.  Cosmetic dentistry procedures like dental implants and dental crowns are often the only thing standing between you and a healthy bite. Orthodontic treatments like the innovative Invisalign braces are another method of bite improvement that can have great results.

Pure Power Mouthguards also rehabilitate your bite by acting as a splint during times of stress and intensity. Invented by a neuromuscular dentist, the Pure Power Mouthguard encourages alignment of the jaw and facial muscles, helping patients to improve muscle efficiency and spinal alignment.

Personal Bite Evaluation

Your bite can be a factor in many types functional problems because of the inter-relationships of the overall musculoskeletal system. Through new technology, we can evaluate your bite and determine if it is a major contributing factor of your condition.

Book an appointment with us today to check in on the health of your bite and learn more about the benefits of TMJ treatment. Please contact my Boulder, Colorado dental office to schedule a thorough evaluation.

Dr. Ania

Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dentistry

Isn’t it about time you took care of that glaring chip in your front tooth? Or how about that dark gum line above your dental crown? What about looking into laser whitening to take care of that yellowish enamel? Fixing your least-favorite smile characteristics is easier than you might think.

At our cosmetic dentistry practice in Boulder, Colorado, my team and I make tooth fixes affordable and stress-free. We have a variety of tooth restoration treatments that will undoubtedly improve your smile confidence and enhance your overall smile appearance.

Here is a brief list of common tooth repair solutions that can maximize your smile power and create a healthier mouth in the process.

Tooth chips — Tooth bonding is the quickest, least invasive option for minor tooth damage like chipping. You may also consider porcelain veneers, which can be completed in just two visits.

Tooth cracks or fractures – We are often able to repair minor cracks and fractures with ceramic fillings or dental bonding. For tooth damage that affects a large amount of tooth structure, we may recommend a dental crown instead.

Darkened crown — Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns tend to reveal a dark line where gum tissue and tooth meet. With a new ceramic crown, you’ll never run the risk of this telltale sign.

Bad bite — If your upper and lower teeth don’t come together evenly or comfortably, our neuromuscular dentistry treatments can help restore balance to your smile.

Discolored enamel — Laser tooth whitening can take your smile up several shades in just one visit to our office. We also offer take-home whitening.

Large gums — Through gentle and safe laser gum reshaping, we are able to minimize excessive gum tissue and recontour uneven gums to frame your smile beautifully.

Crooked teeth — Choose from a superficial solution like porcelain veneers, or move teeth gradually into place with the Invisalign® alignment system.

• Please visit our smile gallery to see what a difference these restoration procedures can have on your smile.

To talk about your smile makeover options and get a treatment estimate, please contact my team for more information. We look forward to providing you with a personalized cosmetic dentistry care plan that will give you a gorgeous smile you can be proud to show off.

Dr. Ania

Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dentistry

Are you happy with the color of your teeth? With every birthday comes the chance that your teeth may look a little less white. It’s a natural process that happens to everyone, but it causes many people to become very self-conscious and think twice about showing their smile.

If your once-pearly whites are looking yellowish and dull, advice from our smile brightening team can help you solve this problem easily and affordably.

At my cosmetic dentistry practice in Boulder, Colorado, I offer patients several options for smile brightening. From making different choices at home to having professional tooth restoration treatments performed, you can achieve a brighter, more beautiful smile in just a short time.

Here are five actions you can take to improve your tooth shade.

1. Avoid staining substances or use in moderation. Nicotine, red wine, grape juice, berries, coffee and tea can accelerate the discoloration process.

2. Make sure you brush and floss regularly to wash away any potentially staining agents and use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid wearing down tooth enamel.

3. For individual teeth that have become discolored, we can perform dental bonding to help you reach your ideal shade. If an old dental crown is revealing a grey line at the gums, we can replace it with a new porcelain crowns that won’t cause discoloration. Porcelain veneers work well for improving the appearance of several teeth in a row.

4. Invest in an advanced professional whitening treatment from our state-of-the-art dental practice for a dramatic shade improvement. We currently offer in-office laser whitening and take-home whitening kits with customized trays.

5. Check in with our dental team about every six months for whitening touch-ups to maintain a bright shade of enamel.

If you would like some examples of smile brightening services, please visit our smile gallery.

To learn more about keeping your teeth white and attractive, please contact my team for more information. When you can schedule a visit with our Boulder smile makeover team, we will conduct a comprehensive smile assessment and deliver personalized recommendations for shade enhancement.

Dr. Ania

Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dentistry

Your tooth structure is designed for toughness, and teeth can generally withstand heavy biting pressure for many years. However, the daily wear and tear caused by chewing and tooth grinding eventually adds up and can cause precious enamel to wear down. Once teeth are worn, they become more susceptible to fractures (breaks, chips, and cracks). Fractures are also quite prevalent in people who play sports without a mouthguard.

Even a small tooth fracture can result in a loss of confidence when you smile. Fractures can also affect your bite and may lead to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems. If you’ve been thinking about having your fracture repaired, cosmetic dentistry has several effective and affordable options available that look and feel very natural.

At my Boulder, Colorado dental practice, we fix fractures with a variety of state-of-the-art dental restoration treatments. The treatment we recommend will depend on the severity and depth of the tooth damage. We are a metal-free practice, so you can be sure all of our fracture treatments will blend in beautifully with your smile.

Here is a brief summary of your options.

Porcelain Veneers — Porcelain veneers are thin, wafer-like shells that affix to the front surfaces of teeth to mask harmless imperfections. They are a cosmetic solution and should be used only on teeth that have minor damage.

Porcelain Crowns — Porcelain crowns are heavy-duty restoration solutions that can restore strength and appearance to teeth that have been significantly weakened by fracture.

Dental tooth bonding — Tooth bonding is a versatile tooth repair solution that can be used on minor fractures. Bonding material is applied as a paste, sculpted, and hardened with a special lamp. 

Tooth reshaping — In cases of slight defect, tooth reshaping may be used to reduce and even out enamel through a grinding process.

To get an idea of how fracture repairs can enhance the appearance of your teeth, please visit our online smile gallery.

Custom Fracture Repair

Every tooth restoration performed at our office is completely personalized. Before we can recommend a solution for your fracture, I would like to complete a full examination including X-rays and wellness evaluation. At this time we can also do an assessment of your previous dental work to see if there is any room for improvement.

To prevent fractures and protect your teeth, consider the advanced Agility Guard or the Pure Power Mouthguard (PPM™).

If you would like to learn more about our cosmetic dentistry fracture solutions, my team and I would be happy to discuss your options. Please contact my Boulder dental practice to schedule your one-on-one orientation.

Dr. Ania

Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dentistry

At my Boulder, Colorado dental practice, we strive to use metal-free materials whenever possible for optimal safety, comfort, and appearance.

Questionable Safety

Although extensive research on the effects of amalgam use is inconclusive to date, we feel it is best for our patients to avoid any mercury-containing materials. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), mercury is a toxic substance that has been linked to nervous system disruption, kidney damage, birth defects, and cancer.  In addition, metal used for tooth restoration stands out and lets the world know you have had dental work done. Also, metal restorations react to temperature changes, expanding and contracting with heat and cold. This movement often causes tooth cracks leading to additional dental work.

Here we practice ultimate safety in removing amalgam restorations. The process should be done with a rubber dam and high-speed suction, while patients wear an oxygen mask. 
Our Dental Materials

We prefer metal-free ceramics to create our fillings, crowns, and other restorations. These high-grade ceramics reflect light beautifully and produce very natural-looking results. Thanks to advances in dental materials research and development, non-metal ceramic composites are not only attractive, they are now designed to be extremely durable, strong, and long-lasting. Last but not least, ceramic restorations are completely biocompatible for optimal patient safety.

Metal-Free Smile Straightening

For patients who want to straighten teeth with braces, we now offer Invisalign braces, a clear braces system that creates a straight smile with plastic aligners instead of metal brackets. We invite you to take a look at some of our non-metal restorations in our smile gallery.

Learn More

Whether you are in need of tooth restoration or you’d like to replace old metal ones, we can help you choose the safest, most attractive smile solution. If you would like to read more on mercury and its toxicity, please visit the agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry Mercury page.

Our team is happy to provide you with more details on our metal-free dental materials and our commitment to patient safety. To schedule a personal appointment, please contact my Boulder comprehensive dental center.

Dr. Ania

Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dentistry

If you’ve got a tooth that is in trouble, a durable dental crown is a very effective rescue remedy that can perfectly restore damaged enamel. A crown or “cap” fits over the biting surface of a tooth once your natural enamel is reduced.

How Crowns Protect

A dental crown is like a protective armor, encapsulating precious enamel and providing an extra layer between the tooth and the elements that could potentially cause damage. The addition of a crown allows a patient to keep full use of a tooth by enhancing its strength and harboring the tooth root.

Dental Crown Uses

Think of a dental crown as a tooth restoration treatment that is used when fillings and inlays/onlays are insufficient. I often recommend a ceramic crown for patients who have significant physical damage such as breaks or cracks, large cavities, large old fillings that need to be removed, and major wear and tear due to an uneven bite.

Why Ceramics?

At my Boulder, Colorado dental practice, our dental crowns are constructed entirely of metal-free ceramics and handcrafted in a state-of-the-art lab. Through the use of Empress® and IPS e.max® crowns, we ensure a very natural appearance, without the dark band at the gumline typical of porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. These ceramic compositions also provide incomparable strength when bonded tightly to enamel with a resin-based cement.

If you would like to see examples of dental crowns placed here at our office, please visit the smile gallery.

If you’d like to learn more about ceramic dental crowns and their impressive restoration abilities, please contact my Boulder comprehensive dental center. Our team is available to meet with you to evaluate your smile makeover needs and discuss the benefits of crown work. 

Dr. Ania

Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dentistry