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Posts for tag: cosmetic dentistry
The dentists in McDonough, GA, know their patients want to have better-looking smiles, but sometimes the cost can be too high. For that reason, Dr. Robert Brooks offers dental veneers.
What are veneers used for?
Veneers are used to resurface an individual's teeth if they're stained, mishappened, crooked, chipped, irregularly shaped, or overcrowded.
Veneer Procedure:
When you come into your dentist's McDonough, GA, office, your doctor will examine your teeth and assess whether veneers are right for you. If Dr. Robert Brooks decides that veneers can work for you, then any underlying issues, like cavities, will need to be resolved first. Afterwards, your doctor will take impressions of your teeth then send them to a lab where a custom set of veneers matching the color of your teeth will be made for you.
When your veneers finally arrive, your dentist will remove enamel from the surface of your teeth and then cement veneers to replace the enamel that has been removed. Removing enamel is an irreversible process and, because veneers are made out of thin porcelain or plastic, you won't feel like your teeth are protruding. On the contrary, they will feel smooth, even and properly aligned with the rest of your teeth.
Other advantages, besides concealing the faults mentioned above, is that the procedure doesn't need very much anesthesia. Also, veneers have an impressive color stability which makes them highly resistant to staining. So you'll be able to sip your tea or coffee without any worries.
How to care for veneers?
Porcelain veneers are strong, but it's important to take proper care of them. Brushing and flossing are essential. Brush twice a day and floss at least once before bed. In addition to your daily dental regimen, don't skip your bi-yearly exam with your doctor.
For more information on veneers, contact your dentists in McDonough, GA, by calling (678) 583-0330. Dr. Robert Brooks will be more than happy to help you with your dental needs!

At the first-ever Players Weekend in August 2017, Major League Baseball players wore jerseys with their nicknames on the back. One player — Cleveland Indians shortstop, Francisco Lindor — picked the perfect moniker to express his cheerful, fun-loving nature: “Mr. Smile.” And Lindor gave fans plenty to smile about when he belted a 2-run homer into the stands while wearing his new jersey!
Lindor has explained that he believes smiling is an important part of connecting with fans and teammates alike: “I’ve never been a fan of the guy that makes a great play and then acts like he’s done it 10,000 times — smile, man! We’ve got to enjoy the game.”
We think Lindor is right: Smiling is a great way to generate good will. And it feels great too… as long as you have a smile that’s healthy, and that looks as good as you want it to. But what if you don’t? Here are some things we can do at the dental office to help you enjoy smiling again:
Routine Professional Cleanings & Exams. This is a great place to start on the road toward a healthy, beautiful smile. Even if you are conscientious about brushing and flossing at home, you won’t be able to remove all of the disease-causing dental plaque that can hide beneath the gum line, especially if it has hardened into tartar, but we can do it easily in the office. Then, after a thorough dental exam, we can identify any problems that may be affecting your ability to smile freely, such as tooth decay, gum disease, or cosmetic dental issues.
Cosmetic Dental Treatments. If your oral health is good but your smile is not as bright as you’d like it to be, we can discuss a number of cosmetic dental treatments that can help. These range from conservative procedures such as professional teeth whitening and bonding to more dramatic procedures like porcelain veneers or crowns.
Tooth Replacement. Many people hide their smiles because they are embarrassed by a gap from a missing tooth. That’s a shame, because there are several excellent tooth-replacement options in a variety of price ranges. These include partial and full dentures, bridgework, and dental implants. So don’t let a missing tooth stop you from being Mr. (or Ms.) Smile!
If you’d like more information about oral health or cosmetic dentistry, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Beautiful Smiles by Design” and “The Impact of a Smile Makeover.”

Magician Michel Grandinetti can levitate a 500-pound motorcycle, melt into a 7-foot-tall wall of solid steel, and make borrowed rings vanish and reappear baked inside bread. Yet the master illusionist admits to being in awe of the magic that dentists perform when it comes to transforming smiles. In fact, he told an interviewer that it’s “way more important magic than walking through a steel wall because you’re affecting people’s health… people’s confidence, and you’re really allowing people to… feel good about themselves.”
Michael speaks from experience. As a teenager, his own smile was enhanced through orthodontic treatment. Considering the career path he chose for himself — performing for multitudes both live and on TV — he calls wearing an orthodontic device (braces) to align his crooked teeth “life-changing.” He relies on his welcoming, slightly mischievous smile to welcome audiences and make the initial human connection.
A beautiful smile is definitely an asset regardless of whether you’re performing for thousands, passing another individual on a sidewalk or even, research suggests, interviewing for a job. Like Michael, however, some of us need a little help creating ours. If something about your teeth or gums is making you self-conscious and preventing you from smiling as broadly as you could be, we have plenty of solutions up our sleeve. Some of the most popular include:
- Tooth Whitening. Professional whitening in the dental office achieves faster results than doing it yourself at home, but either approach can noticeably brighten your smile.
- Bonding. A tooth-colored composite resin can be bonded to a tooth to replace missing tooth structure, such a chip.
- Veneers. This is a hard, thin shell of tooth-colored material bonded to the front surface of a tooth to change its color, shape, size and/or length; mask dental imperfections like stains, cracks, or chips, and compensating for excessive gum tissue.
- Crowns. Sometimes too much of a tooth is lost due to decay or trauma to support a veneer. Instead, capping it with a natural-looking porcelain crown can achieve the same types of improvements. A crown covers the entire tooth replacing more of its natural structure than a veneer does.
If you would like more information about ways in which you can transform your smile, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about the techniques mentioned above by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Teeth Whitening,” “Repairing Chipped Teeth,” and “Porcelain Crowns & Veneers.”
Discover how your smile’s appearance could greatly benefit from dental veneers.
Whether it’s a movie star or a sibling, there is probably someone in your life whose smile is so perfect that you can’t help but both envy and admire them. Of course, you don’t have to sit around green with envy. Our McDonough, GA, cosmetic dentist Dr. Robert Brooks can also help you achieve the perfect smile with porcelain veneers.
What are veneers?
Veneers are contact lens-thin porcelain shells that are made to look like natural tooth enamel. Each shell is custom made to fit over a tooth, so whether you decide to improve the appearance of one or all of your teeth, getting dental veneers can help.
What should I know about dental veneers before I get them?
Our McDonough, GA, dentist believes it’s important that every patient understands the full treatment process before they choose any cosmetic or restorative dentistry. Before getting dental veneers you should understand these things,
- Traditional veneers are only applied to the front of your teeth but some tooth enamel will need to be removed prior to placing them.
- Since only about 0.5mm of enamel will be removed this can usually be done with local anesthetic. Of course, once enamel has been removed, it will not grow back so it’s important that you understand that veneers are meant for life.
- Veneers can last up to 10 years or more before needing to be replaced. Brush and floss them daily and treat them just like natural teeth. Keep up with your professional dental cleanings to make sure your veneers remain healthy.
- Veneers are made from porcelain so they are stain-resistant; however, over time the resin may start to darken if you consume a lot of staining foods and drinks. Limit these items from your diet.
- Some tooth sensitivity is normal for a couple days after enamel has been removed and veneers have been placed. This sensitivity should go away after a few days.
- Talk to your dentist about whether no-prep veneers are an option. Unlike traditional veneers, no-prep veneers are very thin and won’t require enamel to be removed prior to application.
- Jaw clenchers, nail-biters and teeth grinders are more likely to damage dental veneers. Talk to us about ways to stop these behaviors to protect the integrity of your restorations.
Brooks Cosmetic & Family Dentistry in McDonough, GA, is here to give you the smile you’ve always wished you had. Don’t wait any longer to find out if porcelain veneers are right for you.

When the multi-platinum recording artist, songwriter and TV personality Jason Derulo was recently asked about his ideal woman, his answer covered a remarkably broad spectrum. "There’s no specific thing," he said, "so I think it’s unfair to say what my ‘type’ is." But it turns out that there is one thing the So You Think You Can Dance judge considers essential: A beautiful smile.
"I’m not into messy teeth," Derulo said. "If the grill has spaces and different colors, it’s not my vibe."
As it turns out, he may be on to something: A number of surveys have indicated that a bright, healthy smile is often the first thing people notice when meeting someone new. Yet many are reluctant to open up that big grin because they aren’t satisfied with the way their teeth look. If you’re one of them, consider this: Modern cosmetic dentistry offers a variety of ways to improve your smile — and it may be easier and more affordable than you think.
For example, if your smile isn’t as bright as you would like it to be, teeth whitening is an effective and economical way to lighten it up. If you opt for in-office treatments, you can expect a lightening effect of up to 10 shades in a single one-hour treatment! Or, you can achieve the same effect in a week or two with a take-home kit we can custom-make for you. Either way, you’ll be safe and comfortable being treated under the supervision of a dental professional — and the results can be expected to last for up to two years, or perhaps more.
If your teeth have minor spacing irregularities, small chips or cracks, it may be possible to repair them in a single office visit via cosmetic bonding. In this process, a liquid composite resin is applied to the teeth and cured (hardened) with a special light. This high-tech material, which comes in colors to match your teeth, can be built up in layers and shaped with dental instruments to create a pleasing, natural effect.
If your smile needs more than just a touch-up, dental veneers may be the answer. These wafer-thin coverings, placed right on top of your natural teeth, can be made in a variety of shapes and colors — from a natural pearly luster to a brilliant "Hollywood white." Custom-made veneers typically involve the removal of a few millimeters of tooth enamel, making them a permanent — and irreversible — treatment. However, by making teeth look more even, closing up spaces and providing dazzling whiteness, veneers just might give you the smile you’ve always wanted.
If you would like more information about cosmetic dental treatments, please call our office to arrange a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine article “Cosmetic Dentistry — A Time for Change.”