As a Doctor of Dentistry,  Dr. Akharume traditionally deals with the head and neck on a regular basis. Therefore, merging aesthetics of the face with dentistry was a natural progression. While focusing on reconstructive procedures of the teeth, it is sometimes difficult to address all issues due to assymetry or a deficiency of some sort that needs to be addressed. Dr. A The Smilemaker Aesthetics Studio LLC uses the latest technology that you may not be able to receive at a traditional dental office to address some of those issues. We will ensure that your experience not only addresses your aesthetic needs but also ensures long lasting oral health. 
If you would like more information about any of the procedures that we offer or to schedule an appointment, please call our office at 1-601-206-1112

Dental Bonding and Veneers

Dental treatments like dental bonding and veneers are not only used to fix cavities or broken teeth but can also be used to improve the look of healthy teeth. Veneers are applied to the entire front surface of the tooth, whereas bonding is applied to a smaller portion of the tooth. Bonding and veneers make your teeth look better by changing their color, shape, angle or spacing. Your dentist can fix teeth that are broken, chipped or cracked, that have spaces between them or that are discolored. Cosmetic dental treatment can improve your smile and give you more confidence. 

BONDING

WHAT IS BONDING?

Bonding, also known as bonded restoration, is a painless way to make minor repairs to teeth. In most cases, several teeth can be bonded in one dental visit. Bonding uses tooth-coloured material, called composite resin. Composite resin is put on the tooth, then shaped and hardened with light. The composite resin can be:

• Matched to your teeth.

• Shaped to look like the missing part of a chipped tooth.

• Used to build up teeth and fill between them.

• Used on a broken tooth to restore it to size.

• Painted over a stained tooth to make it match the colour of your other teeth.

HOW IS BONDING DONE?

Your dentist places a matrix between the tooth being treated and its neighbouring tooth. A matrix is a thin, clear plastic film that protects other teeth from stray composite resin.

Your dentist then puts a mild chemical on the tooth to make it a little rough. This helps the composite resin to bond or stick to the enamel of your tooth. The composite resin that matches the colour of your natural teeth is chosen so that the bonding blends in with your teeth. Your dentist puts the composite resin on your tooth in layers. A light is used to harden each layer of the composite resin. After the last layer of composite resin is hardened, your dentist shapes and polishes it to form your tooth. The finished tooth looks natural and smooth. At your next dental visit, your dentist will examine the bonding and polish it if needed. Over time, the bonding may wear down and your dentist may touch up the bonding with more composite resin. 

VENEERS

WHAT ARE VENEERS?

Veneers are very thin shells that are attached to the front part of teeth. They are often made of porcelain or composite resin. Porcelain veneers are stronger than composite resin veneers and do not change colour or stain. Generally, porcelain veneers take at least 2 dental visits to apply and composite resin veneers can be done in 1 visit. Porcelain veneers generally last longer than composite resin veneers.

HOW ARE COMPOSITE VENEERS DONE?

Much like bonding, your dentist puts a mild chemical on the front surface of the tooth to be veneered to make it a little rough. This helps the composite resin to stick to the enamel of the tooth. The composite resin that matches the colour of your natural teeth is chosen so that the veneer blends in with your teeth. Your dentist then puts the composite resin on your tooth in layers. A bright light is used to harden each layer of the composite resin. After the last layer of composite resin is hardened, your dentist shapes and polishes it to form your tooth. The finished tooth looks natural and smooth.

HOW ARE PORCELAIN VENEERS DONE?

With porcelain veneers, your dentist may give you a local anesthetic (freezing). Your dentist then removes a thin layer of the enamel from your teeth to make room for the veneers. Then your dentist makes a mold of your teeth. This mold is used to custom-make your porcelain veneers. In the meantime, your dentist may place temporary veneers to replace the portion of the tooth that was removed. These are worn until your porcelain veneers are ready. The temporary veneers are very fragile and need to be treated gently during eating and cleaning as they come loose very easily

On your next visit, your dentist removes the temporary veneers and puts a mild chemical on your teeth to make them a little rough. This helps the porcelain veneers stick to your teeth better. The porcelain veneers are then glued to your teeth one by one, using composite resin cement. 

WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR VENEERS?

Not everyone is a good candidate for veneers. Here are some reasons why your dentist may suggest treatments other than veneers:

• If a tooth has decay or is in an area that has periodontal disease (gum disease). These problems must be treated first.

• If a tooth has little enamel left, a veneer will not stick to it properly.

• If too much of the tooth is missing, a crown may be another option.

• If a person grinds or clenches his or her teeth. This habit is called bruxism and can chip or break porcelain veneers.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW?

• Just like your natural teeth, your veneered tooth needs to be brushed and flossed daily.

• If the veneers are not fully placed or sealed onto your tooth, stains or cavities can form under the veneer.

• Once you have veneers, you cannot reverse the treatment because part of your enamel has been removed.

• If a veneer chips or peels off, or if a cavity forms under a veneer, the veneer must be redone. The other option is to put a crown on the tooth.

• Constantly grinding or clenching your teeth may cause your bonding or veneers to chip or break.

• Porcelain veneers and bonded teeth can be chipped if you are not careful when biting or tearing into hard or chewy foods. Do not bite hard objects like ice cubes or fingernails.

• Cosmetic dental treatments like bonding or veneers might not be covered by your dental plan. You may be responsible for those costs yourself.

Teeth Whitening

BRIGHTEN YOUR SMILE WITH ONE SIMPLE APPOINTMENT 
Tooth  stains develop for many reasons and are a natural part of the aging process. Your genetics, what medications you take, and lifestyle habits play a large role in how quickly you develop discoloration.
YOUR TEETH WHITENING OPTIONS

In-Office Teeth bleaching is our preferred method for most patients looking for a brighter smile. It can be done in time for a special event such as a wedding or corporate gathering. It can also be done as much as you’d like. You may be tempted to try store bought whitening products, or perhaps you already have, but these gels, trays, and toothpastes have weaker solutions than professional whitening treatments. These products are less effective and may cause gum irritation, uneven results, and tooth sensitivity.

The at-home whitening option works well for patients who want a gradual whitening on their own time. Using an impression of your teeth created in a dental lab the whitening trays are formed to fit your teeth, giving you consistent results that don’t affect your tooth enamel or gums. The trays must be worn for a few hours each night for at least a week or longer. They are portable, making it easier for you to whiten your teeth while you travel.

HOW TEETH WHITENING WORKS

The teeth whitening process is performed in a single visit by one of our talented staff after taking a reference shade. However, if you are nervous or anxious about your treatment, we can discuss options such as complimentary nitrous oxide or in-office entertainment that can help quell even the most severe dental phobias. Our in-office whitening treatments typically take 1 to 1.5 hours during a teeth cleaning or as a separate visit to our Aurora office. The staff will examine your teeth and gums to make sure your oral health is intact before we begin your teeth whitening.

Professional-grade whitening solutions contain hydrogen peroxide which breaches the outer layer of your teeth (enamel). That doesn’t mean you should start swishing hydrogen peroxide. The breakdown of the gel material instigates a free radical reaction, which alters the chemical makeup of your teeth by dissolving organic stains and cleaning the “pores” of your teeth so your they appear whiter. This whitening process is the most effective option for getting rid of tooth stains and can be repeated as often as necessary.

COMMON TEETH WHITENING CONCERNS

Patients often have questions and concerns regarding the efficacy and safety of teeth whitening, including: 

TOOTH SENSITIVITY 

You may or may not experience temporary tooth sensitivity following your whitening treatments, but this typically goes away in one to two days. Sensitivity products, such as Sensodyne Rapid Relief and simply avoiding extreme temperatures temporarily will help with this.      

LONGEVITY OF RESULTS 

How long your whitening results last will depend on your lifestyle habits. Drinking coffee, tea, and red wine can cause your teeth to stain again, as does smoking. Avoiding those behaviors can help your teeth whitening last anywhere from six months to two years. We provide “touch up kits” at your whitening appointment to provide extra longevity to the result.                

Professional tooth whitening is proven to be safe and the most effective means to whiten teeth.

I offer this and other specialized options to anyone in need of a Dentist they can trust. I’m Dr. A The Smilemaker, and I’m dedicated to building long-lasting relationships based on trust and dental integrity with every single patient.

Botox and Dermal Fillers

BOTOX
Used for the upper third of the face to smooth and prevent fine lines and wrinkles. Also treatment for temporomandibular joint disorder and parafunctional habits such as bruxism.   (grinding teeth) and clenching that’s can damage most cosmetic dental work. 

What Is BOTOX®?

BOTOX® is a neuromodulator approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat frown lines. It is a non-surgical, safe and effective treatment that can smooth any moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet or forehead lines, refreshing your profile for a youthful look.

The formula is mainly comprised of small amounts of purified botulinum toxin protein, Botulinum toxin (Type A), which blocks the nerve signals that cause muscles to contract. This effect relaxes and smooths the look of lines and wrinkles caused by repetitive movements on the face—most commonly, between the brows, crows-feet around the eyes, and horizontal forehead creases. 

You may consider botulinum toxin injections for cosmetic reasons if you are developing lines and wrinkles on your face due to frown lines and aging. 

Do not take BOTOX® Cosmetic if:

You are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® Cosmetic or had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA)

You have a skin infection at the planned injection site.

You have muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, or any other neuromuscular disorders.

You are pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby), or breastfeeding (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).

Please Tell your doctor about your medicines and medical conditions, including plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; weakness of forehead muscles: trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change

DERMAL FILLERS
Used to smooth out lines below the nose and around the mouth and chin. Also used as a quick and easy solution for fuller lips. 

TMD/ TMJ Treatment 

What is TMJ/TMD?

Your jaw joint or TMJ acts as a sliding hinge. It connects your skull and jawbone and can be found next to your ear on either side of your head. TMJ disorders are a condition where your jaw joint and the surrounding muscles are painful. The causes are difficult to determine, though it may be from grinding and clenching your jaw, genetics, arthritis or an injury.

Many people experience only a temporary problem with their jaw joint that is resolved quickly. You may notice that you have more pain in certain times of stress and then other times have no jaw-related problems. If you have ongoing issues, however, you may be experiencing symptoms such as:

       Painful, tender jaws

       Ear pain

       Facial pain

       Frequent headache

       Difficulty chewing

       Locking or popping of the jaw joint

Rest assured that there is a solution to your TMJ pain. We can assist you thanks to our expertise within neuromuscular dentistry.