Healthy Smiles Family Dental

Teeth whitening is an in-office cosmetic procedure that provides a simple and affordable method to whiten your teeth. It gives you the chance to have the bright smile that you’ve always wanted. At Healthy Smiles Family Dental, located in Salem, Oregon, Dr. Na Xu, D.D.S., and Dr. Mark Thomas, D.M.D. can walk you through the teeth whitening process.   There is a multitude of reasons that your teeth can become discolored. Eating certain foods, like ones high in tannic acid, like grapes and tea, have coloring effects. Coffee and cigarettes are another common cause. General lack of oral maintenance, like tooth decay and worn down enamel, are also big factors. Some of the quicker ways to improve the whiteness of your smile are to cut back on the coffee and smoking. But for many patients, this isn’t quite enough. This is where professional teeth whitening comes in.   It is necessary to understand that teeth whitening will not magically transform your smile. It will just allow you to greatly i...

At Healthy Smiles Family Dental, our doctors and staff are always being asked by patients about the latest cosmetic solutions available.  There are several methods for whitening or straightening teeth, but our porcelain veneers are the best way to give your smile a complete cosmetic makeover without undergoing a single procedure. Veneers are thin shells made of high quality porcelain that bond directly to the surface of your teeth and look like your natural smile.  To outfit a patient with a full set of veneers, we begin with taking an impression.  This impression will be used to ensure a perfect fit for your new smile.  Some patients won’t require preparation of the teeth, but depending on your individual case your dentist may want to contour or shave teeth in select places.  This is only done when your dentist sees an area they determine could be a problem to fit the shells on.   A new set of veneers is fabricated outside the office, and on a final visit they are bonded directly to t...

Composite resins, also known as tooth-colored fillings or white fillings, provide solid durability and resistance to fracture. These types of filling could be used to enhance the aesthetics of your smile or to fill a cavity that’s been caused by decay. White fillings are typically more appealing than the alternative fillings to most patients, especially when the filling is in the front of the mouth. This is because they provide the most natural-looking tooth appearance. Depending on the size of the space that needs to be filled, one of our doctors at Healthy Smiles Family Dental can discuss if white fillings are the best option for you.  The main advantage most patients enjoy the most is that the fillings match the original color of their tooth. Additionally, white fillings are non-invasive, as only a small portion of your healthy tooth is removed prior to the composite filling, which means there is a lower chance of chipping or fracturing the teeth. This also ensures that the tooth wi...

Teeth become discolored by the foods we eat, the beverages we consume, and from lifestyle factors such as smoking, or taking certain medications. Discoloration is a natural part of life but when a patient desires a whiter smile, teeth whitening or bleaching can improve the color of teeth by several shades. At Healthy Smiles Family Dental, Dr. Na Xu gives patients the option to whiten in-office, or in the comfort of his or her own home. Teeth bleaching is one of the most common dental procedures that is performed across the country. Once the teeth become brighter, a person will feel a boost in his or her self-esteem and may desire to smile more than ever before. After scheduling a consultation to decide if whitening is right for you, Dr. Xu will either recommend whitening at home, with custom trays that will be created for you in the office, or laser whitening. If you have questions or concerns regarding teeth whitening or bleaching, please give us a call. To learn about services provid...

If you wish to improve your smile, but don’t want to break the bank, dental bonding can repair teeth that have been decayed, chipped, fractured, or discolored. Bonding is made of composite resin and resembles a natural tooth’s appearance. Dental bonding provides an aesthetic benefit to the patient, but also has restorative properties and our doctors at Healthy Smiles Family Dental can provide this service to you. Unlike veneers, which can be costly and require several appointments, dental bonding is cost-efficient and can be completed in one single visit. The process for applying bonding material takes little to no preparation unless the bonding is being used to fill a cavity. Once the tooth is prepared, one of our doctors will apply the resin and harden it with a special light. This process takes 30-45 minutes to complete and requires no recovery time. If you have questions or concerns regarding cosmetic dental services, please give us a call. To learn about services provided at our p...