Patient Services

Porcelain Veneers

Most of the beautiful Hollywood smiles you admire and even the smile makeovers you have seen on reality television were created with porcelain veneers. These custom made, thin films of porcelain adhere to the fronts of existing teeth to create a natural, beautiful smile. Issues like crooked teeth, chipped teeth, spaces between teeth and discolored teeth are all easily correctable with porcelain veneers. Just a few appointments, with a cosmetic dentist like Dr. Arms, are all that separate you from the beauty and self-confidence that come from a brilliant smile.

Zoom! Tooth Whitening

Take advantage of this latest advancement so you can have the confidence that comes with a bright, white smile. Teeth whitening with Zoom!™ is safe, effective and long lasting. Through a simple in-office procedure that produces fast, dramatic results, Dr. Arms applies specialized gel to your teeth. He uses a tray that’s customized for your mouth and easy to hold in place for about an hour as stains and discolorations literally vanish, revealing healthier looking teeth and a younger looking appearance. Take-home options might also be appropriate for you. Speak with Dr. Arms about what whitening procedure is right for you.

Invisalign 

You can straighten your teeth without metal braces. Invisalign™ is an FDA approved system that uses clear, removable aligners to incrementally straighten your teeth. There are no uncomfortable brackets or wires, and because you remove the aligners to eat and drink, there are no food restrictions or problems with brushing or flossing. Dr. Arms uses Invisalign™’s 3D computer imaging to map out your entire treatment plan in advance, allowing you to see what your teeth will look like before you begin treatment. Then, using the imaging, a series of custom aligners are created that will move teeth incrementally. You will replace each aligner every two weeks with the next aligner in the sequence. Average treatment time from initial teeth position to your new, straight smile ranges from nine to 15 months.

Porcelain Bridges

When you have missing teeth other changes happen, such as other teeth shifting, gums being exposed differently, a change in bite or chewing habits, etc. Ultimately this may cause mouth pain, gaps and spaces that make you less healthy and less confident. A porcelain bridge, custom designed by Dr. Arms, keeps your smile aligned and your bite functional. Bridges are anchored to existing teeth or crowns on either side of the missing tooth. They are semi-permanent, meaning they can only be affixed or removed by a dentist and are a long-term restorative solution to your damaged smile.

Porcelain Crowns

Erase years of wear and tear with porcelain crowns.  Sometimes called “caps,” porcelain crowns are customized just for your mouth’s broken, cracked or discolored teeth. Crowns are a durable, strong, long lasting method of enhancing both the look and function of your smile. After some preparation of the tooth or teeth that will receive the crown(s), your dentist will position a custom milled, life-like porcelain crown over your damaged tooth, restoring and rejuvenating your oral health.

Tooth-Colored Fillings

Remember shiny silver fillings? Many of us do. Many still have them throughout their mouth. If you find yourself wondering what colleagues or friends are thinking as you make a presentation or enjoy a laugh with friends and the silver shines through, you’ll be especially excited to learn that fillings can now be crafted out of a tooth colored composite resin that not only looks great but functions great too. Dr. Arms blends composite shades and shapes to match your original teeth. Once it’s in place, it actually helps support the remaining tooth structure, helping to prevent breakage and providing insulation against temperature changes.

Your health and safety is of utmost importance to us here at LifeSmiles Dentistry. That is one reason why we have not placed any silver-mercury fillings for over 10 years. There is much debate over the safety of silver-mercury fillings but for us there is no question that there are better, safer, less destructive materials than silver amalgam. Even if silver amalgam wasn't toxic, this material expands and contracts with temperature changes and eventually your teeth may crack and fracture under this stress.

Here at LifeSmiles, we remove your silver-mercury fillings as safely and efficiently as possible. You are protected, as we use a variety of precautions to ensure your good health, including: use of a dental dam during the removal process, removing the amalgam in large pieces if possible, using high speed evacuation and copious water, and offering you the option of using oxygen during the removal process. We do a final rinse to make sure all the amalgam has been removed from your mouth. These precautions minimize your exposure to any mercury vapors or sediment.

We see patients from all over Michigan who are concerned about mercury toxicity from amalgam fillings. Please call for more information or an appointment.

For more information concerning mercury-safe fillings, visit www.dentalwellness4u.com.

Bonding

Do you have a chipped or broken tooth? Do you have a discolored tooth or one that needs slightly reshaped or modified? Bonding is the placement of tooth-colored resin to correct these embarrassing situations and, sometimes, bridge gaps between teeth. Bonding is generally considered more conservative than veneers or other cosmetic dentistry. Bonding allows you to maintain the natural structure of your original tooth and the ability to color and sculpt the resin to create natural looking teeth. As is the case with your natural teeth, the resin may stain with the use of coffee or other staining foods.

Gum Contouring

Look at a recent picture of yourself. Do you see a lot of your gum tissue when you smile? Many people with “gummy” smiles do not know that there are treatments available to cosmetically enhance the look of your gums. Some may not have even noticed that others consider their smile to be “gummy.” Dr. Arms re-contours the appearance of gum tissue and, with the addition of beautiful porcelain veneers, your gummy smile disappears so you can look your best and smile with pride! The entire process takes just a few visits and because of advancements in cosmetic techniques, your comfort is assured.

Botox Treatments

Look younger by lessening the appearance of lines and wrinkles on your face. In addition to treatments designed to give you a beautiful, youthful smile for life, LifeSmiles Dentistry makes Botox treatments available to you. A single Botox treatment effectively "erases" fine lines, especially around your brow area, giving your face a tighter, more youthful expression safely, conveniently and comfortably. Enjoy a Botox treatment alone, or schedule one with your next cleaning or your upcoming cosmetic dental enhancement.