Comprehensive Dental offers a full array of cosmetic dentistry services to help you create a satisfying smile. You can read more on this page about specific services.

What Sets Us Apart

• Charlottesvilles only Restorative and Periodontal Practice
• The doctors have individual specialty training to exceed your expectations
• George W. Tisdelle, DDS - advanced cosmetic training and certification
• Darlene Nicoletti, DDS, AGS post graduate - training in the treatment of gum disease and oral medicine

Cosmetic Dentistry

Problem: Stained, discolored, or dull-looking teeth
Treatment Options: Tooth Whitening (Bleaching)

Tooth Whitening
Tooth whitening is a safe and effective procedure that brightens teeth that are discolored, stained, or have been darkened because of injury. It can be performed on any tooth, even one that has had root canal treatment.

There are two types of whitening procedures. Whitening may be done completely in the dental office or an at-home system may be dispensed by the dentist for the patient to use.

Problem: Chipped, cracked or worn teeth
Treatment Options: Bonding,Veneers

Bonding
Bonding is a procedure in which tooth-colored materials are applied to the surface of a tooth. Bonding covers discolorations, repairs chips, breaks and cracks and fills in gaps. It is a virtually painless procedure that is usually completed in one visit. Periodically, it may have to be recoated or replaced, since it usually lasts from three to five years.

Veneers
Veneers are thin custom made shells made of tooth colored materials that are designed to cover the front side of teeth. They are fabricated by a dental technician, usually in a commercial dental laboratory, from a model provided by the dental office. Veneers are used to close gaps or cover teeth that are stained, poorly shaped, or slightly crooked.

Lumineers
The newest form of esthetic dentistry, Lumineers, involves bonding very thin porcelain veneers to unprepared or lightly prepared teeth. The porcelain veneer is as thin as a contact lens and is placed over existing teeth. Lumineers are a pain-free and permanent cosmetic solution to stained, chipped, or misaligned teeth.

Problem: Old, silver fillings
Treatment Options: Inlays/Onlays
Old, silver fillings can now be replaced with esthetic filling materials such as resins and porcelain fillings or crowns.

Problem: Missing teeth or general bite dysfunction
Treatment Options: Crown,Bridge Work, or Implants

Crowns & Bridges
Crown or bridge work is best for correcting major functional or structural problems with individual teeth, missing teeth or general bite dysfunction. New porcelain technology is available to replace missing and/or severely broken teeth so that no one can tell that the replacements are not real.

Implants
Implants are being used to successfully replace teeth for people in all age groups. Dental implants have enabled people to eat, smile, and speak without worrying about dentures slipping or gaps showing from missing teeth.

Preventive

Periodontal Care

Your teeth are covered with a sticky film of bacteria called plaque. Following a meal or snack, bacteria release acids that attack tooth enamel. Plaque that is not removed can eventually harden into calculus, or tartar. The gum tissue can become irritated and inflamed. Gums may become swollen or may bleed. This is called gingivitis, the initial stage of periodontal (gum) disease. Gingivitis may lead to more serious, destructive forms of periodontal disease, called periodontitis.

Gingivitis is reversible with regular dental cleanings and good care at home. Left untreated, the gums may pull away from the teeth and form pockets that usually become infected. Without treatment, bone loss will occur and teeth may become loose, fall out or require extraction.

It's possible to have periodontal disease and not have warning signs. That's why regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations are important.

Note from Surgeon General: The first-ever Surgeon General's Report on "Oral Health in America" is intended to alert Americans to the full meaning of oral health and its importance to general health and well-being. Calling oral health problems a "silent epidemic" the Surgeon General's main message is that oral health is essential to general health. "You cannot be healthy without oral health."

Respiratory and Periodontal Disease

It's possible that if you have periodontal disease, you may be at risk for respiratory disease. Infections in the mouth, like periodontal disease, are associated with increased risk of respiratory infection.

Diabetes and Periodontal Disease

For years, we've known that people with diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease than people without diabetes. Recently, research has emerged suggesting that the relationship goes both ways - periodontal disease may make it more difficult for people who have diabetes to control their blood sugar.

Controlling your periodontal disease may help you control your diabetes.

Heart and Periodontal Disease

Evidence is mounting that suggests people with periodontal disease may be more at risk for heart disease, and have nearly twice the risk of having a fatal heart attack, than patients without periodontal disease.

One out of every 5 Americans has one or more types of heart disease. If you are one of these Americans, or if you are at risk for periodontal disease, see a periodontist for a periodontal evaluation.

Women and Periodontal Disease

As your health care needs change, your oral care needs change, too. That's because your oral health and overall health are connected. Hormonal fluctuations through-out a woman's life can affect many tissues, including gum tissue. These changes may increase susceptibility to periodontal disease and require you to take special care of your oral health.

Taking care of your oral health is an important part of your overall health. Learning more about how one affects the other will help you to actively participate in your health care decisions.

Restorative

Problem: Deteriorating restorations, dull metal-based restorations
Treatment Options: Inlays,Onlays,Crowns
Old, silver and deteriorating restorations can now be replaced with esthetic filling materials such as resins and porcelain fillings or crowns.

Problem: Missing teeth or general bite dysfunction
Treatment Options: Crown,Bridge Work, or Implants

Crowns & Bridges
Crown or bridge work is best for correcting major functional or structural problems with individual teeth, missing teeth or general bite dysfunction. New porcelain technology is available to replace missing and/or severely broken teeth so that no one can tell that the replacements are not real.

Denture Wearers
If you are missing one or more teeth and would like to restore your ability to smile, speak and eat with comfort and confidence, then dental implants may be right for you.

Perhaps your dentures don't fit as securely or comfortably as they once did. Perhaps you hide your smile because of spaces from missing teeth. Or, perhaps you have loose teeth that need to be stabilized after treatment of advanced gum disease.

If any of these situations keep you from feeling good about yourself and your smile, dental implants may be a solution for you. Technological advancements in dental materials and techniques have improved the success rate of implants, enabling many patients to enjoy comfort and confidence in their oral health