People are often surprised when I tell them that making dentures is the best training for cosmetic dentistry. In order to do a great denture a wide range of issues in both understanding and execution must be mastered. The edges of the upper front teeth must be placed very precisely in order to look natural. The gumline must be placed so as not to display too much or too little. The tooth size should not be too big or too small. The teeth must fill the frame of the smile without overextending into the corners of the mouth too far. The teeth need a balance between a generalized evenness and some localized irregularities in order to avoid an artificial look. The whole arch must be level in the head with the teeth vertical and centered around the midline. And that’s just the upper arch. When we add the lower teeth things really get interesting. Patients need to be able to speak clearly, chew well, and have comfortable joints. All of this must be figured out without any existing teeth as guides and often the patient's shrinking jawbone further complicates determining where the teeth should be placed.

This same mastery is just as critical for the cosmetic aspects of all restorative dentistry including dental implants, crowns, porcelain veneers, bonding, bridges, and sometimes even teeth whitening. A dentist who masters these many challenges successfully can produce a cosmetically beautiful smile that is also natural looking, healthy, long lasting, functional, and comfortable. Patients should never be satisfied with just a smile makeover when modern dentistry offers them so much more.

Dr. Jim Hinkle II

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Cosmetic Dentists in Alameda, California • Porcelain Veneers, Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry, Crowns & Bridges, Dental Implants, Teeth Whitening • Cosmetic Dentist Oakland • Restorative Dentistry Oakland • Restorative Dentistry San Francisco • Restorative Dentistry Berkeley • Cosmetic Dentist Berkeley • Cosmetic Dentist Piedmont • Cosmetic Dentist Walnut Creek • San Francisco Implant Dentist • Restorative Dentistry California

Cosmetic dentistry in the Alameda Oakland California area serving patients from Alameda - Oakland - Alameda County - Montclair District - Berkeley - San Leandro

I was once asked, “If a dentist does not advertise as being a cosmetic dentist, does this mean they only do ugly dentistry?” The answer, of course is, no. To my thinking dentistry is multidimensional requiring a good understanding of mechanical principals, functional challenges, biologic health, dental materials, and aesthetic principals. One solution doesn’t fit all as might be suggested by the “extreme makeover” approach to dental treatment sometimes seen on television. Celebrity dentists often offer no diagnosis or evaluation of risk/prognosis, and too often the treatment is predictably the same—teeth whitening and “Let’s see…will it be 10 or 12 DaVinci veneers this time?” This approach is bound to be hit and miss depending on factors the patient brings to the equation. For instance, how is the patient’s hygiene? Is this treatment increasing the potential for future decay or aggravating existing gum problems? Does it enhance the patient’s oral health as well as looks? Is the patient a tooth grinder or is the bite off? If so, then lengthening worn teeth based solely on appearance may force a constriction upon a chewing or grinding pattern that will predispose the cosmetic work to chipping, fracturing, or loosening of the underlying teeth. Not to mention it could result in discomfort for the patient. This is sort of like rebuilding a trailer park in a known tornado pathway. It is usually only a matter of time before the destruction recurs and the patient becomes unhappy.

Dr. Jim Hinkle II
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NOTE: Dr. Hinkle is a Distinquished Mentor from Seattle-based "Creating Restorative Excellence, Inc". Dr. Hinkle is recognized as a top cosmetic and restorative dentist serving patients in the San Francisco and East Bay areas including Oakland, Alameda, San Leandro, Berkeley, Fremont, Orinda, Moraga, Walnut Creek, Albany, Hayward, Emeryville, and San Francisco.

Dr. Hinkle's services in the field of state-of-the-art cosmetic dentistry are comprehensive and include: 'Opalescence' the "gold standard" of teeth whitening done in one one-hour appointment • take-home professional strength teeth whitening • porcelain veneers • bonding • implant dentistry (including grafting in our office) • porcelain crown • gold crown • teeth straightening • clear braces for adults • tooth colored fillings • partial and full denture • fixed bridges • more than just a Smile Makeover • More...