There are many ways to renew your smile with cosmetic dentistry. For example, you can quickly and easily brighten your smile with in-office or take-home teeth whitening treatment. Other cosmetic procedures can conceal or repair a wide range of issues, including cracked or chipped teeth. At our dental office in Washington, DC, Dr. Ralph Mazzuca can recommend specific cosmetic dentistry procedures to help you achieve the smile you desire—read on to learn about just some of our options.

Cosmetic Fillings

Cosmetic fillings are an aesthetically pleasing option for filling cavities. The filling material can be color-matched to your existing tooth color so that the filling easily blends in, making it unnoticeable to others. Once the cavity is treated and filled, no one will even be able to tell the difference between the cosmetic filling and your tooth. Existing metal fillings can also be replaced with cosmetic fillings for a more subtle look.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a cosmetic dentistry option for repairing cracked or chipped teeth, closing small gaps between teeth, or improving the shape oddly-shaped teeth. Bonding can even be used to conceal discolorations on teeth. A tooth-colored resin material is applied directly to the problem area. The resin permanently bonds with the tooth as it dries. At our office for cosmetic dentistry in Washington, DC, our skilled dentist can determine if dental bonding is the best procedure for creating the smile you desire.

Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are thin laminate covers for teeth with cosmetic flaws, such as chips, cracks, or stains. Veneers are placed against the front surface of problem teeth to give them a flawless appearance. Each veneer is custom created so that it fits perfectly in place on its corresponding tooth. Veneers look and function like natural teeth so all that anyone will notice is your flawless smile.

Teeth Whitening

Professional teeth whitening is a quick and easy way to completely renew your smile. Professional whitening is available as an in-office procedure or as a take-home treatment. In-office whitening delivers the fastest results. Your smile could be up to eight shades whiter after a single office visit. Take-home whitening kits produce noticeable results after a few treatments and are a convenient option for those who prefer to whiten their teeth in the comfort of their own home.

Interested? Give Us a Call

Cosmetic dentistry makes it easy to renew your smile. A variety of procedures are available to help you achieve your desired results. To learn more about the different cosmetic dentistry options available at our office in Washington, DC, schedule an appointment with Dr. Mazzuca by calling (202) 537-1088.

A root canal from your dentist in Washington D.C. can relieve your tooth pain

You’ve probably heard a lot about root canal treatment, but did you know it can save your smile? It’s true! When you undergo root canal therapy, it can relieve tooth pain for good and still allow you to keep your smile intact. Dr. Ralph T. Mazzuca in Washington D.C. offers a full range of dental services, including root canal therapy to save your smile.

More about Root Canal Treatment

You may need a root canal because you have suffered an injury to the face or acquired severe tooth decay. In these scenarios, the innermost layer of your tooth (where the nerves and the blood supply are located) has become infected, causing inflammation, fluid build-up, pressure, and pain. The only way to relieve this pressure and avoid removing the tooth is by undergoing root canal treatment.

A smile-saving procedure, root canal treatment begins with your dentist creating a small opening in the top of your compromised tooth. He will then draw the inflamed pulp tissue out through the opening and replace it with a sedative material. The sedative material then eliminates inflammation and helps to dry up the fluid inside your tooth.

Once the inflammation and pain are gone, the sedative material is removed and replaced with an inert material that is left inside your tooth. The small opening is sealed with a permanent filling, and your root canal is complete.

Need Dental Work? Give Us a Call

You deserve to enjoy a complete, healthy smile. You also deserve to enjoy a beautiful smile without annoying tooth pain. Now, you can have it all, thanks to root canal treatment from Dr. Ralph T. Mazzuca. To learn more about the benefits of root canal treatment, call your dentist in Washington D.C. today by dialing (202) 537-1088.

If you have spaces and gaps in your smile due to tooth loss, consider having them filled in with dentures. Nowadays, these specialty appliances are so realistic that others won't even be able to distinguish them from your natural teeth. Read on to learn of the different types of dentures that are available so that you can be prepared to discuss them with Dr. Ralph Mazzuca, your dentist in Washington DC.

Benefits of Dentures
Dentures aren’t just for seniors—many young to middle-aged adults can also benefit from wearing these appliances after tooth loss. Think about the advantages of being fitted for a specialty denture device:

- They allow you to eat your favorite foods again.
- They look very natural and can be shaped to resemble your original smile.
- They cover and protect your gumline throughout the day to minimize the chance of gum infections.
- They can be refitted and adjusted over time to ensure a comfortable fit.

Types of Dentures
There are two main categories of dentures—full and partial. The full dentures are created to cover the entire gumline and stay in place through tight suctioning. The partial dentures are made to fill in spaces where one or a few teeth are missing. They are anchored by the remaining teeth. Other denture types that your Washington DC dentist can provide include immediate dentures, which are placed immediately after extraction, and implant-supported dentures, which are anchored by a few well-placed dental implants.

Adjusting to and Maintaining Your New Dentures
It could take some time for you to get used to your new dentures—especially if you’ve been living with tooth loss for an extended period of time. However, you will eventually return to speaking and eating normally. It’s important to pay attention to both your dentures and your oral health by keeping everything clean with brushing and flossing (if you have remaining teeth). Your denture should be soaked in a solution recommended by your dentist each night.

Call for a Denture Consultation
Call (202) 537-1088 today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ralph Mazzuca at his office in Washington DC.

Does everyone in your home share the same dentist? Seeing a family dentist offers several important advantages that you may have never considered before. Read on to learn how your Washington, DC, dentist, Dr. Ralph Mazzuca, provides a range of family dentistry services that will help your entire household maintain healthy smiles!

Convenience

Rearranging your schedule to make room for dental checkups can be challenging if your family sees multiple dentists. You not only have to take time off from work for your visits, but you also have to arrange paid time off if you accompany family members to their appointments. Depending on your workload or commitments, finding enough time for all of these visits may cause a few headaches!

However, when you visit a family dentist, you can schedule a group checkup with back-to-back appointments. Thanks to your group appointment, you'll need less time off and won't spend hours in the car or on the train traveling to dental offices.

The care you need

Diagnosing and filling cavities is certainly an important aspect of family dentistry, but the procedure isn't the only one offered by your dentist:

Family dentists offer:

• Regular checkups and cleanings that help you lower your risk of tooth decay and gum disease
• Bonding, veneers, and crowns can all repair damage to, conceal imperfections, and change the shape and length of teeth.
• Sealants to reduce your kids' cavity risk
• Root canals to preserve inflamed or infected teeth
• Bridges, dentures, and dental implants to replace missing teeth
• Teeth whitening to remove stains that dull teeth
• Tooth-colored fillings for a more natural appearance

No age limits

You'll never hear the words, "You're too old or too young," when you see a family dentist. The dentists see the entire family, from toddlers to senior citizens—after all, they're trained to treat oral health issues that can occur at any age!

A positive experience

Family dentists offer friendly, compassionate care and understand that dental visits can be difficult for young children and people who have dental anxiety. They'll take the time to put your fears at ease and explain dental procedures in easy-to-understand language.

Protect your family's oral health with regular family dentistry visits. Call your Washington, DC, family dentist, Dr. Ralph Mazzuca, at (202) 537-1088 to schedule your appointment!

Veneers can do a lot for you, even if your smile has numerous imperfections that can’t be corrected with other types of cosmetic treatments. Let Dr. Ralph Mazzuca, a dentist serving patients in Washington, DC, model your teeth for veneers at a consultation to show you how your smile can look in a matter of weeks.

What Veneers Can Do for You
Take a close look at your smile and identify what you don’t like about it. Is it jagged edges or chips in the surface? Large or tiny gaps between the teeth? Have your teeth become severely discolored over time and you can no longer whiten them with bleaching agents? Maybe you have a few teeth that are crooked or protruding. Veneers can help with all of these issues and more. They are individual, translucent dental wafers that cover imperfections when applied with a dental bonding agent. The bonding material is shaded to best fit your smile. It doesn’t matter how flawed your front teeth are -- veneers can fix them up.

The Convenience of Veneers
It isn’t always viable to wait months or years to see a drastic improvement in the shape, positioning, or color of your smile. Veneers are a shortcut for patients who need to see a significant cosmetic change inside of a month’s time. You’ll need to visit your Washington, DC, dentist on two or three occasions to complete the treatment, then you can reveal your new smile to the world. Veneers will better your smile for about 10 or more years, and also provide you with a level of dental enamel protection.

Today's Veneers Look More Natural
Some patients are worried that veneers will make their teeth look chunky or fake. But modern veneer modeling technology allows Dr. Mazzuca to create a smile that looks natural in size, color, and the way each tooth is contoured. Be prepared for the day when you finally see how a smile makeover can brighten up your whole face and renew your self-confidence.

Enhance Your Smile
It’s worth exploring what veneers can do for you and your smile, especially if you’ve been unhappy with the way your front teeth look for some time now. Call (202) 537-1088 today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mazzuca at his office in Washington, DC!