Cosmetic dentistry has a very simple definition. It is that branch of dentistry dealing with the appearance of your teeth. It handles the modification of your smile and anything having to do with how your teeth and gums look in terms of the length, shape, color, alignment and proportion. This is made possible with porcelain and composite tooth colored materials perfectly designed to intimately match your tooth structure.

Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, specializes in high-tech modification, "With cosmetic imaging you can see the future of your smile before you begin. Also, I have a personal lab so I can customize your smile with any of those last minute adjustments you desire, instantly."

Restorative dentistry is the art of reproducing a tooth that has been lost. Porcelain crowns are primarily the most common restoration, however dental implants fit this category as well. "When we send something precious out to be restored we expect it to look like the day we bought it when the work is done.", explains Dr. Maddahi. He uses the Shade Vision camera to correctly adjust coloring to perfection. With a computerized camera aimed at the tooth the Shade Vision System reads off the variations of hue, value, and color of each tooth to map the shade of the porcelain restoration exactly while saving the reading on the computer screen. "The only way that I am certain that I can get a perfect natural match is with the Shade Vision System.", Dr. Maddahi explains. "Sitting in my dental chair, you are surrounded by the most advanced dental technology available. Much of these have never before been found in a dentist's office."

The word veneer is French in origin and in dentistry means to furnish the tooth with a thin layer of restorative material in order to improve the appearance of the look of a tooth or protect a damaged tooth surface. Veneers are made best from porcelain and have the advantage of very good aesthetics with minimal tooth preparation. It is also easy to correct teeth that are incorrectly positioned with veneers in most cases rather than correcting with braces or even in conjunction with braces.

There are two types of dental veneers; porcelain veneers and composite veneers. Both porcelain and composite veneers may be created in the laboratory by a technician and are thin layers of restorative material with an aesthetic or protective purpose. Composite veneers can also be done in the office in one appointment.

Porcelain veneers are the veneers of choice for several reasons. They have the benefit of correcting flawed teeth, such as making them thicker and straighter, without the use of orthodontics. Sometimes orthodontics is combined with veneers to create the full aesthetic effect. Porcelain veneers advertised advantage is that they are less likely to stain, more durable when bonded to tooth structure and will not fracture like composite veneers. Dr. Maddahi says, "Color, shape, form, and alignment are all possible with porcelain veneers. But most notably porcelain veneers are the cosmetic dentist's veneers of choice because they create a very life-like appearance due to their luster and translucency, which is unachievable with composites."

Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, has been specializing in creating beautiful, natural smiles for 20 years and is located in Beverly Hills at 436 N. Roxbury Drive, Suite 202 and can be reached at 310-888-7797.