Our Services at DENTISTE

Dentiste Kirkland, serving Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA, offers the latest in porcelain veneers.  Teeth veneers are a fantastic smile enhancement for patients wishing to change the appearance of one or more teeth. A dental veneer is an artificial, permanent porcelain shell that is bonded to the front side of a tooth and offers an excellent solution for stained, malformed, or damaged teeth. Photos below portray Dentiste Kirkland patients before and after receiving porcelain veneers:

Reasons for porcelain veneers

Many people are unsatisfied with the appearance of their teeth for some of the following reasons:

Enamel wear down:  Over the years, teeth enamel (hard white substance covering the teeth) becomes worn, dull, and discolored.  Worn down enamel is often a result of consumption habits.  Soft drinks, tea, coffee and smoking are all common factors of enamel wear down.  

Damaged or uneven teeth: With years of chewing, teeth naturally wear down as people age. Over time, teeth are more likely to experience chips, cracks or a generally uneven appearance.  Teeth grinding, often caused my stress, can also be a source of tooth damage and unevenness.

Gaps between teeth: Some people are genetically predisposed to diastemas (gaps between teeth).  As a person ages, these gaps tend to grow wider.

Benefits of porcelain veneers

Teeth veneers can effectively close diastemas, lengthen and reshape teeth, repair chipped, broken, or misshapen teeth, and cover stains and discolorations. Receiving porcelain veneers has several advantages over other tooth restoration procedures. Porcelain is an extremely durable material with a color, translucence, and texture that is similar to tooth enamel. Porcelain veneers are not susceptible to decay and resist staining while maintaining a natural appearance.  For patients in the Kirkland and Bellevue area experiencing any of the mentioned dental issues, Dentiste Kirkland offers the highest-quality porcelain veneers to solve your aesthetic dental needs.  Dr. McKinney and the Dentiste Kirkland staff can help you achieve a brilliant smile with beautifully aligned, shapely teeth.  

Dentiste Kirkland, serving Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA, offers the latest in teeth whitening. Everyone loves a bright, white smile but years of chewing, acidic properties in food, and trauma from injury cause millions of micro-cracks in tooth enamel.  These cracks gradually fill with debris causing teeth stain.  Whitening teeth to remove tooth stains helps you achieve a luminous white smile.

What causes teeth stain?

Age: There is a direct correlation between teeth color and age. Over the years, teeth darken as a result of enamel wear down and stain accumulation.  As people get older, tooth stains become more dense which is why teenagers are more likely to experience immediate, dramatic results from teeth whitening compared to people in their forties and fifties. 

Consumption habits: Habitual consumption of red wine, coffee, tea, and other rich-colored food and beverages causes considerable tooth stain over the years.  Acidic foods such as citrus fruits and vinegar also contribute to teeth stain.  Nicotine in cigarettes produce brown-colored deposits that seep into the teeth and cause discoloration.

Trauma to the mouth: Injuries to the mouth can produce sizable cracks in tooth enamel which collect large amounts of debris.  Teeth grinding, mostly caused by stress, can result in micro-cracking of tooth enamel.  


Professional teeth whitening versus at-home teeth whitening

While over the counter teeth whitening products are cheaper than professional whitening, the results are not nearly as effective.  Store bought teeth whitening kits contain bleaching gels with lower concentrations than that of professionally dispensed whiteners.  Therefore, whitening teeth at home can take much longer and will not deliver the same results as professional teeth whitening.  The high-quality products offered by Dentiste Kirkland can remove deep teeth stains that over the counter teeth whitener simply cannot penetrate.  Dr. McKinney and the Dentiste Kirkland staff will help you select the proper concentration level of whitening to meet your own special needs. 

 
Dentiste Kirkland is committed to providing exceptional customer service and excellent dental care in Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA.  Contact Dentiste Kirkland today for more information on teeth whitening or any other of our dental care products and dental treatments.

Dentiste Kirkland, serving Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA area, offers the latest in tooth filling, onlay, and dental crown.  Should one or more of your teeth require restoration, Dentiste Kirkland will provide you with a variety of dental treatment options to restore your teeth to optimum dental and aesthetic health. All of our restorations are designed to look like natural teeth. They include, but are not limited to, composite filling (tooth-colored filling), porcelain onlays and crowns.

 

Filling

A tooth filling can repair tooth fractures, tooth decay, and damages to the tooth surface.  Enamel loss is a common factor of tooth decay and can result in tooth sensitivity.  Tooth filling can significantly improve or completely eliminate tooth sensitivity from enamel loss.  Tooth filling also evens out tooth surface for better biting and chewing.     

Onlay

Onlays can often be used in place of traditional dental fillings to treat various damages to the teeth. Onlays offer a well-fitting, long lasting, and strong reparative solution to tooth decay and other tooth problems. Whereas dental fillings are molded into place within the mouth during a dental visit, onlays are fabricated indirectly in a dental lab before being fitted and bonded to the damaged tooth. Tooth restoration from onlays is both aesthetically and functionally beneficial.

Crown

Dental crowns, also known as “caps,” preserve the functionality of damaged teeth. Crowns may be used to protect a cracked tooth, restore functionality of a tooth damaged by decay, or replace a pre-existing crown.



Dentiste Kirkland is committed to providing exceptional customer service and excellent dental care in Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA area. Contact Dentiste Kirkland today for more information on teeth filling, onlays, crowns or any other of our dental care products and dental treatments.

Dentiste Kirkland, serving Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA, offers the latest in intraoral imaging. With intra oral radiography, Dr. McKinney is able to show patients images of their teeth at up to 150x magnification.  This is done by placing a highly advanced sensor inside the patient’s mouth to scan the entire mouth and capture an image of the oral cavity.   

Benefits of intraoral imaging 

Dentiste Kirkland is committed to providing exceptional customer service and excellent dental care in Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA.  Contact Dentiste Kirkland today for more information on intra-oral imagining or any other of our dental care products and dental treatments.

Dentiste Kirkland, serving Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA, offers the latest in dental laser treatment. Laser dentistry is a precise and effective way to perform many dental procedures. Laser treatment is especially ideal for anxious patients as it is proven to be very safe and comfortable. 


Reasons for laser treatment

Gummy smile: Dental lasers can reshape gum tissue to expose healthy tooth structure.  Dentiste Kirkland can painlessly shorten gums and improve the appearance of a gummy smile. Photos below portray a Dentiste Kirkland patient before and after receiving gum re-contouring laser treatment:

              Before                           After


Cold sores: Dental lasers reduce pain associated with cold sores and minimize healing time. If you suffer from cold sores, contact Dentiste Kirkland immediately when you feel it coming on and we can remove it.

Periodontal issues: Laser treatment has been shown to actually regenerate bone and help prevent gum disease.


Benefits of laser treatment

During laser procedures, damage to surrounding tissue is minimized. The high-energy light beam from a laser aids in the clotting of exposed blood vessels.    Subsequently, the light beam sterilizes the area being treated and bacterial infections are minimized.  Wounds heal much quicker and damaged tissue can regenerate.  Procedures performed using soft tissue dental lasers may not require sutures (stitches) and certain laser dental procedures do not require anesthesia.

Dentiste Kirkland, serving Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA, offers the latest in dental implants.  It is now possible to replace missing teeth with dental implant post restored with beautiful porcelain crowns. This is an excellent alternative to placing a dental bridge.  Photos below portray a Dentiste Kirkland patient before and after receiving dental implants: 

 

Benefits of dental implants

A dental implant is stronger and more durable than its restorative counterparts, bridge and dentures. Dental implants are also a permanent solution to tooth loss. Additionally, an implant may be used in conjunction with other restorative procedures for maximum effectiveness.  Implants can also be used to support a dental bridge for the replacement of multiple missing teeth, and can be used with dentures to increase stability and reduce gum tissue irritation.  Dental implants are the most durable and functionally effective options for the treatment of missing teeth.  Regardless of the nature of problems related to tooth loss, dental implants are a proven solution for the restoration of all necessary functionality of the teeth and supporting structures. 

Dentiste Kirkland is committed to providing exceptional customer service and excellent dental care in Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA.  Contact Dentiste Kirkland today for more information on dental implants or any other of our dental care products and dental treatments.

Dentiste Kirkland, serving Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA, offers a FREE consultation for Invisalign, the latest in teeth straightening technology. Invisalign uses 3D computer imaging to fabricate a series of customized, removable, clear trays to straighten teeth into a more healty and aesthetically pleasing position. Invisalign is a wonderful alternative for patients wanting to straighten teeth without braces. Invisaligh can give you the smile you want without the metal you don't.  Come in today for a free consultation with Dr. McKinney to see if Invisalign is right for you. 

www.invisalign.com

How does Invisalign work?

The Invisalign system consists of a series of nearly invisible, removable trays that you change every two weeks for a new set.  Every tray is custom designed for your teeth and your teeth only. As you replace each aligner, your teeth will move little by little until they have straightened to the final position prescribed by Dr. McKinney.  In time, you will see your teeth transform into a healthy, beautiful smile.

What will Invisalign treat?

Invisalign can be used to successfully treat a wide range of dental problems including crooked, crowded or awkwardly spaced teeth.  Invisalign can also correct more complex issues such as overbites, underbites, and even crossbites.

Invisalign verses traditional dental braces

Invisalign is clear and virtually invisible (even up close) so most people won’t even notice you’re straightening your teeth.  There are no metal wires or brackets, so no need to worry about mouth irritations.  The aligners are comfortable to wear and can be easily removed for eating, drinking, tooth brushing and flossing.  The ability to remove the trays is an advantage other orthodontic treatments don’t offer.  Invisalign is made to fit your lifestyle, not restrict it!  Invisalign can give you the smile you’ve always wanted without people even noticing you’re going through treatement.  

Dentiste Kirkland, serving Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA, provides nitrous oxide (AKA laughing gas) for most dental procedures. Inhaled through the nose for the duration of your appointment, nitrous oxide gas can help promote a more relaxed state and consequently, a more positive dental experience.

Benefits of nitrous

Nitrous oxide is one of the safest anesthetics available.  After a dental procedure is complete, a patient is given pure oxygen to breathe for about five minutes and all the effects of sedation from the nitrous oxide are reversed.  Unlike IV sedation or general anesthesia, patients treated with nitrous oxide can almost always leave the office by themselves, without an escort.  Dentists find nitrous oxide especially useful for fearful patients as well as young children.  A patient who was anxious just a minute or two before treatment will suddenly become relaxed and calm. Because nitrous oxide is so effective, dentists rarely need to prescribe Valium for anxious patients before treatment. 

Dentiste Kirkland is committed to providing exceptional customer service and excellent dental care in Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA.  Contact Dentiste Kirkland today for more information on nitrous oxide or any other of our dental care products and dental treatments.

Dentiste Kirkland, serving Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA, offers the latest in digital radiography. Digital radiography is a form of x-ray imaging where digital x-ray sensors are used instead of traditional photographic film.  This is truly instant gratification. You will be able to watch a digital image of your teeth pop up on the monitor seconds after the button is pushed.

Digital radiography versus traditional x-ray

Digital radiography is much more time efficient as it bypasses the chemical processing required for traditional photographic film.  Digital images can be enhanced and transferred easily.  Digital radiography delivers images at higher resolution than traditional x-ray film and are stored in your digital chart. Chemical waste associated with film processing is eliminated. Most significantly, you are exposed to only 1/10th the typical dental x-ray dosage. 

Dentiste Kirkland is committed to providing exceptional customer service and excellent dental care in Kirkland WA and Bellevue WA.  Contact Dentiste Kirkland today for more information on nitrous oxide or any other of our dental care products and dental treatments.