Cosmetic dentistry
Brilliant Cosmetic Dental Procedures
Teeth Whitening, Dental Crown, Fillings and Dental Implant at Mill Creek Family Dental, 3667 Braddock Drive in Lafayette, with the cost talked through before any work begins.
Chapter 01
Teeth whitening, and what it can and cannot change
Teeth whitening is the simplest of the four cosmetic procedures Mill Creek Family Dental lists, and the one people ask about first. It works on the natural enamel of your teeth, lightening the stains that coffee, tea, red wine and years of ordinary life leave behind. If your teeth have dulled and you would like them a few shades brighter, a conversation with Dr. Matt Cronkhite is the place to start.
Whitening has limits worth hearing before you begin. It lightens natural tooth structure only. Crowns, fillings and other dental work do not bleach, so a whitened smile can leave an older crown or filling looking darker than the teeth beside it. How light your teeth can get also depends on the kind of stain and where it sits in the tooth, and some people notice sensitivity for a short time afterward. None of that is a reason to skip whitening. It is a reason to plan it in the right order.
At 3667 Braddock Drive, the place to begin is a conversation and a look at your teeth. Dr. Cronkhite can tell you what whitening can realistically do for you, point out any existing dental work that will not change shade, and talk through the cost before anything begins. The practice does not post prices online, so the number comes from that conversation, ahead of treatment. Call 765-471-6025 and ask the front desk about whitening in Lafayette.
A porcelain shade guide of tooth-colored tabs laid on grey linen next to a dental mirror
A dental crown or filling that matches the tooth beside it
A dental crown and a filling both appear on the practice's list of cosmetic procedures, because both are visible. A crown covers a tooth that has been damaged or weakened. A filling repairs a cavity or a chip. Either one sits in plain view every time you smile or laugh, and the goal is that nobody, including you, can pick it out from the teeth around it.
Matching is a matter of color, shape and fit. The new tooth should read as part of the same family as its neighbors: the same shade, the same shape along the edge, and the same clean way of meeting the tooth next door and the gum below. Natural teeth are not one flat color, which is why it pays to look closely at the tooth beside the repair before anything is decided. If you are also thinking about whitening, say so early, since new work is matched to the teeth you have on the day.
Dr. Cronkhite explains the diagnosis, the recommended treatment and your options, and the team reviews the cost and your estimated insurance benefits before moving forward. Mill Creek Family Dental is an in-network preferred provider for Delta Dental, Cigna, MetLife and Anthem, and the practice has partnered with CareCredit for financing. If a tooth in the front of your mouth has bothered you for a while, call 765-471-6025 and ask for a look.
Chapter 03
A dental implant as the cosmetic answer to a gap
A missing tooth changes more than a smile. A gap can shift how you chew, how you speak and how willing you are to laugh in a photograph. A dental implant replaces the missing tooth from the root up: a small post that sits in the jaw, with a crown attached on top. When it is done well, it looks and works like the tooth that was lost.
Implants are not the only answer to a gap. A bridge or a removable denture can also replace missing teeth, and Mill Creek Family Dental offers both, along with crowns and bridgework on its general dentistry list. Which one suits you depends on your mouth, your health and what you want from the result. Dr. Cronkhite lays the options out, explains what he recommends and why, and leaves the decision with you.
Because an implant is a bigger commitment than a whitening visit, the cost conversation matters more here. The practice goes through the diagnosis and the cost of treatment with you before moving forward, and reviews your estimated insurance benefits. If there is a gap in your smile in Lafayette that you have been working around, call 765-471-6025 and ask about a dental implant.
“Courteous and attentive treatment. Plus, I was informed at every step about cost and procedure. I am very impressed.” Renee N., in a note left with the practice. Call 765-471-6025.