The Invisalign Process
Your Invisalign treatment will consist of a series of aligners that you switch out about every two weeks. Each aligner is individually manufactured with exact calculations to gradually shift your teeth into place. And since your Invisalign system is custom-made for your teeth and your teeth only, with a plan devised by you and your dentist or orthodontist, you know you'll end up with a smile that truly fits.

Your treatment plan begins with a consultation. During that consultation, you and your doctor will discuss the options to treat your particular issue. Once your doctor confirms that your issue can be corrected with the Invisalign system, he will write a detailed treatment plan that determines how each of your aligners will change throughout your program. When you begin treatment, you'll wear each set of aligners in approximately two-week increments. The aligners gently move your teeth into position, and at the end of each two-week period, you "graduate" to the next set of custom aligners.

As you progress through the series of aligners, your teeth will begin moving, little by little. And you don't have to wait until you complete treatment to see your smile change-you may start seeing positive changes early in the process. You will have occasional checkups with your doctor-often as little as once every six weeks-in order to gauge your progress. And at the end of your treatment, you'll be showing off a smile you never knew you'd have before you had Invisalign.

Benefits of Invisalign
*Effective - Even before your Invisalign treatment is complete, your teeth will improve and you will begin enjoying the benefits of a better smile.

*Removability - Unlike braces, you can remove Invisalign aligners to eat, drink, brush, or floss, and for special occasions.

*Customized - Precise impressions are taken to customize your aligners so they work as effectively as possible for your teeth.

*Comfort - Edges are smooth so they will not irritate your gums or cheeks like traditional braces.

*Clarity - Invisalign aligners are virtually invisible, so no one will know that you are straightening your teeth.

Laser Dentistry
Heat and vibration are the causes of most of the pain associated with the drill. Since Hydrokinetic™ cutting does not transmit heat or vibration, THE DENTAL LASER IS THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FOR MODERN DENTISTRY.

The laser's pinpoint accuracy is precise enough that we can leave behind as much healthy tooth structure as possible, allowing you to keep your own teeth longer.

The Waterlaser™ gently performs numerous soft tissue (gums) procedures with little or no bleeding. The laser gives us a new high-tech tool for many procedures that previously required referral to a specialist. Now you can have them performed during your scheduled appointment at Tsuru Dental Care and feel better afterwards!

The Waterlaser™ prepares your teeth in a way that maximizes the bonding of tooth colored fillings, allowing them to last longer.

Laser Assisted Dentistry brings a wonderful blend of technology and comfort for the patient. Many fillings can be done without shots. Lasers are also used to improve existing dental procedures. Treatment is done faster, healing is quicker and you feel better afterwards.

Some typical Dental Laser procedures include:

* Tooth Whitening
* Dental Cleaning
* Gum Treatment
* Fillings
* Bone Recontouring
* Gum Lifts
* Esthetic Dentistry
* Surgical procedures

Who doesn't want a perfect smile? While few people have one naturally, almost anyone can get one with the help of their dentist. Thanks to advancements in modern cosmetic dental care, you can have a beautiful smile easier than ever before. Your dentist can perform procedures such as teeth whitening, veneers, crowns, and dental implants in order to give you the smile you have always dreamed of!

Whitening
Whitening your teeth can drastically change your appearance and boost your self-esteem at the same time. We can whiten your teeth in just a few treatments with our high quality whitening process. Although effective for adjusting tooth color, teeth whitening is not effective in correcting other possible dental deficiencies. Compared to teeth whitening, all-ceramic dental veneers and dental crowns can both improve the color of a person's teeth, and can correct problems like chipped, crack, or crooked teeth.

Dental Veneers
It is very common for a person to have a chipped tooth; it happens most frequently when we bite into something harder than the enamel on our teeth. Not only can a chipped tooth possibly affect our appearance, left untreated a chipped tooth can lead to future problems with the underlying root. One excellent fix for a chipped tooth is a dental veneer.

A dental veneer is a thin, all-ceramic shell, custom-made to fit over your discolored or chipped tooth. Laminates have brilliant luminous properties and look just like your natural teeth. They are completely metal-free and completely safe.

Dental Crowns
When the outside surface (or dental crown) of one of your teeth becomes damaged due to tooth decay or injury, your dentist will most likely recommend repairing it. If tooth decay has made the tooth irreparable, your dentist will likely want to replace it. Left untreated, a damaged tooth might not only affect your smile, it could also lead to further tooth decay in the underlying tooth and root, resulting in the need for a root canal or other major dental procedure.

Whether your tooth has decayed, or become injured, an all-ceramic dental crown is the most beautiful, precision-made and safe solution for replacing your damaged crown. Best of all, it looks just like your natural tooth - and is completely metal-free.

Dental Implants
Dental implants are artificial tooth replacements that are used to counter tooth loss. Although you have a number of restorative options for the treatment of missing teeth, none have proven to be as functionally effective and durable as implants. In many cases, dental implants may be the only logical choice for the restoration of all necessary functionality of the teeth and supporting structures.

Restorations
Tooth restorations are used in the restoration of existing teeth, the replacement of missing teeth, or the restoration of dental implants. They are crowns, bridges, veneer/laminates and abutments. A crown is a tooth-shaped cap fitted over an existing tooth or an implant. A bridge is two or more crowns joined together to replace a missing tooth, or teeth. Veneers/laminates are a very thin layer of porcelain fixed to the front of the tooth to improve the surface. An abutment is small fixture fitted to the top of an implant and serves as a foundation for a crown.

Dental Bonding
Dental bonding, also known as composite or tooth bonding, is an excellent way to fix cosmetic and structural imperfections in the teeth. Dental bonding can repair cracked, chipped, and discolored teeth as well as replace silver amalgam fillings. Cosmetic bonding can also repair misaligned teeth, providing a straighter, more uniform smile.

Dental implants are small screws designed to replace the root of a tooth and restore the physical appearance and the chewing function of patients with partial or full tooth loss. Dental implants are intended for use in either the upper and/or the lower jaw to support prosthetic devices, such as artificial teeth. By integrating with the jaw, they enable restorations that range from replacement of one single tooth to an entire arch of bridgework, or as stabilizing elements for overdenture applications.

Are You a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
Patients must undergo a medical evaluation to determine whether the implant placement procedure poses any health risks, and whether any factors exist that may affect the healing capacity of either their bones or their associated soft tissues.

Who can receive dental implants?
Patients who are medically fit to participate in a general oral surgical procedure.

Who should carefully consider dental implants?
Patients who have medical or other conditions that may interfere with the healing process of either their bones or soft tissues (e.g., connective tissue disorders, steroid therapy, bone infections, cigarette smoking) must carefully evaluate, with their dentists, the potential risks and benefits of using dental implants.

Precautions for Implant Treatment
Dental implants should not be used in patients that have inadequate amounts of bone to permit placement of implants in sufficient size and numbers to support their biomechanical loads. Mechanical failures, including fatigue fracture of implants, prosthetic screws, and/or abutment screws, may occur if dental implants are insufficient in size or number to support their biomechanical loads, or are not properly positioned. To reduce the risk of overload or fatigue failure, dentists must place the implants and design prosthetics to accommodate the physical or medical conditions of their patients, such as bruxism (i.e., grinding or clenching of teeth) or unfavorable jaw relationships.