Dr. James R. Osborne
Cosmetic, Preventative & Family Dentistry
 

A dazzling smile can be a great source of pride and self-confidence. Unfortunately, most people are not born with perfect teeth. However, you no longer have to live with an imperfect smile thanks to tremendous advancements made in cosmetic dentistry materials over the past decade.

Dr. Osborne is extensively trained in modern cosmetic dentistry procedures and uses the most advanced technology and best lab available. From subtle smile enhancement to dramatic smile makeovers, Dr. Osborne is qualified to handle all levels of smile restorations. He welcomes difficult cases, often receiving new patient referrals from other dentists.

If you are considering smile enhancement through cosmetic dentistry, contact Dr. Osborne to arrange an initial consultation. He will listen to your desires and expectations and construct a personalized treatment plan designed to accomplish your unique goals.

Teeth Whitening

No matter how well you care for your teeth, it is likely that your teeth will darken over time. ZOOM!™ in-office teeth whitening system can remove years of discoloration in just one visit! "But," Dr. Osborne says, "to maintain the whiteness of the ZOOM!™ program, I strongly recommend continuing to bleach occasionally with the ZOOM!™ gel at home. This is the only way to maintain the whiteness of the ZOOM!™ program, I have found."

In addition to the in-office whitening system, Dr. Osborne also offers a convenient take-home system that allows you to lighten and brighten your teeth on your schedule. Dr. Osborne prepares comfortable plastic trays and a special bleaching gel. The trays need to be worn for a few hours each day or at night for about two weeks. You will notice significant whitening within a day or two. At the end of the treatment, you can expect your teeth to be six to eight shades lighter. With proper oral hygiene, your teeth will remain dazzling white for several years.

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Tooth Colored Fillings

Sometimes teeth will be subject to plaque and bacteria that eat through the tooth enamel, invading the tooth dentin and causing a cavity. When a cavity does not invade a large portion of the tooth, it can be restored by placing a filling into the hole where the cavity was located. For years, fillings have been made of amalgam (a silver-like metal) which is very strong and long lasting. In recent years, most patients want to have the filling made of a composite resin material which is tooth colored. Composite fillings appear as a natural tooth and are strong and long lasting as well. Almost all of the fillings Dr. Osborne does are made of this material.

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Porcelain Veneers

Regardless of where you come from or what you do in the world, your smile is a very important form of communication. It instantly portrays your personality, self-image, and how you feel about the people you are with.

Veneers can improve your appearance and your health if:

  • you have chipped, cracked or worn teeth
  • you have crooked or crowded teeth
  • you have stained or discolored teeth
  • you have missing teeth
  • you have excessive or uneven gums
  • you have old and unsightly fillings or crowns
 

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Becky is a retired school teacher. Another dentist suggested that she needed braces to give her a better smile. She did not want to wear braces. Dr. Osborne treated 23 of her teeth with porcelain veneers and crowns. Now her teeth are straight, bright, and attractive for the rest of her life. This just took three appointments with our office.
 

Porcelain veneer treatment, as seen on ABC's Extreme Makeover Show, is the ultimate in cosmetic treatment. Porcelain veneers are thin, customized laminates that are permanently bonded to the front of the teeth in order to mask tooth imperfections. Because Dr. Osborne uses the highest quality of materials and the very best lab he has found in the country, his porcelain veneers are very translucent (as are natural teeth) and completely indistinguishable from natural teeth. All of his veneer treatments are comfortable (with the correct bite), fit under the gums (no ugly gum margins), and appear natural (no 'chicklets'-as Dr. Osborne refers to opaque veneers).

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Porcelain Crowns

A crown is a special dental restoration that covers or "caps" a tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve the tooth's appearance. It is challenging to see the difference between a porcelain crown placed on a front tooth and a porcelain veneer. "I choose between these two treatments based on your dental needs," says Dr. Osborne.

We might recommend a crown to:

  • replace a large filling when there isn't enough tooth remaining
  • protect a weak tooth from fracturing
  • restore a broken tooth
  • attach a bridge
  • cover a dental implant
  • cover a poorly shaped tooth
  • cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment
 

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Herbert is retired. He had a 40 year old gold inlay in his front tooth and discolored teeth on either side of the inlay. Dr. Osborne made three porcelain crowns for him which match the other crowns in his mouth. He is such a nice man and so appreciative of our treatment.
 

All of the crowns Dr. Osborne makes are porcelain and are made of the strongest and most translucent materials on the market. As with porcelain veneers, Dr. Osborne uses the best lab he has found in the country. He will only put in a crown which fits (no bite problems), is translucent (looks natural), and which shows no ugly gum margin.

One Appointment Crowns

Utilizing the same cad-cam 3D technology that is used in manufacturing and by NASA, Dr. Osborne can design and make crowns and fillings on the newest CEREC machine as you watch! Once designed, the machine sends a message to the milling unit, and your filling or crown is cut by a diamond needle from a piece of the toughest and most translucent grade of porcelain material in existence. Once milled, which takes about 15 minutes, Dr. Osborne inserts your crown or filling in your mouth and you are finished. Completely finished in one visit! "Everyone has been totally satisfied," says Dr. Osborne.

 

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Replacing Missing Teeth

Missing teeth can cause your mouth to sag, your teeth to move, and your face to look older. If you are missing one or more teeth, Dr. Osborne recommends replacing these teeth with a fixed bridge, removable partial denture, or surgically inserting a dental implant.

Fixed Dental Bridges

A dental bridge consists of an artificial tooth or teeth permanently anchored into place by two porcelain crowns, which are placed over the adjacent natural teeth. Once the bridge is fused into place between the two crowns, it cannot be removed. The replacement tooth is called a pontic. Dr. Osborne's bridges are totally translucent and natural-looking, and cannot be distinguished from your real teeth. With proper care, dental bridges will remain beautiful and functional for many years.

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Removable Partial Dentures

Removable partial dentures replace missing teeth and are fastened to your natural teeth with special clasps or attachments. Made with the highest quality materials, Dr. Osborne's removable partial dentures cannot be distinguished from your real teeth. The design of the removable partial denture depends upon which natural teeth are remaining in your mouth. It would be the last resort for you before having all your teeth replaced by a full denture.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are a surgical procedure used to replace missing teeth. Placing dental implants is a two-part procedure. During the first part of the process, a specialist dentist surgically implants one or more anchors into the jawbone. Over the next six months, the anchors integrate with the jaw as the bone and gums heal around them. After the gums have healed, Dr. Osborne attaches posts to the anchors. These posts protrude out of the gum. Beautiful porcelain teeth are fastened to the posts, completing the dental implants.

Although they require a more invasive procedure, dental implants are the treatment of choice to fill in missing teeth. While they should last a lifetime, the decision to have dental implants must be made after Dr. Osborne has examined the strength of your bone. Without sufficient bone strength, surgically implanting these anchors is not recommended.

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Dr. James R. Osborne
2511 Oakcrest Avenue,
Greensboro, NC 27408
Ph: (336) 282-2868
Fax: (336) 282-8144
www.gsodentist.com

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Our Comprehensive Services Include: