Open Tuesday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Tooth contouring is the gentlest cosmetic option we offer. Sometimes a smile just needs a small adjustment. A tooth that's slightly pointier than its neighbor, an edge that's a little uneven, a corner that catches the light wrong in photos. Dr. Matthew Collins removes a tiny amount of enamel to refine the shape of your tooth, often in just one short visit. Contouring is the quiet fix most patients didn't know was possible.
Contouring works at the small end of the scale, removing the tiny imperfections that have been bothering you for years rather than rebuilding your smile.
Canine teeth that look slightly fang-like or front teeth that come to a sharp point are softened into a more natural shape.
One tooth slightly longer than its neighbor or an edge that's chipped on one side gets a quick adjustment for a balanced smile line.
Teeth that look slightly square, too rounded, or just out of harmony with your face are subtly reshaped to fit your smile.
Contouring changes shape and professional teeth whitening changes color, so the two pair well in one plan. Since contouring works on your natural enamel, whitening still lifts the reshaped teeth right along with the rest.
Most contouring appointments are quick and comfortable. Here's exactly what happens from the moment you sit in the chair.
Dr. Collins examines the tooth and explains exactly what will be reshaped. You see the plan and approve it before any work begins. We use photos and a mirror so you understand the goal.
Using a fine handpiece and gentle abrasive strips, Dr. Collins carefully removes a tiny amount of enamel. We're talking fractions of a millimeter. Most patients feel nothing at all.
The reshaped tooth is polished smooth, your bite is checked, and you see the final result. Most patients walk out within 30 minutes with a noticeably more balanced smile.
Contouring is perfect for some smile concerns and not the right fit for others. Here's when Dr. Collins typically recommends it.
If your concern is bigger than a small adjustment, dental bonding or a full smile makeover may be a better fit. Dr. Collins will tell you honestly during your consultation.
Two Rivers Dental Group provides tooth contouring for patients from Springfield and the surrounding Lane County communities. Contouring is the lightest touch in our cosmetic dentistry care and one of the quickest of our services. Our office at 1717 Centennial Blvd, Suite #3 is open Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call 541-287-7874 to schedule a quick consultation.
No. Contouring only touches the outer layer of enamel, which has no nerve endings, so most patients feel nothing at all. No anesthesia is needed in most cases, and there's no recovery afterward.
Fractions of a millimeter. Dr. Collins examines the tooth first to confirm there's plenty of healthy enamel and that reshaping is safe. If a tooth doesn't have enough enamel to spare, he'll recommend a different treatment instead.
Yes. Enamel doesn't grow back, which is exactly why the approach is so conservative. You see and approve the plan before any reshaping begins, and Dr. Collins removes the smallest amount needed to get the result.
Contouring removes a tiny amount of enamel to refine a tooth's shape, while bonding adds composite to build a tooth up. They solve opposite problems and are sometimes combined in one visit at our Springfield office: contour one edge down, bond a neighboring chip up. Because nothing is added, contouring is usually the lower-cost of the two.
Schedule a quick contouring consultation with Dr. Collins at our Springfield office. Most cases finish in a single visit.
541-287-7874