It takes a real artist to work with Empress crowns. The material is fairly translucent, which is what makes it so beautiful. But it takes a dentist with a firm grasp of color principles to do it right. Empress crowns also have to be bonded to the teeth in order to attain their full strength. These high-tech bonding procedures require additional training beyond dental school.

The case on the right was one of many performed by Dr. Nelson. Study the "after" photograph closely. Can you tell which teeth are crowns?

Cosmetic dentistry is a definitive part of the arsenal of looking your very best regardless of your age. For those of us who are gaining wisdom (think getting older) restoring and improving your smile is one of the easier to do anti-aging antidotes. For all you youngsters out there, you can improve your smile and maintain your youthful appearance for many years to come.