Kathleen used to be leery of dentists. Previous unpleasant experiences kept her from seeing the dentist for several years until she could no longer ignore her problems. Today, however, thanks to the compassion of Nicole M. Armour, DMD, and her friendly staff in Newtown, Kathleen no longer fears the dental chair.
“My first visit with Dr. Armour was an emergency visit for an abscessed tooth,” says Kathleen, who works in Newtown. “She calmed me down within the first few minutes. Her personality makes you feel incredibly comfortable in the chair, even when you know it’s the last place you want to be.
“Between the cosmetic and general dentistry that Dr. Armour has provided me over the last three years,” she continues, “I couldn’t be happier with the work that I’ve had done.”
Such stories are commonplace in Dr. Armour’s practice.
As a premier provider of general and cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Armour offers a wide range of restorative and cosmetic services—from routine checkups to full-mouth reconstruction. Dr. Armour has nearly 20 years of pre-and post-doctoral experience in the dental field. Prior to founding her own practice, Dr. Armour served as clinical faculty at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and clinical attending at Massachusetts General Hospital while practicing dentistry in Boston. She returned to Bucks County to be closer to her family.
Like Kathleen, many of Dr. Armour’s patients pursue cosmetic treatment after several years of consideration. Most patients simply decide that it is finally the right time to improve their smile, while others seek a makeover in advance of a special occasion such as a wedding or reunion. The most popular question they have is, “What does this process entail?”
Each cosmetic treatment process begins with a consultation, where the patient and doctor have a thorough discussion about the patient’s desired outcomes. Dr. Armour and her team perform an analysis of the patient’s face, jaw and teeth, create study models and take photographs along with any necessary digital X-rays, which limit the exposure of radiation by approximately 80 percent compared to traditional X-rays.
“We use the consultation to identify the patient’s desires and limitations and develop the most conservative and healthy plan that will help them achieve their goals,” Dr. Armour says. “After the plan is created, the patient and I have a follow-up meeting where we review their options. In some cases, we order a model wax-up so that they can actually see the projected outcome. This serves as a guide of what they may want to modify before we even get started with the actual procedure. It also creates confidence that they will be getting what they want.”
Following the consultation, patients will typically receive in-office “Zoom!” teeth whitening, which comes with customized bleaching trays for at-home touchups. After the patient achieves their desired level of whitening, Dr. Armour then prepares the teeth for final restoration. For a period of time, patients wear temporary acrylic veneers or crowns while the lab fabricates the final custom restorations. Dr. Armour notes the practice’s utilization of a premium lab.
“My lab technician is a collaborative artist. All porcelain work is hand-crafted and hand-stained,” she says. “We have the ability to match shade, translucency and other details to seamlessly blend with adjacent teeth. No one should know that you have had anything done. It’s a highly unique process that we have refined and is something I believe truly sets our practice apart from others.”
Kathleen can attest to that fact. After Kathleen regularly visited the practice for routine checkups and cleanings, she finally decided upon cosmetic treatment to correct her mismatched smile.
“I never liked my smile,” Kathleen says. “My front teeth were all a different color, and I absolutely hated the way they looked. Dr. Armour had done root canals and filled cavities for me, and we eventually discussed fixing my front upper teeth. I had my teeth whitened, followed by porcelain restorations over my teeth.”
For patients who may still be experiencing anxiety prior to their procedure, the practice offers nitrous oxide, often referred to as “laughing gas,” to ease their nerves. “Our practice does work with many anxious patients,” Dr. Armour states. “When a patient comes in for the first time feeling nervous, we focus our consultation time on talking and listening to build a mutually friendly relationship. Though we do offer nitrous oxide, we notice patients generally don’t need it after getting comfortable and getting to know us.”
Depending on the procedure, the timing of each treatment varies. More complex procedures such as dental implants, for example, could take up to six months to complete, as the patient waits for the surrounding bone to completely integrate with the implant. In the interim, the patient will wear customized temporary crowns or prosthetics.
“Some cases can be completed fairly quickly and those patients are surprised that they didn’t consider doing the work sooner,” Dr. Armour says. “Other cases are more complex, requiring additional steps, such as Invisalign clear braces or gum recontouring.” Either way, a perfect outcome cannot be rushed so Dr. Armour’s practice offers evening hours and two Saturdays per month to help with efficiency and convenience in completing treatment.
Of course, regular cleanings, checkups and proper home care are vital to prolonging the life of dental restorations. Often an occlusal nightguard is made to fit over the teeth for patients who clench or grind. Patients can also continue whitening at home about twice a year in their custom trays to maintain their new whiter smile.
Patients such as Kathleen experienced zero negative side effects after her procedure. In fact, she received quite a few compliments on her smile.
“People don’t even know I had work done,” she says. “When I look at my teeth I can’t tell which ones are the crowns in comparison to my actual teeth. I never knew how wonderful getting my teeth fixed would truly make me feel.”
Even small changes can make a “huge difference,” according to Dr. Armour. “‘Conservative’ and ‘natural’ are key thoughts in my mind when I design any case plan. It’s a valuable investment in yourself that has a positive impact on your relationships, career and self-esteem. The most common thing I hear my patients say is that they wish they had done this sooner.”
Nicole M. Armour, DMD, LLC
12 Penns Trail, Suite B
Newtown, PA 18940
215-860-4141
www.armourdentistry.com
Photograph by Jody Robinson
