You have a misshapen or severely decayed front tooth, leaving you hesitant to smile genuinely or laugh sincerely. Healthy, white teeth make for confident, beautiful smiles; but significant decay and discoloration, as well as chips, cracks, breaks, or even missing teeth can keep us hiding in the shadows.

Dr. Fitzgerald recommends porcelain crowns to protect teeth from additional damage and to mask dental blemishes. Porcelain crowns can be exactly matched to the color of your teeth, creating a natural-looking, seamless smile solution for both esthetics and fortification.

Crowns are Placed:

• To brace a tooth weakened by cracks or breaks (often resulting from decay)
• To restore an already broken tooth
• To cap a tooth with a large filling and significant tooth loss
• To secure a dental bridge
• To cover misshapen or discolored teeth
• To finish a dental implant

The Cosmetic Benefits of Porcelain Crowns

Metal crowns and porcelain-fused-to metal dental crowns do make more durable restorations are typically used for molars and premolars. But it is a rare person who wants to walk around with a gold or silver front tooth, and the amalgamation crowns often appear gray and eventually reveal a dark line at the gum line. However, porcelain crowns are strong restorations that blend flawlessly with your natural teeth, and most dentists place porcelain crowns on any visible teeth.

If you have worn, decayed, or unsightly teeth, call Fitzgerald Dental Center today to find out more about porcelain crowns. Dr. Fitzgerald proudly creates beautiful, healthy smiles in Plano and serves patients from the surrounding cities of Frisco, Allen, McKinney, and Dallas.

A revolutionary solution, the All-on-4 procedure allows a fixed denture to be placed on four dental implants. After a consultation and comprehensive exam, Dr. Fitzgerald will determine if you are a candidate.

Two Appointments, One Great Smile

If All-on-4 is right for you, we’ll take a 3D scan of your mouth. This advanced technology means advanced care by allowing Dr. Fitzgerald to efficiently plan your implant surgery. Then, a set of impressions are taken to create your handcrafted denture. At your second appointment, Dr. Fitzgerald will place your dental implant and attach the custom prosthetic. You’ll leave our office with a brand new smile!

The Benefits of All-on-4

• Stops bone loss with dental implants
• Supports cheeks and facial muscles for a younger look
• Allows you to eat the food you love
• Restores your ability to speak clearly
• Gives you the confidence to smile again

Learn more about the All-on-4 procedure. Contact Fitzgerald Dental Center for your appointment today! Our implant and cosmetic dentistry practice is located in Plano and convenient to surrounding areas such as Frisco, Allen, McKinney, and Dallas.

How’s this possible? With porcelain veneers. Handcrafted just for you, veneers are made of durable porcelain and placed over the front of your teeth, enhancing their appearance and, in the process, boosting your self-confidence.

A Natural-Looking Smile in Two Visits

Your first visit with our Plano office lets Dr. Fitzgerald talk to you about your smile. As we get to know you and what you have in mind, we can create a plan that takes into consideration your overall appearance, including the shade and shade of your teeth as well as the contours of your face. We’ll also make an impression of your teeth and gums, which our lab will work from as they make your permanent veneers.

Your first appointment with us ends with Dr. Fitzgerald prepping your teeth for the temporary veneers you’ll wear in the meantime. Your second appointment is all about trading your temporary veneers for your permanent ones. Once they’re in place, you can leave our office boasting a completely new, more esthetically pleasing smile than you’ve ever had.

Schedule Your Consultation Visit Today

To find out more about porcelain veneers or to schedule a consultation visits with Dr. Fitzgerald, call us today. Our office is located in Plano, just north of Dallas.

With porcelain veneers, it’s possible to finally have the dazzling smile you’ve been dreaming of.

Restorative dentistry

That’s why our Plano dental office offers state-of-the-art preventive dentistry-so you can keep your natural smile for years to come. But of course, preventive care isn’t just about what we can do to help you. It’s also about what you can do to help yourself!

Attention to Detail from Your Very First Visit

Scheduling an appointment with a new dentist can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why our website spells out exactly what your first visit will be like. Knowing what to expect can go a long way towards putting your mind at ease.

When you come to our office for your first visit, Dr. Fitzgerald will perform a comprehensive oral exam to check for signs of gum disease, oral cancer, and provide you with a tooth-by-tooth inspection. We’ll talk with you about your medical history and also take X-rays to get a more detailed idea of your overall oral health. We’ll even perform your first cleaning if we don’t find a problem and time allows.

But in general, your first visit lets us get to know you, because we care about patients’ concerns as much as their smiles.

Educating Patients and Preserving Smiles

At Fitzgerald Dental Center, we’re also big on educating our patients. When you come to see us, we’ll also offer tips for improving your oral health. Seeing us every six months is important, but so is knowing how much time to spend at the sink each day.

Your Partner in Oral Health

We’ll do everything we can to help you keep your smile healthy and disease free. You know what they say about an ounce of prevention! Using sealants and fluoride supplements, we can give you extra protection where you need it most.

If you live in Plano, Dallas, or surrounding areas and want to learn more about our office or schedule your first visit, call our office today. We offer a full range of dental services, but educating our patients and helping them preserve their natural smiles for years to come is one of our highest priorities.

At Fitzgerald Dental Center, we light smiles across the DFW area. With two ways to whiten your teeth, you’re sure to achieve a dazzling smile to do Spring proud!

The Causes of Dental Discoloration
Certain foods, such as berries and curry, along with tea, coffee, cola, and red wine deposit stains on teeth. Medications can discolor your smile, and the natural aging process does its part, too. Tobacco is a big offender.

A drab smile drags down your entire appearance. Teeth whitening will freshen your image and give you a vibrant, younger-looking smile.

Zoom Your Way to Whiter Teeth
With Zoom! Teeth Whitening, you’ll experience a smile up to eight shades brighter. All it takes is a single, one-hour appointment to our Plano office. The Zoom! gel works in tandem with a no-heat light to lift stains from tooth enamel and dentin. The results are long lasting, with only occasional at-home touchups needed to maintain the color you desire.

Brighten at Home
Our custom take-home kit contains everything you need to whiten your teeth on your own terms. We’ll create bleaching trays that comfortably fit the contours of your mouth and give you a supply of professional-strength bleaching gel. I’ll instruct you on how to use the trays for maximum effectiveness. Expect to wear the trays daily for about two weeks to achieve your desired tooth shade.

Put some Spring in your smile with professional teeth whitening! Call Fitzgerald Dental Center in Plano to schedule your appointment.

Gum (periodontal) disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss.

People with gum disease are twice as likely to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

30% of people over age 50 have advanced gum disease.

Statistics don’t lie. Gum disease is a serious problem. The bacteria that cause gum disease wreak havoc with oral health and negatively impact overall wellbeing. Osteoporosis, dementia, low birth weight, respiratory problems, and more have all been linked to gum disease.

I’m Dr. Lee Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Dental Center in Plano. I offer proven treatments to alleviate the problems caused by gum disease and promote healthy oral function.

Targeted Treatments
At your visit, I’ll check your gums for signs of infection. Early-stage gum disease, called gingivitis, starts out with red, swollen gums that may bleed when you brush. Gingivitis is curable with a thorough cleaning and proper brushing and flossing at home.

If your gum disease has advanced beyond gingivitis, I’ll likely recommend a deep cleaning. Often called scaling and root planning, this restorative treatment removes plaque and pockets of infection at the gum line.

Topical antibiotic therapy is a treatment option, as well. Placing medication at the sight of the infection alleviates symptoms to renew gum health.

The most advanced form of gum disease is called periodontitis. At this stage, gum, tooth, and bone loss may occur. Surgery is often the only course of treatment available.

Customized Care
I’ll personalize a treatment regimen to get you back on the road to good oral health. After I resolve the infection that causes gum disease, I’ll show you how to keep your gums healthy for the long term. Together, we’ll combat this destructive infection.

Call Fitzgerald Dental Center today to schedule a gum disease assessment. My office is conveniently located in Plano, close to Dallas and surrounding communities.

Cosmetic bonding from Fitzgerald Dental Center erases dental imperfections. Bonding is an economical alternative to porcelain veneers, and the procedure can be completed in a single office visit, in most cases.

I’m Dr. Lee Fitzgerald. I’ll work with you one-on-one to give you a smile you’ll be proud to show the world.

How does bonding work?
I’ll tint durable, long-lasting composite resin to match your natural tooth color, then apply it to the flawed area. After hardening the resin with a curing light, I’ll sculpt it into the desired shape and polish it for a completely natural appearance.

Does bonding last?
Cosmetic bonding lasts about 5 to 10 years, less than the lifespan of porcelain veneers.

What types of flaws does bonding fix?
I can correct a variety of imperfections with cosmetic bonding, including:

• Gaps
• Cracks
• Chips
• Stains
• Misalignments

By artistically sculpting the composite resin, I can change the shape and size of teeth, as well.

Does bonding look natural?
Yes, you won’t be able to tell your bonded tooth from a natural one. Composite resin doesn’t stain like natural tooth enamel, so you may need to come in for a whitening treatment to keep your natural teeth and bonded ones consistently white.

Cosmetic bonding is a good, cost-effective choice for many patients who want to improve the appearance of one or more flawed teeth. Find out if it’s right for you.

Call Fitzgerald Dental Center in Plano/North Dallas today to schedule an appointment.

I’m Dr. Lee Fitzgerald. At Fitzgerald Dental Center in Plano, I offer customized, non-surgical therapies to eliminate headaches and other TMJ-related discomfort.

TMJ Function: An Overview
You have two TMJ joints, one on each side of your jaw just in front of your ears. These joints are responsible for smooth, pain-free jaw motion. They rely on optimal conditions to function correctly and often cause discomfort when impacted by trauma, physical or emotional stress, or a variety of other factors. Oftentimes, top and bottom teeth that don’t fit together optimally put pressure on these joints and their associated muscles and nerves, which causes pain and pressure.

Symptoms of TMJ Disorder
TMJ problems don’t just impact the jaw. Patients with TMJ disorder experience a variety of aches and pains, including:

• Chronic headaches
• Migraines
• Tingling in the fingers
• Low back pain
• Discomfort in the neck, shoulder, or temple
• Inability to fully open and close the mouth
• A jaw that clicks or pops

Customized Therapy for Relief
I’ll evaluate your symptoms and recommend treatment to alleviate your pain and get your life back on track. Many patients experience relief with oral appliance therapy. I can customize a small, comfortable nightguard to fit the contours of your mouth. Worn during slumber, a nightguard holds the jaw in its ideal resting position. This takes the pressure off the joints and muscles to promote healing.

Another treatment option involves building up the surface of back teeth to properly align your bite.

Don’t put up with headaches. Call Fitzgerald Dental Center today to schedule an appointment. My Plano/North Dallas office is conveniently located, and my team is waiting to serve you.

Keys to Success

Ideal dental implants patients have:

Good oral health: A healthy mouth provides a firm foundation for dental implants. If you have gum disease, teeth that require extraction, or unresolved oral health issues, I’ll resolve those issues before proceeding with dental implants.

Good overall health: Certain chronic conditions, including diabetes, slow the healing process, which hinders jawbone tissue from adequately fusing with the implant posts that secure custom replacement teeth. I evaluate each patient’s current health status and medical history to determine candidacy for dental implants. I’ll be honest with you and let you know whether I feel dental implants are a good choice for you. If they’re not, I offer other solid, proven treatments to replace missing teeth and create beautiful, healthy smiles.

Sufficient jawbone mass: Implants are artificial tooth roots. During implant surgery, a tiny titanium post is inserted through gum tissue and into the jawbone. To support implants, patients must have good jawbone mass. High-tech CT-scanning technology provides detailed images of teeth and jaws to evaluate internal structures. If your jawbone needs shoring up to receive implants, I can perform a bone graft or sinus graft to increase mass.

A healthy lifestyle: Smoking slows healing, which can hinder the success of dental implants. At your consultation, be honest about your health habits. We’ll discuss how your lifestyle might affect implant placement and success, then decide the best route to achieve your ideal smile.

Age is not a factor in placing dental implants, although children whose mouths are still developing shouldn’t receive implants. If you’re considering implants but don’t know if they’re the right choice for your smile, schedule a complimentary consultation. We’ll talk through the considerations. I’m committed to give you your best smile.

Call Fitzgerald Dental Center today. Patients in Plano, North Dallas, and surrounding areas rely on me and my team for quality, comprehensive care and unsurpassed service.

At Fitzgerald Dental Center in Plano, I provide customized, non-surgical treatment to combat sleep apnea and the snoring that often accompanies it.

What is Sleep Apnea?
This condition is defined as repeated lapses in breathing for periods of 10 seconds or longer. When we sleep, the soft tissues in our throat can collapse onto themselves and block our airway. The tongue may fall back to obstruct the throat. This results in impaired breathing. When the brain senses a lack of oxygen, it triggers the body to breathe. Sleep apnea suffers may awaken entirely during these episodes or enter a lighter sleep stage. Either way, the result is the same: disrupted slumber that impacts daytime alertness, increases stress levels, and causes mental confusion.

Snoring occurs when air forces it way through blocked passageways. The tissue vibrates and makes the sound we identify as snoring.

How are Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treated?
A snoreguard often does the trick. This small piece of custom-molded acrylic fits comfortably between teeth and holds the jaw slightly forward to keep airways open. Two visits to our Plano/North Dallas office are often all it takes to achieve an end to snoring and sleep apnea.

Call my office today to schedule your snoring and sleep apnea consultation. We’ll discuss how you – and your entire household – can achieve a return to peaceful, restorative slumber.