https://smiletomellc.com/home daily 1.0 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/dr-lydia-cornejo-dmd daily 0.75 2022-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/2b0f6b02-97ed-494f-a99b-e521319498ed/DSC08546-Edit.jpg Dr. Lydia Cornejo, DMD Dr. Lydia Cornejo, DMD is a board-eligible dental specialist and surgically trained Prosthodontist. She has spent most of her life in extensive training to offer comprehensive care to patients looking for the convenience of getting most dental work done under one roof. Dr. Lydia received extensive training in both the surgical and prosthetic aspects of implant treatment and conventional crown and bridge procedures. Before attending her advanced 3-year specialty training, Dr. Lydia worked as a general dentist in her native country of El Salvador. On weekends, she provided free dental care to mission trips assisting the underserved population. While serving those missions, she interacted with US-trained dentists and learned advanced techniques. Her unique curiosity and overachiever personality led her to become a dentist in the US. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/fdef48d8-4bfb-4dcf-a119-12fbad81eee3/DSC05376.jpg Dr. Lydia Cornejo, DMD Dr. Lydia chose The University of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States and an accredited school for the US. She obtained her second dental degree, Doctorate of Dental Medicine (DMD), in 2013 and graduated at the top of her class. She then received his Certificate in Advanced Prosthodontics from the University of Puerto Rico in 2016, where she also served as chief resident. Dr. Lydia has been restoring smiles in Michigan since 2016. She has been practicing dentistry since 2005 and is committed to educating patients with all the available options so they can make an informed decision. Her goal is to restore her patient’s smile with the most predictable and long-lasting result. As a Prosthodontist, she puts additional effort and detail into each work she performs. https://smiletomellc.com/contact daily 0.75 2022-06-08 https://smiletomellc.com/new-patients daily 0.75 2022-08-17 https://smiletomellc.com/first-visit daily 0.75 2022-08-17 https://smiletomellc.com/insurance daily 0.75 2022-08-17 https://smiletomellc.com/meet-the-team daily 0.75 2022-10-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/7cec78d7-b3a1-40a3-a93d-d169c37d1474/Kay.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/99c0fb15-1e13-4571-9228-70f8c97d29f0/Adrienne.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/bd92fa46-8e3c-445c-9af9-4a234b543171/DSC07367-Edit.jpg https://smiletomellc.com/refer-a-patient daily 0.75 2022-09-02 https://smiletomellc.com/dental-implants daily 0.75 2022-10-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/decc15ff-f26d-4e9b-9983-57f7044df715/AdobeStock_134895789.jpg Dental Implants Missing teeth can be embarrassing, causing people to hide their smiles and lose self-esteem. We believe all our patients deserve the best possible care. That is why we offer natural-looking dental implants as a permanent solution to tooth loss. Implants replace a missing tooth and fuse with your jawbone for unmatched stability and strength. Unlike other tooth restoration options, our titanium tooth implants even stimulate jawbone growth and can last a lifetime with proper care. Living with an incomplete smile does more than impact your confidence—the space that missing teeth create can easily become infected with bacteria, causing other teeth to shift out of place and making it difficult for people to speak or eat correctly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/4e97f85b-9f5c-431c-9fee-d0e7b8762e98/single-implant.png Dental Implants - Single Implant https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/d44a414e-a1a6-47cc-8593-a5c5823eabbe/implant-supported-bridge.png Dental Implants - Implant-Supported Bridge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/e6766e18-0ef7-431d-a9b1-cf23563ab82c/implant-supported-overdentures.png Dental Implants - Implant-Retained Overdentures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/1657137846565-BESP6B412UGL22FXYHMP/all-on-x-permanent-bridge.png Dental Implants - All-on-X Permanent Bridge https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/single-implant daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/maryland-bridge daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/090b4c8e-054f-430f-b262-1ad61142ae2a/AdobeStock_290132227.jpg Maryland Bridge A Maryland Bridge is a preferred type of treatment. It requires additional training and skills to complete. A Maryland Bridge is less invasive to your adjacent teeth compared to a traditional bridge that requires your teeth to be shaved down to little nubs. This bridge cemented onto the backs of your surrounding teeth enables you to maintain a natural tooth appearance without crowns. It means you continue using your teeth in their natural form if you later decide to remove the bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/5185270c-c192-48b9-9f29-f94d7613d6fb/AdobeStock_173016205.jpg Maryland Bridge When a front anterior tooth has been lost and the patient is not a candidate for implants, our team can permanently replace your front tooth with a Maryland Bridge. Though this bridge uses other teeth for support, it does not require neighboring teeth to be covered with a dental crown. A Maryland Bridge is a conservative treatment that saves the enamel on the adjacent teeth. It consists of an artificial tooth at the front with two porcelain “wings” that are permanently bonded to the back of the teeth on either side of the gap. https://smiletomellc.com/veneers daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/e66b585d-1267-43fd-989b-f70f81c1775a/AdobeStock_411729481.jpg Veneers Veneers are made from durable, tooth-colored porcelain to ensure a natural-looking aesthetic designed to last for years. They are virtually undetectable and are completely resistant to coffee, tea, and cigarette stains. For strength and appearance, veneers' resemblance to healthy, white tooth enamel is unsurpassed by other restorative options. Veneers are commonly used to restore the following: Chipped, cracked, or damaged teeth Stained or discolored smiles Teeth that are crooked or misaligned Gaps between teeth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/f0883d50-6df3-47c8-82c0-deeec25c405b/AdobeStock_56895910.jpg Veneers At Smile to Me, our team can give our patients stunning smiles they can feel confident about. For patients with front teeth that are misshaped, yellow, or stained, we offer porcelain veneers to transform your smile in just two appointments. Patients can restore damaged teeth or transform their smile into something beautiful. We use conservative techniques that will preserve most of your current enamel and avoid shaving the teeth down. We use a professional camera to send pictures to the lab technician, which allows the lab to match the shade of your veneers to the adjacent teeth, so your veneers look natural. Our goal is for you to be happy with your stunning, new smile. https://smiletomellc.com/fullmouth-reconstruction daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/907be9dc-84eb-42bb-8914-a3961510d760/AdobeStock_75207450.jpg Full-Mouth Reconstruction We love to save our patient's natural teeth when the foundation of the tooth is still healthy. When your tooth cannot be saved, we specialize in placing implants. There are three ways we can save your teeth: Restoring a natural tooth with a porcelain crown A combination of implants and crowns A full implant, permanent bridge Our team will explain to you the different options available to transform your smile. We want you to be able to make the best, informed decision to replace your missing teeth or restore your damaged teeth. Our team can use a combination of implants, porcelain crowns, veneers, or bridges. Your dream smile is within reach, and we can help you smile with confidence again. https://smiletomellc.com/clear-aligners daily 0.75 2022-09-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/910b931f-b171-4b1b-aeec-f7ced35df732/sure-smile.jpg Clear Aligners There's never been a better time to straighten your teeth and transform your smile. If you're looking for a comfortable and discreet alternative to braces, clear aligners may be the best dental alignment solution. Unlike metal braces that can make patients feel self-conscious, clear aligners are nearly invisible to onlookers. So if you are happy with the color and shape of your teeth but do not like that they are crooked, gapped, crowded, or you have a misaligned bite, clear aligners can straighten your smile and adjust your bite to perfection. Our team will use the latest technology to capture your smile information, so your clear aligners can be custom-made for increased comfort. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/016d4820-439e-4055-8fe7-6449fd3fb71d/AdobeStock_345257448.jpg Clear Aligners Advantages to choosing clear aligners: Practically invisible—They're nearly invisible, so people won't even know you're wearing them. Increased comfort—The thin, flexible material of the aligners is customized for maximum comfort. Completely removable—They don't require metal braces or wires, so you can still enjoy all your favorite foods. Improved oral hygiene—The aligners allow you to clean your teeth much easier than if you were wearing metal braces. Faster treatment time—Invisalign straightens teeth up to two times faster than traditional braces. Treatment ranges from 1 year to 1-1/2 years. https://smiletomellc.com/bone-graft-connective-tissue-graft daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/42087b84-7aed-4022-8ddf-1b1a227961a4/AdobeStock_352796676.jpg Bone Graft / Connective Tissue Graft - Connective Tissue Graft Sometimes the gum tissue is thin, of poor quality, and there is not enough tissue to protect the neck of the implant for a good, long-term prognosis. In these cases, we need to rebuild the gum tissue with a connective tissue graft. This is a simple gum surgery, where we take tissue from another part of your mouth and put it where the implant is going to be. It can be done at the same time as the implant placement. By having a connective tissue graft, your gums will look more natural, and the gums around the implant will be stronger when you are chewing hard foods. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/3715874c-740d-49a0-9073-78091b4f7847/AdobeStock_318778792.jpg Bone Graft / Connective Tissue Graft - Bone Graft A bone graft is done to rebuild the bone foundation so you can replace a missing tooth with an implant. The best time to do a bone graft is during tooth extraction. When a tooth is extracted, and without a bone graft, the jawbone begins to shrink. A patient may not have enough bone to place an implant. If you lose multiple teeth, your bone will shrink, aging your facial appearance. Bone grafts are used to repair implant sites where a previous extraction has taken place, or severe bone deterioration has resulted from injury or gum disease. Special membranes are sometimes used. The membrane seals and protects the bone graft, dissolves under the gum, and encourages tissue regeneration. https://smiletomellc.com/night-guards-bite-splints daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/412fe558-3d21-41f1-919d-6a1082a5f473/AdobeStock_382775700.jpg Night Guards / Bite Splints Everybody should wear a bite splint. The enamel on your teeth wears down every day, a little bit until the dentin is exposed. Teeth may become more susceptible to decay; sensitivity and the nerve can become exposed. Without a bite splint, and as people age, their teeth become shorter because of the constant wear, clenching, grinding, and chewing. The best time to begin wearing a bite splint is when you are young, so you can keep your teeth looking youthful. Bite splints are also recommended for patients who consistently grind and clench their teeth while sleeping, or to protect the ceramic after a full mouth reconstruction. During your first visit, our team will take complimentary intraoral photographs to show you the wear. We will fabricate a custom-made bite splint, just for you. https://smiletomellc.com/smile-transformation daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/443436ba-ea31-44aa-b76b-dd871371ce5f/AdobeStock_308629444.jpg Smile Transformation At Smile to Me, our team can give our patients stunning smiles they can feel confident about. Broken, missing, and discolored teeth can be embarrassing, causing people to hide their smiles and lose their self-esteem. We believe all our patients deserve the best possible care. That is why we offer natural-looking permanent dental solutions built to last for years to come. At Smile to Me, you can have the whole process completed by one team, under one roof. We can do everything from crowns, implants, bridges, veneers, and full-mouth reconstructions. Our team will work directly with you to make your smile natural-looking and ensure it matches your face and personality. Your dream smile is within reach, and we can help you smile with confidence again. https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/implant-supported-bridge daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/implant-supported-bridge daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/d44a414e-a1a6-47cc-8593-a5c5823eabbe/implant-supported-bridge.png Implant-Supported Bridge If you are missing three adjacent teeth, you could be a candidate for an implant-supported bridge. We need two implants on each side to be able to replace the third tooth in the middle (pontic), resulting in a three-unit bridge. Implants and teeth are biologically and mechanically different. For this reason, we can't splint implants with teeth, meaning that the implant bridge needs to be completely separated from the adjacent teeth. You can have up to four teeth replaced by an implant bridge (if the missing teeth are next to each other). We try to avoid shaving your natural teeth down to replace a missing tooth with a traditional dental bridge. Dr. Lydia will explain in detail why replacing multiple teeth with implants is better than traditional bridges. During your implant consultation, we will explain the options for temporaries while we make your bridge. We understand that esthetics is important. https://smiletomellc.com/implant-supported-overdentures daily 0.75 2022-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/e6766e18-0ef7-431d-a9b1-cf23563ab82c/implant-supported-overdentures.png Implant-Supported Overdentures There are many reasons, but sometimes teeth are not savable. If all teeth in the jaw require extraction, you could be a candidate for implant-supported overdentures. Implant-supported overdentures are basically conventional plastic full dentures that have attachments on the inside. You will have two to four implants in the jawbone that will connect the dentures to your mouth. Implant-supported overdentures are a treatment we only do in the bottom jaw. Dr. Lydia will explain in detail during your initial consultation. Other terms: Snap-on dentures, dentures on top of implants, and dentures with implant locators https://smiletomellc.com/all-on-x-permanent-bridge daily 0.75 2022-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/2b7787cd-815f-4292-8f00-88a88cd5b504/all-on-x-permanent-bridge.png All-on-X Permanent Bridge An all-on-X permanent bridge is the most recommended treatment modality for patients who have damaged dentition or, for many reasons, need to have all teeth removed. You will go to bed with teeth and wake up with permanent teeth. The bridge will be made of hard, long-lasting porcelain. Four to eight implants are required to hold a full, permanent bridge, and we will determine the number of implants during your initial consultation. This treatment requires a thorough examination. We love to save teeth, and Dr. Lydia will give you all the information and treatment options in case some of your teeth are salvable. Most of the time, the team will have a set of temporary teeth for you on the day of the surgery so you can go home with a beautiful smile. Other terms: All-on-4, implant-supported full bridge, full arch implant bridge, teeth-in-a-day, same-day teeth, FP1, FP2, FP3 https://smiletomellc.com/single-implant daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/4e97f85b-9f5c-431c-9fee-d0e7b8762e98/single-implant.png Single Implant People may lose teeth for three reasons: broken teeth, gum disease, or decay. No matter the reason, any tooth can be replaced by a dental implant. The patient can chew again and smile, just like when they had their natural teeth. The process starts with a 3D x-ray to evaluate your bone dimensions. If you have enough bone, we will schedule your implant surgery. The procedure will last about one hour, and you will have a follow-up visit one month later. During the follow-up visit, Dr. Lydia will determine if we need a tooth x-ray to ensure you are healing well. The implant is usually covered by a "healing cap" to avoid a second surgery to expose the implant. After a healing period of about three months for the lower jaw and three-five months for the upper jaw, you will come back to have an intraoral scan. In about three weeks, you will come back to have your tooth crown placed. 98% of the time, the crown will be screwed in (instead of cemented). This will allow easy retrieval in the future in case the crown needs to be removed for any reason. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/97ae6972-a944-4dad-bfca-e8517e5a2a0c/single-implant-2.png Single Implant In case you don't have enough bone to place an implant, we can rebuild your bone foundation by a procedure called guided bone regeneration of bone graft surgery. Depending on the amount of bone we need to rebuild, we may be able to place the implant at the time of the bone augmentation. Most of the time, we prefer to rebuild the site and wait three-six months to have a second surgery and place the implant. We look for the best prognosis, and Dr. Lydia will explain more in your initial consultation. Sometimes a tooth can not be saved and needs extraction. In some cases, Dr. Lydia can place the implant at the same time as the tooth extraction to avoid a second surgery. This technique is called "immediate implant placement" and requires specific steps. You will know if you are a candidate for an immediate implant in your initial consultation. Because we also specialize in saving teeth, we are not biased to only place implants. We recommend what is best for the patient, and Dr. Lydia will clearly explain why you would choose to extract a tooth or save it. https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/smile-transformation daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/fullmouth-reconstruction daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/maryland-bridge daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/partial-crown daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/porcelain-veneers daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/connective-tissue-graft daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/bite-splint daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/patient-focused-dentistry daily 0.75 2022-08-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/1d562bd2-ff25-4561-af12-0545b4398bb8/office.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/6cf6f03f-1a6f-41d1-9b32-322d1db37fe0/technology.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/503dd743-f98f-4954-bb13-d39df3b66d60/smile.jpeg https://smiletomellc.com/bridges-on-teeth daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/implant-retained-overdentures daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/our-work/crown-lengthening daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://smiletomellc.com/crown-lengthening daily 0.75 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/9d5b88b4-96a0-4be7-9fe2-7c3d0098430a/AdobeStock_383879504.jpg Crown Lengthening Enhance Smile: Some patients may have healthy teeth, but when they smile, they show lots of gum tissue. We call this a "gummy smile," and this happens when the beautiful enamel is covered by an excess of bone and soft tissue. We can make the teeth longer and expose the enamel that is hiding by doing a surgical crown lengthening to get longer teeth that match the patient's face and personality. Some patients don't require additional porcelain restorations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61eeb31706619d734518061b/9e3db2e5-3633-42b1-89bb-c36ce6eb3a69/AdobeStock_172141418.jpg Crown Lengthening This treatment provides many benefits that enable us to save teeth damaged by decay or fractures. Crown Lengthening can also address esthetic concerns and enhance your smile. Save Damaged Teeth: Crown Lengthening may be a good option when the patient wishes to save teeth and is willing to improve their hygiene care. We can remove soft tissue and recontour the bone, and by doing this, we expose healthy enamel and make the teeth longer to later restore the teeth with either bonding or porcelain crowns. The process can take three appointments, depending on the severity. Usually, the final porcelain restorations are delivered after the gums have healed and reached the final position, usually after six weeks.