Colin Morton, DDS is proud to be the fourth generation of his family to excel in the field of dentistry in Ballston Lake. Creating beautiful first impressions for decades, Dr. Mortons family tradition of modern, progressive dentistry is reflected in every aspect of his practice, from the quality results he produces to his state-of-the-art dental facility.

Since he first began practicing in 1997, providing superior dentistry and establishing strong doctor-patient relationships have been focal points of Dr. Mortons dental career. Every individuals initial visit to our practice involves a casual get-to-know-you session during which he focuses on creating a personal connection and rapport while learning about their unique needs and desires. Unlike many other medical professionals today, Dr. Morton prides himself on knowing each patient by first name, and he is committed to maintaining a care-oriented environment in which everyone is treated like family. In addition, our professional team is experienced and equally dedicated to providing exceptional dental care, spending a lot of time to really get to know patients on a personal level.

As a proponent of continuing education, Dr. Morton regularly attends courses and seminars to learn about the latest, most advanced techniques available in cosmetic and implant dentistry. Furthermore, he is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and he remains an active member of such prestigious dental organizations as the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and the Academy of General Dentistry.

Above all, Dr. Morton and our team are devoted to ensuring every individual who walks through our doors receives the exceptional level of care necessary to achieve healthy teeth and a bright, beautiful smile.

A cosmetic dentist is a dental professional whoalong with offering general oral care services specializes in aesthetic and restorative procedures that enhance the appearance and function of teeth. They have typically undergone extensive supplemental training in cosmetic techniques that enable them to achieve exceptionally beautiful, natural-looking results to addition to improving their patients oral wellness.

Patients typically seek the expertise of a cosmetic dentist when they have tooth imperfections such as chips, cracks, fractures, gaps, spaces, stains, or discoloration. As a result, some of the most common procedures cosmetic dentists perform on a regular basis include porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, porcelain crowns, dental implants, and full smile makeovers/restorations.

When seeking cosmetic dental care, it is important to keep in mind that not all providers are equally trained, skilled, or certified. Dr. Morton has compiled the following tips for choosing the best cosmetic dentist for yourself or a loved one:

This is by no means a comprehensive list of questions, but rather a good starting place for gaining a comprehensive understanding of your treatment options and the type of care you can expect to receive from a particular cosmetic dentist. Never hesitate to ask any additional questions you may have, and always request clarification when necessary. In the end, you want to feel fully confident and trusting in your cosmetic dentist before moving forward with treatment.

Situated in the scenic landscape of upstate New York, our cosmetic dentistry practice offers treatments such as porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, and tooth-colored fillings along with restorative procedures including implant bridges and implant supported dentures. Our experienced dental team, led by Dr. Colin Morton, collaborate to provide the highest-quality dental care while treating our patients with compassion and understanding. Our facilities are well equipped, enabling us to deliver exceptional results. In addition, our recently redesigned office has been optimized for patient comfort and features amenities such as a variety of TV entertainment while in the chair and blankets to make you feel at home during your stay. We also utilize a number of advanced techniques to help alleviate dental anxiety. Our staff is always ready to make you feel welcome.

At the office of our experienced dentist, we strive to produce a serene setting so every patient feels as comfortable as possible during their visit. One of our latest endeavors was to remodel our office with patient comfort and exceptional treatment in mind. Please browse the office tour photos below to get an idea of the atmosphere you can expect.

Dr. Morton knows that the cost of cosmetic and restorative dentistry treatments play a significant role in the decision-making process. Since we do not want cost to prohibit anyone from obtaining a healthy and beautiful smile, we offer a number of financial options to help you find a dental solution that works within your budget. We accept a number of payment plans and methods including:

Good oral health is a cornerstone of a beautiful, long-lasting smile. At our practice, Dr. Colin Morton offers several general and restorative dentistry procedures that can help strengthen your teeth, address many common cosmetic concerns, and reduce the risk of more complicated oral health issues. These innovative techniques are used to improve or correct dental problems including:

Unlike metallic fillings that can detract from the beauty of your smile, tooth-colored fillings provide a natural-looking alternative. Comprised of a composite resin, tooth-colored fillings are designed to match the shade of your existing teeth for inconspicuous cavity repair. Tooth-colored fillings can not only strengthen your teeth that have been damaged by decay, but they can also keep your smile looking healthy and youthful.

In addition to the cosmetic benefits, tooth-colored fillings may protect your teeth more effectively than amalgam metal alternatives. Metal fillings can expand and contract due to changes in temperature, allowing room for bacteria to form beneath the filling and cause additional damage to the tooth. Conversely, tooth-colored fillings are bonded in layers to the tooth and can better protect the tooth against future decay. Also, using tooth-colored fillings avoids the hazardous waste associated with mercury fillings, making this proactive dentistry treatment beneficial for both you and the environment.

Left untreated, decay can significantly damage a tooth, diminish its structure, and make the tooth unsuited to receive large fillings. In these cases, Dr. Morton can use tooth-colored onlays to repair this damage while also rejuvenating your smile. Tooth-colored onlays can actually provide more support than a filling and are often better able to restore your tooths natural appearance.

The procedure for tooth-colored onlays is typically completed in two stages. First, Dr. Morton will prepare the tooth, take an impression, and temporize the tooth. Your custom-made tooth-colored onlays are formed from these impressions and designed to match the shade of your teeth. During your second visit, Dr. Morton will then bond the onlays to the existing tooth structure for a cohesive, uniform appearance. After this procedure, your teeth are strengthened with results that both look and feel natural and are longer lasting than large fillings.

If you have teeth that are cracked or broken due to decay, or if you have recently had root canal therapy, porcelain crowns can repair and strengthen the teeth in a manner that is cosmetically inconspicuous. Porcelain crowns can also be used to improve the appearance of worn-down, short, or unevenly spaced teeth. An all-porcelain crown can reflect light just like a natural tooth, rendering the crown virtually indistinguishable.

The procedure for porcelain crowns is usually completed in two stages. First, Dr. Morton will prepare and reshape the damaged tooth to receive the crown before taking an impression to achieve a precise fit. During your second visit, Dr. Morton will then bond the crown to your tooth so that you can once again enjoy a seamless, healthier smile. You may even have a difficult time telling the difference between the crown and your natural teeth!

Porcelain bridges can replace a missing tooth, restore your smile, and improve your oral health. The gap left by a missing tooth not only impacts the cosmetic appearance of your smile, but can impact the overall health of your mouth. When a gap is allowed to remain, the teeth adjacent to the space can shift, causing bite problems, further cosmetic issues, as well as increasing the risk of gum disease. Porcelain bridges can rejuvenate the appearance of your smile by filling in the gap with joined crowns.

In addition to causing aesthetic and functional concerns, missing teeth can have a negative impact on supportive oral structures like the jawbone. When a missing tooth goes unreplaced for a long period of time, the bone tissue in the area where the tooth roots once were will progressively deteriorate, eventually leading to issues far more significant than a gap in ones smile.

Fortunately, dental implants can often provide an excellent solution for missing teeth, helping you improve the appearance and function of your smile while also preventing/halting bone deterioration and restoring oral health. Designed to act as a natural tooth root, the implant itself is secured in the jawbone in the area of the missing tooth. Once fused to the bone, a customized porcelain crown is attached to the tip of the implant, providing a natural look and feel that can last for decades with proper care.

A missing tooth can impair the function of your mouth, making eating, drinking, and speaking more difficult. From an aesthetic standpoint, a missing tooth not only leaves a gap in your smile, but can also allow the surrounding teeth to shift position, eventually leading to functional bite issues. When cosmetic dentist Colin Morton, DDS replaces a missing tooth, he can do more than simply revitalize the beauty of your smile; he can restore the integrity of your bite, help you regain lost functionality, and prevent more costly repairs in the future. To do this, he utilizes dental implants.

Dental implants are an advanced tooth replacement option that are designed to look, feel, and function just like natural teeth. Unlike many other tooth replacement methods, implants are designed to replicate the entire tooth structureincluding the rootenabling them to offer superior durability, stability, and functionality. They do not require special oral hygiene care, and can instead be maintained just like normal teeth with routine brushing, flossing, and dental visits. Furthermore, since the implants are securely anchored to the jawbone, many of the inconveniences associated with removable dental appliances can be avoided, including slipping and chafing along the gumline. Dr. Morton has helped many patients restore dental function and achieve beautiful, healthy, more youthful-looking smiles with dental implants.

For qualified patients, dental implants are regarded as the most effective, most comfortable, and longest-lasting tooth replacement solution available. You may be considered a good candidate for dental implants if you:

At our practice, Dr. Morton offers dental implant options to replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, and even a full row of teeth. The information below can help you determine which type of implants may be most appropriate for your needs and smile goals.

Single-tooth implants can be an excellent solution for the replacement of individual teeth. With this option, an implant post is anchored into the jawbone in the area vacated by the former tooth, and a dental crown that is shaped and colored to blend seamlessly with adjacent teeth is fixed to the tip for a natural-looking result.

For individuals who have three or more consecutive missing or damaged teeth, multiple dental implants may prove to be an ideal option. Depending on how many teeth are being replaced, anywhere from two to six implant posts can be secured in strategic positions along the jawbone in order to hold a multi-tooth restorationsuch as a dental bridge, partial denture, or full denturein place.

Traditional dentures and partial dentures can be inconvenient, messy, and even embarrassing. Though they are intended to help you regain the ability to speak and chew, many patients complain about their lack of confidence with traditional dentures since they can shift around or drop while they are speaking. However, by using four to six dental implants (per arch) to secure a denture or partial denture in place, many of these inconveniences can disappear, serving as a cosmetically appealing, more stable, comfortable form of tooth replacement which will allow you to be more confident in social situations.

The actual dental implant post generally becomes a permanent part of the mouth with proper oral carethis includes brushing and flossing on a daily basis, as well as scheduling routine checkups and cleanings as recommended by your dentist. The custom crown, denture, or other restoration secured to the top of the implant(s) can also provide long-term results when appropriately cared for, typically lasting many years (and sometimes even decades).

The cost of dental implants will depend on numerous factors specific to each case, including how many implants are placed, what type of restoration is utilized, and whether or not any treatmentsuch as periodontal care or bone graftingis required to optimize oral health beforehand. For more specific information about what comprises the price of dental implants, please click on the button below.

When performed by a dentist who is highly skilled and experienced in implant dentistry, dental implants are generally considered a safe tooth replacement option for qualified candidates. That said, there are inherent risks with any form of surgery, and dental implant surgery is no different. Some complications that can potentially arise include poor healing, infection, micromovement of the implant, or implant failure. Fortunately, the possibility that any of these issues occurs can be greatly minimized by choosing the right dentist, as well as closely following all pre- and post-operative instructions provided.

Dr. Morton has successfully performed dental implant surgery for numerous years, and he utilizes the latest, most advanced techniques and technologies available to help maximize both the safety and efficacy of treatment. In the rare event a problem does manifest, it is important to get in touch with our practice as soon as possible so Dr. Morton can resolve the issue in a timely manner.

In most cases, local anesthesia is all that is necessary to reduceor even eliminatethe potential for pain during dental implant surgery. For those who are particularly anxious and/or prone to heightened levels of discomfort, Dr. Morton also offers several methods of additional relief, including nitrous oxide. Commonly called laughing gas, this sedation dentistry technique helps to create an increased sense of calm throughout the dental implant procedure, quickly wearing off after treatment with no major side effects.

In the initial stages of healing, some degree of tenderness and soreness can be expected, but these temporary symptoms should steadily decrease and can usually be easily managed with medication until completely resolved. In the end, Dr. Mortons dental implant patients typically note that very little pain or discomfort was experienced, and the overall process was much smoother and more stress-free than they had envisioned.

In the case of single-tooth implants, the number of implants that you may need is dependent on the number of missing teeth you have. In cases where the implant(s) are being used to anchor a dental restoration, such as a bridge or an implant-supported denture, your dentist will need to evaluate a few different factorssuch as your jawbone density and the location of the teeth in need of replacementbefore making a recommendation. When placing implant dentures, Dr. Morton typically uses between four and six implants to anchor the restoration. He also offers the All-on-4 technique, which anchors a denture appliance using just four implants. This technique can sometimes enable even those with significant jaw deterioration to receive implant dentures.

One of the primary benefits of dental implants over other restorative treatments is that they do not generally require special care beyond good oral hygiene habits and routine dental cleanings. Brushing and flossing at least twice a day can help prevent the buildup of harmful bacteria, which can erode the tissues surrounding the implant and compromise your overall oral health, potentially resulting in implant failure.

Patients should also avoid placing unnecessary stress or wear on their implants. While the materials used to create both the implant and the crown restoration are quite durable, they can still be damaged by excessive force, just like normal teeth. As such, Dr. Morton recommends that patients avoid using their teeth as tools and exercise caution when eating particularly hard foods. If you are prone to grinding your teetha condition known as bruxismhe may recommend that you wear a nightguard to protect both your implant and your natural teeth from excessive wear.

Advances in dental technology have made it so that dental implants have an extremely high success rate in most cases. With proper care and the expertise of an experienced implantologist like Dr. Morton, dental implants can last for decades. In order to optimize the chances of implant success, Dr. Morton will carefully plan out the precise angle and placement of each implant. Once the implant is successfully placed, it is the patients responsibility to follow all aftercare instructions, maintain good oral hygiene, and schedule regular dental visits. These visits will allow your dentist to continuously evaluate the health of your implant(s) and prevent harmful bacteria from eroding the surrounding supportive tissues.

Honesty, transparency, and patient welfare are important to Dr. Morton, and after evaluating your oral health, he will go over any factors that may increase the likelihood of implant failure. In some cases, he may determine that a patient does not have adequate jawbone density to support the required number of implants. In these cases, he will go over alternative options with you, including implant-supported dentures, traditional dentures, and dental bridges. He may also recommend that a patient undergo bone grafting in order to restore lost jawbone density, allowing patients to improve their chances of receiving a successful implant.

Although rare, dental implants can fail for a variety of reasons, including poor oral health, improper implant placement, jaw or gum tissue degradation, traumatic facial injury, excessive stress or wear on the implant, and smoking. While some of these factors are unavoidable, most can be mitigated by maintaining good oral hygiene, taking precautions to avoid dental or facial trauma, and carefully following your dentists aftercare instructions. It is also important to ensure that your implants are placed by an experienced and qualified implantologist. Dr. Morton is a fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and he understands the importance of careful planning and precise placement when it comes to maximizing implant success.