Archives for November 2020

Getting Super White Teeth

Posted on November 30, 2020 by writeradmin.

I want super, super white teeth. My dentist said I won’t be happy with that because it won’t look natural. I don’t feel like I am going to get all my options from him. He’s a super nice guy and your basic bread and butter dentist, but for this I may need someone else. Can you tell me what my options are so I can start doing some research on dentists who do those procedures?

Missy

Dear Missy,

First, I will say you are wise to discern that you may need to see someone else for the types of procedure you are looking for. Too many patients think any dentist can do any procedure and that just isn’t true. You can have a great family dentist, but he or she could still be clueless as to cosmetic work. That’s not taught in dental school, nor is it a recognized specialty. That means it is totally up to the dentist how much post-doctoral training he invests in, if any. There are countless cosmetic dentist horror stories from patients who pressured an unqualified dentist. Fortunately, this should not happen to you.

You have a few options here.

Go the Whole Hog with a Total Smile Makeover

If you are looking to do more than just whiten your teeth, such as changing other aspects of your teeth, then you may want to look into porcelain veneers. This is what celebrities turn to for that Hollywood smile. It can remake everything about your smile. The shape, the size, the color, and even the character of your smile. However, this will need to be done by an expert cosmetic dentist. I would look on the mynewsmile.com website to choose the dentist to do this procedure. They have all been previously vetted and found to have both technical skill as well as artistry. They will create a stunning smile for you. In fact, most of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

One Appointment Teeth Whitening

If you are just wanting to whiten your teeth but want to do it quickly, Zoom Whitening is a good option. It will get your teeth extremely white in just one appointment. You won’t have to find a dentist with special skills for this the way you would for porcelain veneers, but you will need a dentist who has the Zoom whitening machine.

At-home Teeth Whitening

If you are persistent enough, you can use at-home teeth whitening with bleaching trays. Any dentist can do this. You will wear the trays for a minimum of 20 minutes a day. The longer you wear them, the faster they will whiten. Many people choose to sleep in them. You can get them massively white by just sticking with this method.

This blog is brought to you by Metairie Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Getting an Implant Crown to Match

Posted on November 28, 2020 by writeradmin.

I had to have a dental implant on a front tooth. The dental implant itself is fine. The crown, however, is an entirely different story. We’ve done three different crowns and none of them have matched the teeth next to it. My dentist said I don’t have teeth that go with the dental colors. Apparently, my teeth are between an A1 and A2. I really don’t like how different my two front teeth look. My dentist is frustrated with me and said I should be grateful I have a tooth that is close. She feels I am being unreasonable. Am I? I thought it was possible to match front teeth. When I asked if we could try just one more time, she said I could damage the dental implant if I keep trying. I”m not sure what to do at this point.

Kristin

Dear Kristin,

I do not like that your dentist is pushing her lack of ability onto you as being unreasonable. Of course, you would want your two front teeth to match. While it is very likely your teeth are between two shades, that doesn’t mean you cannot have an exact match of your teeth. Those shade guides she is using will give a very close match. That is good enough if you are doing dental crowns on just about any tooth except the front teeth.

Front teeth are especially tricky. This is because they are completely exposed to the light when you smile. This shows them in much more detail. An exact match is necessary or your front teeth will look strange, which you have, unfortunately, discovered for yourself.

If you look at the image directly left, this is what true cosmetic dentists use to help the lab get an exact match to your teeth. First, they’ll use the basic shade guide, such as the A1 or A2. From there, your dentist will have to map out where to put various tints to create the perfect shade on your porcelain crown. When done with expertise and artistry, no one will be able to tell the implant crown from your natural tooth.

I don’t think you are going to get the result you need from this dentist. Because the implant seems fine, I suggest asking for a refund on the dental crown only. She hasn’t been able to give you a crown that matches your teeth. Then, I want you to go to an expert cosmetic dentist. One way you can find an expert cosmetic dentist in your area is to use the mynewsmile.com website. They have a “Find a Cosmetic Dentist” link. You input your zip code and how far you are willing to travel and they will give you a list of dentists who are true artists. Any one of them will give you a crown that matches your adjacent tooth exactly.

As far as your dental implant being at risk, if your dentist did that correctly, you shouldn’t have any problem. Though, here again, she is showing her lack of knowledge of cosmetic dentistry. The best cosmetic dentists know that the patient needs to see the work and approve it before it is permanently bonded onto the tooth. They do this using a temporary try-in paste. You’d get to see the crown in various lightings in order to be certain you are pleased with the result. Only then will it be bonded on permanently.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Bleaching Teeth with Clorox

Posted on November 14, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have a friend who has pretty white teeth. I asked her which teeth whitening she uses and she told me she just rinses with Clorox Bleach every day. Is that safe?

Penny

Dear Penny,

I am always amazed at the creative questions we sometimes get here. I think this one is a first for me. So there are a couple of things to consider here. First, Clorox (chemically speaking) is a strong base. Think of Lye and that might give you an idea of what I mean. Because of its base strength, it is highly corrosive to organic tissue.

As an example, many dentists use a household bleach curing root canal treatments. It is a method we learned in dental school to help dissolve any organic debris left inside a cleaned out root. It also disinfects the tooth. Notice we’re using it to dissolve something.

A second consideration is when bleach comes into contact with certain other types of chemicals, it will release chlorine gas, which is toxic.

Finally, there is the label on the back of the bottle that says it is a violation of federal law to use it in any way other than what it was manufactured for. If you’ve already pulled the tag off your mattress, that is two strikes and you could end up in “the pen” for a long time.

Healthy Teeth Whitening

The most effective and safest way to whiten your teeth is with a dentist. Generally, they offer two options for you. The first is take-home whitening. This lets you have more control over how white your teeth get. Once you reach the level of whitening you want, you can simply stop using the whitening gel.

A second option is Zoom Whitening. This is done in the dentist’s office and will get your teeth their whitest in just one appointment. This has the advantage of being the fastest, but if you just want a mild whitening, this will whiten beyond that.

Plus, you won’t have to worry about the bleach or mattress police.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Gum Disease From Dental Crowns

Posted on November 3, 2020 by writeradmin.

I had to have two dental crowns on my front teeth because of an accident. Before this, my smile looked fine. These crowns not only look chunky and fake, but the gums have been inflamed for months. My dentist said he has no idea why they are inflamed and wondered if I’m brushing properly. I’ve been brushing my teeth for 45 years. I know how to do it. I visited a periodontist who thinks the crowns went too deep whatever that means. But, either way I have gum disease and need to have some surgery to make this right. What do I do?

Cade

Dear Cade,

You are facing a two-fold problem. The first one is fairly common. Ugly dental crowns is the result of a dentist who did not invest enough in developing their cosmetic dentistry skills. There isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. As a result, it is up to the dentist how much training they get beyond dental school. Unfortunately, hardly any cosmetic work is taught in dental school, which focuses on the engineering side of things.

In most cases, this is where the problem ends. You have ugly dental crowns, but they are well made and well placed so they function well. Your issue goes one step further. Your dentist blew the general dentistry portion too. He violated the biological width, which means the crowns went too deep under the gums.

Because this has caused functional problems, this will work in your favor. Gum disease is serious and can cost you your teeth. I would like for you to ask for a refund on these crowns. From there, ask for them to pay for the repairs to your gums. They did this and should make it right. If you need gum surgery, you may want to look for a dentist who knows the pinhole technique which is suture free.

Now, when it comes to replacing these porcelain crowns, I want you to look on the mynewsmile.com website. They have a “Find a cosmetic dentist” link where you can input your zip code and how far you are willing to travel. They only recommend cosmetic dentists of the highest caliber. Any one of them will be able to provide you with beautiful, natural-looking crowns.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.