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The Secret to Very White Teeth

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I have been using whitening toothpastes for years and never seem to get very white teeth. I’ve about given up and am now looking at getting Lumineers at the suggestion of my dentist. It looks like it can give me very white teeth, but I wanted to make sure I am on the right track with this before investing that much money. Any advice?

Melissa

Dear Melissa,

Zoom Whitening

You have a few good options. Before we get into that, I’d like to discuss why your whitening toothpaste hasn’t worked.  These don’t actually whiten our teeth as much as scraping them clean. Whitening toothpaste uses an abrasive on your teeth, which removes the stains. However, it also will scratch the surface of your teeth. This has the unfortunate effect of damaging the surface of your teeth, in turn making them pick up stains more.

I’m a bit concerned that your dentist jumped from whitening toothpaste straight to Lumineers. It is massively more expensive than some of your other options. Lumineers are one brand of porcelain veneers. It’s a highly marketed brand. Unfortunately, it is mostly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. This rarely goes well for the patient. Plus, porcelain veneers are not intended for simply whitening your teeth. Instead, they are for total smile makeovers. If that is what you want, then great. Get porcelain veneers. They can be made as white as you’d like. They can also change the shape and size of your teeth. It’s important you choose an excellent cosmetic dentist to do that procedure.  If you decide to go that route, I suggest you look for a dentist that is listed on the mynewsmile.com website. These dentists are pre-screened for their training, technical knowledge, and artistry. They cannot just pay to get listed.

If you are not looking for anything quite that expensive, then you can get your teeth very white by doing professional teeth whitening. Doing bleaching trays can get them very white and you can do it at your convenience. If you want them white super fast, then you can go with Zoom Whitneining which will whiten your teeth in just one appointment. Unlike with porcelain veneers, you won’t need an exceptional cosmetic dentist for either teeth whitening procedure. Pretty much any dentist who offers the services can do them without any problem.

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

Should She Finish This Full-Mouth Reconstruction?

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I went for years grinding my teeth without any intervention or knowledge that it was happening. I moved to a new city, which meant a new dentist. He was the one who told me about the grinding. I would explain why my jaw always hurt. I am wearing a night guard now, but he also suggested a full-mouth reconstruction. I was a bit nervous about that because I have a very sensitive mouth. I once had Zoom Whitening done and it was absolute agony. I did (and do) trust this dentist so I went ahead with the reconstruction. He’s finished the first half, which is the bottom arch. While it does make that part of my smile look much better, it almost looks too perfect. I liked the quirky look of my old smile. Plus, like the Zoom, the procedure was agony for me.  I’m no longer hurting, since he did the first half and I’m wondering now if it is necessary to finish. There is a color difference wtih my bottom teeth being whiter. If Zoom weren’t such a painful experience for me I’d just do that.  Do you have an opinion?

Katherine

Dear Katherine,

a woman smiling from the dentist chair with her dentist smiling beside her

You’ll need to bear in mind that I haven’t examined you, nor have I seen any x-rays. I can give you some generalities. I am not usually one to recommend half of a full-mouth reconstruction. In general, restorative material is harder on your teeth than natural tooth structure. That could cause a problem with your upper teeth, including increased sensitivity–something you definitely don’t need.

If not having the quirkiness bothers you, there is an easy solution for that. Most cosmetic patients want the perfect smile look. My feeling is your dentist and his ceramist would LOVE the opportunity to be more creative and add some quirkiness. You mentioned having some pain with the reconstruction. If the numbing medication isn’t working it is likely because with your sensitive teeth you have had enough bad experiences to give you dental anxiety. There is something about how the anxeity affects your body chemistry that causes it to interfere with the effectiveness of your medication. Oten, doing something as simple as using nitrous oxide before the procedure starts will relax you enough to enable the numbing medication to do its job.

All of that being said, if you feel the first half of your reconstruction has served the purpose you needed and all you truly want at this point is the whitening, you don’t have to use Zoom Whitening, which can be a tad strong for people with sensitive teeth. Instead, you can do home whitening trays. You will wear the gel at your convenience for as long as you can comfortably tolerate. You may find that a better solution for you. There are a variety of teeth whitening options.

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

Tetracycline Teeth and No Money

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I have tetracycline stains on my teeth. I had dental bonding placed on my teeth but they are old and chipping. I can’t afford the porcelain veneers my dentist thinks I should get. Is there a whitening option that will work for me? Or if there are ways to get porcelain veneers cheaper than my dentist offers them can you give me that tip? My dentist is one of those top cosmetic dentists so I know he is more expensive than most.

Katya

Dear Katya,

Photo of teeth whitening trays in a blue case.

Teeth whitening trays

I will answer your second question first. If you cannot afford to get porcelain veneers from a skilled porcelain veneers, please don’t go to a cheaper dentist. I can tell you countless horror stories of smile makeover disasters from patients who tried to save money by going to a cheap cosmetic dentist. This is especially true in your case because tetracycline stains are one of the most advanced types of cosmetic cases there are. If you cannot afford to have it done right you have a few options.

If your dentist placed the dental bonding over your dental enamel, you should be able to have your dentist remove the bonding with sandpaper disks. In some states, a dental hygienist can do this for you at a lower fee. Once the dental bonding is off, you can whiten your teeth. If you are persistant enough and stay at it long enough it can make a difference. It will not be a great as porcelain veneers but it will make a difference. Don’t use anything over the counter. They are not strong enough and it will be a profound waste of money. In that same vein, don’t use anything like laser whitening or Zoom whitening. Yes, they are stronger than the take home teeth whitening, but they are more expensive. You are trying to save money and it would take way too many sessions to make a difference.

On the other hand, if your dentist did remove some of the enamel on your teeth, the best you can do at this point is have someone smooth out the dental bonding while you save to get porcelain veneers done by a skilled cosmetic dentist.

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

Getting Super White Teeth

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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,

Blonde woman with a beautiful white smile

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.

Need to Whiten FAST!

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I’ve kind of let my whole routine go during this quarantine and I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t even taken care of my hygiene that well. The only thing I did do is work non-stop from home remotely.  I live alone so I just plopped on the couch, put on some background noise, ate snacks, and worked non-stop on my computer. The home office noticed my work and I’m getting a promotion and an award, that is going to be streamed to the rest of the company.  My teeth are YELLOW! Like noticeably.  How can I get them whitened fast?  I have a week and a half?

Jim

Dear Jim,

Zoom Whitening

First, let me congratulate you on your win and your promotion! That is excellent.  Don’t be too hard on yourself about letting some things go. It seems like every person working from home I know are growing beards and relaxing on some normally fastidious habits. Plus, it sounds like you were productive in other ways.

The fastest way to whiten your teeth is with Zoom Whitening. This is an in-office whitening procedure that can whiten you thoroughly in just one appointment.  However, it is most effective if you’ve recently had your teeth cleaned. Otherwise, the results could be splotchy.  The first thing I’d do is schedule an appointment with your dentist to get your teeth cleaned immediately if you haven’t done that recently.  When you schedule that appointment, explain about the award and see if they offer Zoom Whitening. If not, I would just call around and see who does.

They may want you to get your cleaning done there and some even offer discounts when you do both at their office.  Many offices will also provide custom-fitted teeth whitening trays for you to take home with you after you are done with your appointment. Keep those in a safe place and then once every couple of years you can ask for some teeth whitening gel and give yourself an inexpensive touch-up.

Best of luck with your ceremony.

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

Making Teeth Beautiful Fast without Spending a Fortune

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A man I knew way back in high school is flying into town for a business meeting and wants to have dinner and catch up. This is going to sound a bit childish, but I used to have a crush on him and want to make a good impression. Sort of show him I’ve “aged well”.  I’d like to improve my smile but he gets here in a month. I looked at porcelain veneers but they are way out of my budget. Is there another way to improve my smile that quickly without spending a small fortune?

Emily

Hi Emily,

Zoom Whitening

One of the least expensive ways to make a dramatic improvement on your smile is to have professional teeth whitening done. That simple procedure alone will take years off your smile’s appearance. You have two options to get this done.

Teeth Whitening Option One:  Take Home

Photo of teeth whitening trays in a blue case.

Teeth whitening trays

The least expensive option is to use take-home trays. Your dentist will custom fit them to your smile so the whitening gel stays in place while still reaching the whole tooth for even whitening. You’d want to wear them for a minimum of 30 minutes a day at your convenience. Obviously, the longer you wear them, the whiter they will get.  Depending on how much staining your teeth have and how white you want to get them, this can take around six weeks. Of course, the length of time you wear them each day will be a factor as well.

 

Teeth Whitening Option Two:  Zoom Whitening

Patient using Zoom Whitening light

Zoom Whitening Light

You can also have your teeth whitened in just one appointment using Zoom Whitening.  This is an in-office procedure and not all dentists have the equipment, so you may have to call around to see who in your area does.  This uses a special light that activates the whitening gel.  Your teeth will be their whitest in just three 20-minute sessions all done in one appointment.

I hope this helps.  Best of luck with your reunion!

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

Dealing with Teeth Whitening

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I developed these opaque white spots on my teeth when I was much younger. My dentist insists my teeth are completely healthy. I mentioned to him that the appearance really bothers me, but he is more of the philosophy if it isn’t broke don’t mess with it. When I brought it up a few more times he said if it bothers me that much I could get some whitening strips. I’m looking for something a little faster and professional. There is a dentist in my area who does Zoom Whitening. Is it okay to go to a different dentist just for some cosmetic work or is that considered bad form?

Meagan

Dear Meagan,

A woman getting a porcelain veneer placed on her teeth

So, there are a few different types of dentists. Yours sounds like he holds to the engineering mindset These are dentists who got into the field because they like to fix things. They haven’t invested any time in learning the cosmetic side of their field. This is very obvious from the advice he gave you.

While you are correct that Zoom Whitening is the most effective and quick way to get your teeth whitened, it will not work for your particular issue.

Any type of teeth whitening, professional or not, will whiten your teeth uniformly. This means there will still be color differences in your teeth with white spots.

The Solution to White Spots

Depending on the area affected, you have a couple of choices. If it is a tiny area of white spots, you could have dental bonding done to get your teeth uniform in color.

If it is a large area, you would be better served getting porcelain veneers placed. These will cover the entire tooth and are the top of the line in smile makeover options.

Who Should Do Your Cosmetic Work?

It is fairly common for patients to go to an expert cosmetic dentist and then return to their dentist for the bread and butter type of dental work.

The two particular procedures I mentioned above will require an expert cosmetic dentist. Look at Dr. Delaune’s bio to get an idea of what to look for in the best cosmetic dentists. They will have the skills to give you a stunning smile you will be thrilled to share.

How Can Zoom Whitening Help?

If you would like a whiter smile, you can still use Zoom Whitening to do that and then have the dentist treat the white spots.. It’s important to do any teeth whitening before the other work is done. Both dental bonding and porcelain veneers can be matched to any tooth color. However, once they’re made, their color is permanent. Get your teeth the color you want before having your veneers placed.

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

Brown Spots on TEeth

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Most of my teeth are okay, but there are brown spots on my two front teeth which have bothered me since they came in . I was told this was because of a fever I had as a child. My dentist tried all the over the counter whitening products and even professional whitening. She’s thinking about either sending me to another dentist who has a Zoom light or grinding down until the brown spots are gone. Do you think one of these is a better option than another?

Cora

Dear Cora,

I want you to stop letting this dentist work on your front teeth. While it is obvious she is trying to help, she doesn’t have the knowledge for this type of treatment.

Neither at-home whitening or in-office Zoom Whitening will solve your problem. Teeth whitening whitens the teeth evenly. This means your brown spots will just become more obvious.

I certainly don’t think she should experiment by grinding down the brown spots. Does she know how far she’ll have to grind? How will she build the material back up?

Solutions to Brown Spots on Teeth

You have two good solutions to this issue. The first is dental bonding. This uses composite resin which the dentist will hand sculpt onto your teeth to hide the brown spots. This is the least expensive of the two options. However, it doesn’t last as long and will need to be replaced periodically.

Your second option is to have porcelain veneers done. You can do them just on the two front teeth or you can get a complete smile makeover. It’s up to you.

One word of caution. Your current dentist is not qualified to do either of these procedures. I’m going to recommend you pick one of the dentists from your area listed on the mynewsmile.com website. They have the cosmetic training and skill necessary to give you a beautiful result.

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

Can I rinse with peroxide to whiten my teeth?

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I learned that teeth whitening is mostly a peroxide mixture. Couldn’t I get a faster and similar results by rinsing with peroxide at home? I want to get this done quickly. My dentist is talking about me wearing the peroxide gel for a few weeks. I’m thinking straight peroxide will be better.

Lucy

Dear Lucy,

You want to get teeth whitening done fast and you can, but it won’t happen with rinsing your teeth with peroxide. You are correct that a teeth whitening gel is made of peroxide. However, it is only effective if it soaks into your teeth.

When your dentist creates a tooth whitening tray for you, he does it so they will have a close custom fit to your natural teeth. With the solution being a gel, it will stay on your teeth better in the tray.

It will need to soak in for a minimum of 15 minutes a day for there to be any whitening effect. I don’t think you’re going to feel comfortable rinsing for 15 minutes a day. Even then, it would take a few weeks.

Getting Your Teeth Whitened Fast

If you really want your teeth whitened fast, look for a dentist who offers Zoom Whitening. This is an in-office procedure that will completely whiten your teeth in just one appointment.

This is a safer option for you than gargling with peroxide every day.

A Smile Makeover

Another option for fast, white teeth is to get a complete smile makeover with porcelain veneers. I would only recommend this if you want to change more than just the color of your teeth.

Porcelain veneers can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth all at the same time. It’s what celebrities use as their go-to for their Hollywood smile.

If all you want is to do whiten your teeth then I would just stick with Zoom. It is much less expensive.

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

 

 

whitening teeth with white spots

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I have one tooth which has had two white spots on it my entire life, or at least for as long as I can remember. I like the white parts and want to get all my teeth to look that way. My dentist is suggesting I get Zoom Whitening but my sister says that won’t work that the spots will still be whiter than the rest. Who’s right?

Brianne

Dear Brianne,

Patient using Zoom Whitening light
Zoom Whitening Light

Your sister is correct. It worries me that you’re getting better advice from your sister than you are your dentist. He is supposed to be the professional.

Teeth whitening whitens teeth uniformly. This means that all the natural tooth structure will whiten, including the white spots. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a solution.

You can go ahead with the Zoom Whitening. This will get your teeth as white as possible in just one appointment. You’ll still have those two spots, but they can be fixed with either dental bonding or a porcelain veneer. Dental bonding costs less, but will have to be replaced a little more often.

Either procedure will require an expert cosmetic dentist. In your place, I’d look on the mynewsmile.com website. They pre-screen cosmetic dentists who want to be listed on their site for both their technical skill and artistry. Anyone on the list will do a beautiful job for you.

White Spots on Teeth

Sometimes there are white spots on teeth which are just the pigment. This seems to be your case because you’ve had it for as long as you can remember.

Other times, however, white spots are more serious. Usually, these are signs of decalcification and an early sign of decay. We see them most often with teenagers who’ve recently had their braces removed. These metal wires and brackets are hard to clean around. This is one of the reasons some parents prefer Invisalign for their teenagers.

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