dental bonding Archives | Dr. Duane Delaune's Blog

My Dental Bonding Looks Awful

May 9, 2020 by writeradmin

I had some discoloration on my teeth after getting braces. I really regret not getting Invisalign now, but hindsight is 20/20. I had discoloration on several teeth after my procedure was done. I asked her what we could do about it. At first, we tried teeth whitening, but that only made it worse. So, she told me she needed to do some research. She called me back and said the consensus is dental bonding is the right solution. I felt confident going in because this time she researched the solution. Honestly, though, my two front teeth now look like she just glued pieces of chicklet gum to them. They are way too thick and the color looks flat and chalky. I could tell even she wasn’t thrilled with them but she was trying to not make me feel self-conscious about them. Is there anything I can do to fix these at this point or is it too late?

Sheena

Dear Sheena,

before and after dental bonding for broken teeth

It sounds like your dentist cares about her patients but is just in over her head when it comes to the cosmetic end of things. That isn’t terribly surprising. Dentists are in a bit of a pickle when it comes to cosmetic work. It’s not really taught in dental school, nor is it a recognized specialty. If a dentist wants to learn about cosmetic dentistry they have to invest in post-doctoral training to learn more about it. Especially for dentists just starting out, that’s a tough one.

I can tell your dentist had not invested in that training right off that bat with her suggestion about teeth whitening. Two basic tenets about teeth whitening that every dentist should know are: 1. It whitens your teeth evenly. As a result, when there is discoloration whitening your teeth actually makes that more obvious, not less. 2. It will only whiten natural tooth structure. If someone had discolored dental work bleaching them won’t work.

When that failed, she did what she should have to begin with, and did some research. She was right about the solution. Dental bonding is the correct way to fix this problem. What she didn’t realize is that it is an advanced cosmetic procedure that takes a while to learn, especially because it has to be done freehand.

Another common repair that uses dental bonding is for broken and chipped teeth. if you look at the image above, you can see a repair done by Dr. Delaune. Notice that it blends in seamlessly in both color and texture. This is what you should expect with a dental bonding case.

Getting Bad Dental Bonding Fixed

The only real fix for this is to have it done over. Based on what you’ve said, I honestly don’t think your dentist has the skills yet to give you a beautiful natural-looking result. Your first step is to get your money back, so you can get this done properly. She likely knows it didn’t turn out beautifully and should be willing to give you a refund.

You’ll want an expert cosmetic dentist to do this repair. It is hard for patients to know who has the training and who doesn’t because there isn’t an “official” specialty. One retired cosmetic dentist realized this and started a website to help patients like you. I would go to the mynewsmile.com website. They screen dentists, who want to be listed, for both their technical knowledge and skill, as well as their artistry. Only the best cosmetic dentists are included. They cannot simply pay to have a listing there. Any one of them can give you the repair you were hoping for to begin with.

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

Damage After Crest Whitestrips

April 1, 2020 by writeradmin

I had a damaged tooth from years ago that has always been a bit darker than my other teeth. It’s always embarrassed me about my smile. I recently talked to my dentist about it and asked if tooth whitening would be a good idea. He doesn’t offer that service but said that Crest Whitestrips work. After about a week my teeth became sensitive. I went back and he said he thinks I need a root canal treatment. I don’t know why it would. Do you think I need a second opinion? Also, if Crest Whitestrips won’t work for me should I try another dentist who does do teeth whitening?

Calli

Dear Calli,

Teeth whitening trays

Your dentist showed a fundamental lack of understanding about teeth whitening. I’m glad to hear he doesn’t offer the procedure because he’d do one of the simplest cosmetic procedures ever wrong. No matter what type of teeth whitening you do, it will whiten the teeth evenly. So even if this darker tooth got whiter, so would all the other teeth around it. Therefore, the tooth would still be darker than the rest of them.

In this situation, you would need dental bonding or a porcelain veneer. Either one of these procedures would require an expert cosmetic dentist. Your dentist doesn’t qualify. Before we go onto finding an expert cosmetic dentist I want to address your immediate issue.

I would get a second opinion before getting a root canal treatment. Crest Whitestrips aren’t very strong. They do whiten, but it would take a significant number of boxes to match what you would get with a dentist. Even then, you would only have your first six teeth get whitened because that is all the strips will reach. I would be surprised if it caused you to need a root canal treatment. That doesn’t mean you didn’t have something else going on.

Bottom line. Get a second opinion. After that is dealt with, if you decide you want to get that tooth fixed cosmetically, I suggest you go to the mynewsmile.com website. They recommend expert cosmetic dentists by zip code. So you should be able to find one in your area.

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

Dealing with Teeth Whitening

February 13, 2020 by writeradmin

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.

Pain with teeth whitening

February 9, 2020 by writeradmin

I had dental bonding done about seven years ago. Since then I’ve been whitening my teeth, the dental bonding isn’t whitening, but that isn’t why I am writing. Recently, I’ve started having pain for about 30 seconds right where the bonding connects to the chipped teeth. Do you think the teeth whitening is damaging the bond?

Fanny

Dear Fanny,

You didn’t mention whether or not you are under the supervision of a dentist during your teeth whitening or if you are doing an over-the-counter teeth whitening. There are a couple of ways in which the method you chose won’t matter.

First, neither form of teeth whitening will weaken the bond. Second, neither method will whiten your dental bonding. Even professional teeth whitening will only whiten natural tooth structure. The only way to whiten your dental bonding would be to re-do it.

Here’s where their differences in the methods lie. The strength of over the counter teeth whitening is only a fraction of what you get through a dentist. You have to do countless kits to get the same value in teeth whitening. The second difference is the care you get.

A dentist would be monitoring any complications which would come up during the process, including pain and gum issues.

The pain you are experiencing is likely because of a sensitive spot on that tooth where the bonding agent has worn down. With the age of your bonding, that doesn’t surprise me.

Here’s what I recommend. See your dentist and let him or her know what is going on. There is a way they can cover the sensitive part while your teeth whitening is going on. That should cover the pain.

Then, you can continue the whitening until you get to the level of brightness you want. From there, you can get your dental bonding replaced to match the newer color.

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

fixing this dental bonding

December 31, 2019 by writeradmin

I had dental bonding done by my dentist in the previous state I lived in. It was getting old and picking up stains so my new dentist tried to spruce it up with teeth whitening. That seemed to just make it darker. Is there some way to whiten this bonding?

Kathy

Dear Kathy,

Unfortunately, teeth whitening will not work on your dental bonding. It isn’t just bonding. It won’t work on any dental work. The reason your dental bonding looks darker is the teeth whitening did work on your natural teeth while your bonding stayed the same color.

There is not a way to whiten old bonding. Instead, you’re going to need to have it re-done. I don’t think your current dentist will be the one to do it. He or she didn’t understand how teeth whitening works, which is the bare basics of cosmetic dentistry. Dental bonding takes an expert level of cosmetic skill to get right.

In your place, I’d look for a dentist recommended on the mynewsmile.com website. They pre-screen dentists who wish to be listed for both their technical training and their artistic skill.

One thing you might want to consider is upgrading to porcelain veneers. Your bonding will have to be re-done every few years, When porcelain veneers are well cared for, they can last for two decades. Again, you would need to have this done by a cosmetic dentist.

You can stay with your current dentist for all your general work. However, when you go in for cleanings, make sure they know not to use anything like a prophy jet or acidulated fluoride. Both of those will take the glazing right off your cosmetic work. This will ruin them and cause them to pick up stains.

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

Brown Spots on TEeth

December 27, 2019 by writeradmin

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.

when porcelain veneers are an overtreatment

September 14, 2019 by writeradmin

I talked to my dentist about getting my teeth whiter. I was thinking of teeth whitening, but he suggested I get porcelain veneers. He said then he could whiten my teeth and close a small gap I have at the same time. While I like the idea of not having my tooth gap any longer, the price he quoted me is pretty high. Could I whiten my teeth and then get the porcelain veneers later when I have the money?

Macey

Dear Macey,

I am not comfortable with your dentist’s recommendation. To me, if you just want your teeth whitened, porcelain veneers are a massive (and expensive) overtreatment.

Porcelain veneers are a procedure for patients looking for a total smile makeover. It is the go-to procedures for celebrities looking for that perfect smile. They can simultaneously change the shape, size, and color of your teeth.

Yes, they can close your tooth gap, and you could get your teeth whitening done and then later get porcelain veneers, but you could close your tooth gap at a much lower cost with dental bonding. In fact, that’s what I’m going to suggest you do.

I want you to get your teeth whitened. Then, after a couple of weeks when the color has had time to settle, see a cosmetic dentist to close the gap in your front teeth.

Because this procedure is done free-hand, it really needs to be done by a skilled cosmetic dentist.

I’m going to suggest you look on mynewsmile.com to see their list of recommended cosmetic dentists in your area. They prescreen each dentist who wishes to be listed for both technical skill as well as artistry. Any one of their listed dentists will provide you will stunning results.

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

dental bonding disaster

September 10, 2019 by writeradmin

I have two front teeth that overlap one another and the adjacent teeth are set further back than they should be. My dentist suggested dental bonding, which he said he’s done to close gapped teeth. He ground down the overlapping teeth and filled in the teeth which were set back. He made them yellow to match my other teeth but I was hoping to get them a little whiter as I planned to whiten my other teeth. The teeth he ground down feel sharp and uncomfortable and I’m just not happy with these results. What do you recommend?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

a dental bonding case done by Dr. Delaune with before and after pictures

The above picture is a dental bonding case done by Dr. Delaune, you can see more cases on his smile gallery. This is to show you that dental bonding can create beautiful results.

What it boils down to is your dentist was in over his head. While he may have closed a few gaps, the type of dental bonding your case required was much more advanced. My guess is only about 2% of cosmetic dentists can do it correctly.

I don’t know if your dentist will be willing to give you a refund so you can get this done correctly elsewhere, but you can ask.

Regarding the color of your teeth. Your dentist should have warned you if you were going to whiten them, you’d need to do it before having the bonding done. Teeth whitening only works on natural tooth structure.

Once your teeth are whitened, then a skilled cosmetic dentist will match the bonding to your new color.

Finding a Skilled Cosmetic Dentist

Smile makeovers and advanced dental bonding cases, such as yours, aren’t taught in dental school. Because of that, you want a dentist who has invested in post-doctoral training in cosmetic dental work.

In addition to technical knowledge, you want a dentist who has an artistic eye. This is especially true with dental bonding because it has to be done free-hand.

One useful resource is the mynewsmile.com website. They have a search link for patients looking for advanced cosmetic dentists. No one can just pay to be listed. Each dentist is screened for both technical training and artistry, Any dentist they list will do a beautiful job for you.

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

whitening teeth with white spots

July 6, 2019 by writeradmin

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.

why didn’t zoom whitening help?

May 7, 2019 by writeradmin

My daughter had braces. When they were removed, there was an uneven color on her teeth. Some of the teeth had white spots. We talked to our dentist about it and he suggested we use Zoom Whitening. We did. Although her teeth are whiter they are still quite uneven. What went wrong?

Natasha

Dear Natasha,

The biggest thing which went wrong is your dentist doesn’t know anything about cosmetic dentistry. while Zoom Whitening is an extraordinarily effective treatment for whitening stained teeth, it is not the correct treatment for uneven teeth.

When it comes to white spots, any type of teeth whitening procedure will actually make the situation worse.

Dealing with White Spots After Braces

When a patient has white spots after braces, it is usually caused by decalcification. Cleaning your teeth with braces on is very challenging. It takes a lot of effort to get in all the nooks and crannies. That’s one reason many dentists are recommending Invisalign for orthodontics whenever possible. It makes it much easier to clean your teeth.

Tooth Mousse is a product designed for this type of situation. It helps to remineralize the decalcified spots.

Another option is to have dental bonding placed in order to cover the uneven spots on your teeth. Don’t go to your family dentist for this. It requires a great cosmetic dentist to do this well.

How to Find a Great Cosmetic Dentist

I’m going to suggest you go to the mynewsmile.com website. They pre-screen cosmetic dentists for both technical skill and artistry. Anyone listed on their site will give your daughter a beautiful smile.

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