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Are veneers the only option to replace my bonding?

Posted on by smiles4u.

When I was younger, I took tetracycline and it stained my teeth. Back then, they did bonding to cover the stains and for the most part it has held up pretty well. It’s just been in the last few years that they have started to look bad again and I’ve been considering what to do about it. At my last dental appointment, I brought it up to my dentist and asked him what my options are. He insists that I can only do veneers – which are completely out of the question because there is no way I can afford them. I asked if we could do bonding again or if teeth whitening would work and he shot both of them down. Is there really nothing else that can be done? Will I have to just have dingy, stained teeth until I can save up enough money for veneers? — Marilee

Dear Marilee,
Do you know if your dentist does much cosmetic dentistry? Based on what he is telling, it doesn’t sound like he does. There’s no doubt that veneers would be the best way to give you a great looking smile, but there are other options.

Unless he’s examined you and determined that there are structural issues with your teeth, there shouldn’t be any reason why the bonding couldn’t be redone. If he’s pushing the veneers, your teeth are probably fine. As for whitening, tetracycline stains are highly resistant to even the strongest professional grade gels and it could take months of treatment to get where you want to be.

Here’s what you need to do: find a good cosmetic dentist and get a second opinion. He or she might be able to polish some of the stains out. If you do try whitening, you need to realize that it could take a long time to see any results, so you’ll have to be persistent and patient. The bonding won’t actually change color, so it will need to be replaced. A good cosmetic dentist can tell you whether or not the bonding can be removed before you start the whitening and then replaced after you’ve gotten the results you want.

This will be a lengthy process – probably several months at least. If you don’t think you can endure that long, you better start tucking away those extra dollars so you can eventually get veneers.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Is my bad breath caused by generic brand of Lumineers?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I recently made some big changes in my life in regards to my health and wellness. Now that I am in a good place, one of the last things I would like to do is transform my smile. Since I hadn’t really taken care of my teeth for a long time, I had some periodontal disease that needed taken care of and after treatment and a few deep-cleanings, I was ready to move forward. I chose to go the route of Lumineers, but when my dentist said he didn’t do them, but rather another brand of ultra thin veneers, I didn’t question him about it and we started the process. It’s been a few months and I can’t say enough about how much I love my teeth! I can’t stop smiling because they look so good. The only thing I have noticed is something has changed with my breath – and it’s not for the better. It stinks! The dentist says I am not practicing good dental hygiene, but I know that’s not true. I got to thinking about this other brand of veneers he used. I didn’t question him about it at the time, but now I’m wondering if they were some sort of knock-off brand that isn’t as good and they are causing the problem.  — Catherine

Dear Catherine,
You’ll find many dentists who opt for other brands of ultra-thin veneers over Lumineers. They find them better not only in quality, but in functionality and fit. Another great advantage is that dentists – particularly skilled cosmetic dentists — can use a lab of their choice to give patients more aesthetic results.

Bad breath is often hard to pinpoint, but one of the first things to look into is your diet. Did you change anything about the foods you’ve been eating since you had the veneers placed? You mentioned periodontal disease which can also be a source. After living with it for so long, you might not have even noticed the smell. The treatments and deep cleanings probably took care of any odors, but if it’s been a while, your gums could be showing signs of disease again.

Make an appointment with your dentist for another cleaning and be sure your hygienist is aware of your concerns. The veneers could have created some hidden areas that you might be missing when you brush. Bacteria and food might be trapped and you don’t know it. She can take a good look and if there are those types of areas, she can give you tips on how to get them clean.

If the gum disease was severe, you might ask about more frequent cleanings in the short-term. If you try all these things and there’s still no improvement, get a second opinion. In the event the veneers were bonded incorrectly or improperly shaped, it’s possible you can get them adjusted or reshaped.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Will dentist fix my cracked veneer?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I grind my teeth at night, but I was happy to find out that I could still be a candidate for porcelain veneers. I just got them done a couple months ago and I have been wearing a night guard. Last night, I was so exhausted that I feel asleep and didn’t get the night guard put in. I woke up because I noticed something in my mouth – it was a piece of one of my veneers that broke off! Do you think my dentist will replace it for free since I’ve had the veneers for such a short time? — Josh

Josh,
This is a tough one. While I’m sure you didn’t intend to fall asleep without your night guard, things happen and whether or not your dentist will fix it is completely up to him. If he prescribed the night guard and told you to be sure to always wear it, he really has no obligation to you.

Maybe he’ll offer to replace it this time if you cover the laboratory charge. You can be sure that it will be full price if it happens again. However, it’s best to have him look at it because there’s also a chance that he could repair it. If it split cleanly into two pieces that fit back together, he could re-bonded it to your tooth and the crack will be nearly invisible.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

I want to get veneers, but I’m afraid they will cause tooth decay

Posted on by smiles4u.

I’m in need of a smile makeover, but not sure if I should go with porcelain veneers or Lumineers. Should I be concerned about tooth decay with veneers from food getting stuck under them? — Anastasia

Anastasia,
Regardless of what type of veneer you go with, if your dentist bonds them properly, there will be no gaps behind them and your smile will look very natural because the veneers fit perfectly over your teeth. Porcelain veneers themselves are not made of enamel, so they will not decay, but the exposed tooth structure is still susceptible to normal decay if you don’t keep up on your daily home care of brushing and flossing. So be diligent in your daily oral habits and don’t forget to schedule regular dental cleanings and check-ups.

You need to be sure that you get the help of a skilled cosmetic dentist. Be very thorough when doing your research – ask to see before and after photos of his or her work. Also, if you don’t have a good understanding of the difference between porcelain veneers and Lumineers, you need to ask for more information and determine which is best for you. Lumineers are simply a brand a ultra-thin veneers that don’t require teeth preparation. They work for some people, but if they are not properly placed they can cause several aesthetic problems. Porcelain veneers are more versatile and allow a dentist to custom design a perfect fit.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Will tooth mousse and whitening get rid of my white lesions?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I’ve had white spot lesions on my teeth for several years. I finally decided I wanted to do something about them so at my last dental appointment, my dentist sent me home with tooth mousse and then told me to come back in a couple of months for some whitening. Will the combination of these two things help me finally get rid of these stains for good? — Eric

Eric,
Unfortunately, your dentist is not quite on the mark with this one. Yes, tooth mousse does treat white spots, but it’s only designed to keep them from turning into cavities by remineralizing them. You can check into it, but the company doesn’t make any specific aesthetic claims beyond that.

But what is even more concerning is that your dentist is recommending tooth whitening. The bleaching gel is designed to whitening everything, so if you have white spots, they will end up looking even worse. Find an expert cosmetic dentist in your area and he/she will be able to help you get rid of the white spots with either microabrasion (an acid-pumice mixture that is applied to the surface of the teeth) or tooth bonding which is covering the areas with composite resin.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

CEREC for porcelain veneers? My dentist seems to think so…

Posted on by smiles4u.

I will be fifty soon and while I look and feel pretty great for my age, my teeth are definitely not holding up as well. I’ve chipped and cracked a couple of them and overall, they just look old and discolored. I’ve read up on porcelain veneers and I’d like to treat myself to an early birthday smile makeover. When I talked to my dentist, he recommended using his CEREC machine that is right there in the office. While I have had a crown done with CEREC, I’m not so sure it is ideal for extensive procedures like veneers. I have high expectations for my new smile, so wouldn’t it be better if he sent them to a lab? — Danielle

Danielle,
There are many dentist who use CEREC machines and claim they can get the same results that a dental lab can. If you talk to any tried and true cosmetic dentist, they would more than likely strongly disagree. Before making any sort of decision, google some photos of CEREC veneers. Hopefully you will find some before and after photos from dentists who have completed veneers this way. As you are examining them, ask yourself these these questions:

  • Is the gumline symmetrical?
  • Is the shape of the tooth natural?
  • Does the color and shading match the surrounding teeth?

While many of the smiles may look improved, if you find yourself answering no to these questions, CEREC will not give you the results you desire.

When it comes to porcelain veneers, the best results will be achieved by an experienced cosmetic dentist working closely with an expert lab technician. The best ones out there will have before and after photos of actual patients. Study the photos closely and if you have any doubts in his or her skills, keep looking. The other thing you can do is tell you dentist you would prefer traditional porcelain veneers. If he seems hesitant, it would be best not to push him into doing them. Chances are, he isn’t comfortable with them and that is a sure-fire reason to find someone who is.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Getting rid of white spots…Zoom whitening didn’t work!

Posted on by smiles4u.

I just recently got my braces off. I love how straight my teeth are, but I have very noticeable white spots on some of my teeth. When I asked my dentist about how to get rid of them, he suggested Zoom whitening. I did the Zoom, but for some reason it didn’t work. What went wrong? — Aliya

Aliya,
This is one of the problems that happens when general dentists try to do cosmetic dentistry. Unfortunately, in your case, your dentist doesn’t really know the right thing to do. While Zoom whitening is a very effective treatment, when teeth are uneven in color like you are describing, it simply doesn’t work and neither will at-home systems. As you might be noticing, the spots are probably getting worse rather than better.

The good news is that there are treatments available to help. For the most part, white spots are caused by calcification around the braces due to oral hygiene issues. There is a product called Tooth Mousse that was developed specifically to help re-mineralize these spots. Microabrasion is also an option, but it tends to result in more of a “creamy” look, rather than white.

Direct dental bonding is probably your best option because the softened and de-calcified enamel (which is actually the early stages of tooth decay) is removed and replaced with composite that can be matched to your exact tooth color.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Single veneer replacement – should I be concerned about color match?

Posted on by smiles4u.

About a month ago, I had veneers put on my front teeth. Because of some exposed dentin, I’ve endured quite a bit of sensitivity (although it’s getting better). When I saw my dentist this week, he said he wants to correct the fit issue and replace the one veneer. Will he be able to match the color or will I have a tooth that looks different? Also, what are the chances that removing the veneer could break the tooth underneath or possible damage one of the other veneers? — Shiela

Sheila,
You should absolutely let you dentist fix this issue for you. If he or she is a skilled cosmetic dentist, they will have no problem matching the color of the new veneer to your existing ones (the lab used most likely has the color formula on record so they can make a perfect match).

As far as damaging your tooth or surrounding veneers, you should also not worry. It’s actually more of a risk to leave the veneer the way it is. The sensitivity you have been experiencing is because dentin has tubules that lead directly to the pulp. When these tubules are left open, bacteria can easily get into the pulp and cause an even bigger set of issues.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Can I reshape my teeth after braces?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I am getting my braces off in a month or two. My teeth have straightened significantly, but I can still see that my front top teeth are not as straight as I would like, plus the edges look jagged. I’m thinking about getting them reshaped, but I don’t know if my orthodontist or my regular dentist should do it?  — Amanda

Dear Amanda,
The procedure you are referring to (in dental terms) is called cosmetic contouring. Whether or not you choose to have your orthodontist or your dentist do it, you need to first find out if either one of them have enough training. It is a cosmetic procedure that requires adequate skill.

Definitely wait until you have your braces off because your teeth will continue to shift in these last couple of months. It would also be a good idea to ask your orthodontist or dentist if they think cosmetic contouring will work for your specific situation. Unfortunately, not everyone is a candidate. Most importantly, you need to find out how much experience either one of them has and whether or not they are completely comfortable performing the contouring. If you have any doubts as to whether or not they can give you the results you desire, it would be best to seek out a skilled cosmetic dentist.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Sensitive teeth are affecting my health. Will Lumineers help?

Posted on by smiles4u.

My teeth are extremely sensitive, making it difficult to eat and drink certain foods and beverages. It’s starting to affect my health because I am struggling to keep my body nourished. Would getting Lumineers help with the sensitivity and get me back on the road to feeling normal and healthy?  — Sara

Sara,
Lumineers or other brands of porcelain veneers can help treat sensitivity. But before you make any decisions on this type of treatment or smile makeover, it is very important that you consult with an experienced cosmetic dentist who can get to the bottom of why your teeth are so sensitive and make a thorough diagnosis.

Sensitivity can be caused by several things, including:

  • Leaky fillings
  • Sensitive spots on the root of your tooth
  • A mis-aligned bite
  • Tooth decay
  • Teeth grinding

Sometimes a patient with sensitivity wanting porcelain veneers may need to get root canal treatment on the front teeth.  With today’s modern advances and a good cosmetic dentist doing the work, they can assure the tooth won’t fracture later and the end result will be a beautiful smile and no more sensitivity.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.