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My dentist keeps botching up my dentures

Posted on by AllSmiles.

I’ve been wearing dentures for about 15 years now and I have never been fond of them. I moved from Georgia to Tennessee three years ago. About a year and a half ago I paid my new dentist a lot money for a new denture that I hate. I know that’s a strong word but I really hate these false teeth. That’s just what they look like. I am 60 years old. I was blessed to be able to retire at 57. I am happy and I have a very active social life. I’m a volunteer two days a week for two different organizations and these false teeth are embarrassing me. My dentist tells me I’m too picky. I think he forgot how much cash I dropped for these things. He has done the dentures over again twice but I am no where near satisfied. What can I do or say to help him understand what I want and get it right? Thank you. Ricky P.

Ricky, Your situation is unfortunate, but common. Many people see their regular dentist hoping for natural-looking dentures, only to be disappointed. Most dentists lack artistic inclination.

Find a cosmetic dentist. A cosmetic dentist is an artist who is committed to giving you a beautiful smile. He or she will listen to your concerns, and to what you want to see in a smile. Your smile with dentures will be designed to fit your personality and your preferences.

As an active person, you probably have concerns about slippage with dentures. Your dentures can be secured with as few as two dental implants. Implant dentures will look and feel more like your natural teeth.

If you need help finding an experienced cosmetic dentist, mynewsmile.com is an excellent resource.

This blog post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune of Metairie.

My dental implant crown color is way off and my dentist can’t get it right

Posted on by AllSmiles.

I got a dental implant crown five months ago. I’m pretty frustrated because the crown is on a left incisor and the color is off. The crown is darker than my other teeth and it actually looks worse now that the natural tooth did. On the first try, my dentist didn’t get the color right and he told me that it “didn’t look that bad.” After I insisted that he do something about it, he sent me to the lab to get the color matched to my natural teeth. I am starting to think that he really doesn’t know how to do it. So the second crown was ready and he cements in on, no checking, no questions asked. It’s worse than ever. I need to bring this issue to a close with my dentist. I can’t keep the tooth like this but neither do I want him touching it again. What are my options? Thanks for your help! Emilee from New Orleans

Emilee – Your situation is unfortunate. And it shows the value of an artistic cosmetic dentist. There are very few dentists with artistic inclination, but an artistic cosmetic dentist will be very attentive and determined to give you a beautiful porcelain crown that matches the color of your natural teeth—before the crown is cemented. If the crown is received and it doesn’t perfectly match your teeth, or if you don’t like the color, he or she will return it to the lab until it’s just as you want it.

Your being sent to the lab for a color match was an indication that your dentist is not comfortable with the art of cosmetic dentistry.

You will need a new crown to correct the situation. Find an artistic cosmetic dentist to do the work. No damage will be done to your dental implant. You’ll get an accurate match to your natural teeth and you will be able to confidently smile again.

This post is sponsored by the office of New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune of Metairie.

Looking for cosmetic dentist to do Lumineers

Posted on by AllSmiles.

I had two consultations with cosmetic dentists for Lumineers and I don’t like the pictures that they showed me. I thought that most of the patients teeth in the pictures looked bulky. How can I find a cosmetic dentist who will do a beautiful job with Lumineers.  Marianne R. from New Orleans

Marianne – Lumineers are popular, partially because there a lot of advertisements for them. There are other brands of porcelain veneers that are also ultra-thin and strong, but won’t produce the bulky look that you mentioned.

You can find an artistic cosmetic dentist through the website mynewsmile.com.

Some cosmetic dentists criticize the lab that makes Lumineers because the end result is often bulky, and it doesn’t look natural. Although a skilled cosmetic dentist might use a different brand of porcelain veneers, he or she will use a private master ceramist who will customize the veneers to fit your facial features and personality. Many cosmetic dentists have a beautiful smile guarantee, which means that your veneers will be adjusted or completely re-done until you love your smile makeover.

Because Lumineers are known for potentially looking bulky and having a pasty color, if you insist on having on them, you might be disappointed with the results.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune of Metairie.

Will Zoom teeth whitening lighten up my dental bonding?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

Hello. My dental bonding is getting dark. Bonding was put on my front teeth about 12 years ago and I am wondering if Zoom teeth whitening will lighten it up. I know that bonding wears with time, but right now I cannot afford new bonding. Will Zoom help? Thanks – Collette, Metairie

Collette,

Neither Zoom whitening nor any other teeth bleaching system will whiten your dental bonding. But it will whiten your natural teeth, and make your darker bonding even more noticeable. That’s not the desired result.

Depending on the cause of the discoloration of the bonding, it can be polished to look better. If the stains are external—not within the bonding material—an expert cosmetic dentist might be able to improve the look of the bonding by polishing it.

Otherwise, new dental bonding is needed. If replacing the bonding is not within your budget at this time, it’s best to wait until you can afford to have an expert cosmetic dentist do the work. You’ll have a beautiful result that looks natural. It will be worth the wait.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune of Metairie.

Tetracycline stains – can teeth whitening help?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

Hello. I have permanent grayish stains on my teeth from medicine that was given to me as a baby. I had dental bonding put on my teeth to cover up the stains, but now the bonding is chipping and it looks a mess. It almost starting to look as bad as the original stains did. I know that porcelain veneers are the best choice, but I don’t have money for that. Is there a whitener that will help? Thank you. – Bobbie, Metairie

Bobbie,

The gray stains on your teeth are tetracycline stains. If tetracycline is taken while your teeth are forming, it deposits in your teeth and discolors them with gray or dark brown stains or bands.

An experienced cosmetic dentist can cover the stains with porcelain veneers, and create a new smile that looks like your natural teeth.

If veneers are not within your budget, here are two treatments that an experienced cosmetic dentist can use:

  1. If some of your tooth enamel was not removed before the bonding was placed, the dentist can remove the bonding with sandpaper disks. In many states, and at a lower fee, a dental hygienist can remove the bonding. Then, you can get an at-home teeth whitening system from the dentist, which you’ll use every night for a couple of months. The at-home treatment is less expensive than in-office treatment. Although your teeth won’t look as good as they would with porcelain veneers, they will look much better. Over-the-counter teeth whitening products are not strong enough for tetracycline stains. If you can afford in-office teeth whitening, choose KöR® Whitening Deep Bleaching™ System. KöR has proven to be the most effective teeth bleaching treatment for tetracycline stains.
  1. If some of your tooth enamel was removed before putting on the bonding, start saving for eight or ten porcelain veneers, and have them placed by an expert cosmetic dentist. Meanwhile, have the dentist smooth out the dental bonding, so that it looks better. You’ll find that the porcelain veneers will last many years, compared with the one or two years that dental bonding lasts.

This blog is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune of Metairie. Visit Dr. Delaune’s smile gallery to see tetracycline cases.

Can I switch to a cosmetic dentist, if my dentist already started the work?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

I’ve been going to the same dentist for years, and I trust him, at least with the work he previously did. I recently decided to get a smile makeover, so I figured he could do it. I’m wearing my temporary veneers now, but I don’t like them. He’s made several adjustments, but it just looks worse to me now than when we started. Can I switch and find a real cosmetic dentist? I wish I had found out about this and did my research before I asked him to do the work. – Kristin from Mississippi

Kristin – You’re right. It’s best to select an artistic cosmetic dentist for a smile makeover. A lot of patients don’t realize that cosmetic dentistry is truly an art that few dentists practice. And it requires training in the techniques needed to give you a beautiful smile makeover.

If you’re not comfortable with your temporary porcelain veneers, you can insist that you are able to closely examine them before they are bonded to your teeth.

It may add to your expense, but you are able to switch to a cosmetic dentist in the middle of your case. Some of the work will need to be duplicated, though. According to the ethical standards of the American Dental Association, the dentist who started the work must cooperate with the transition by providing notes, x-rays and other material to help your case succeed with the new dentist.

If you need help selecting a new dentist, mynewsmile.com is a website that is run by an accredited cosmetic dentist. The site provides nation-wide recommendations of cosmetic dentists whose training, experience and pictures of smile makeovers have been carefully reviewed to help ensure that you will truly receive a beautiful smile makeover.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read about Dr. Delaune’s beautiful smile guarantee.

 

Why do my porcelain veneers keep falling off?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

Hi. I’m in my third year of having porcelain veneers. Already I’ve had three different ones fall off, and one of the three has fallen off twice. One of these was embarrassing because I was in public with friends. What’s going on? – Nikki, Texas

Nikki – Porcelain veneers that are bonded correctly won’t come off unless they are ground off of your teeth. Unfortunately, your veneers have not been bonded correctly.

Re-bonding them requires techniques that few dentists know or have the equipment to perform. The process requires cleaning off the veneer with acetone and thoroughly cleaning the natural tooth to which the veneer was bonded—down to its natural structure. Then the porcelain has to be etched, primed and bonded. This process should be done only for the veneers that have fallen off.

The problem with your porcelain veneers repeatedly falling off indicates that your dentist is unaware of the techniques required to properly bond them. You can find a qualified cosmetic dentist who is proficient with the techniques. You can use the website mynewsmile.com as a reference for locating a cosmetic dentist near you. For a dentist to be listed on mynewsmile.com, he or she must submit photographs of his or her work. The dentist’s credentials will also be checked.

Consider asking your current dentist if he or she is willing to pay for the proper bonding of your veneers. Regardless, it’s worth your time and money to have it done correctly.

This blog is brought to you by the office of New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune of Metairie.

Dentures or a dental bridge for mom’s missing teeth?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

My 69 year-old mom has lost many of her teeth. Fortunately her front teeth are left, so she’s not too embarrassed. But she basically has no teeth to chew with, and this is causing lots of problems and inconveniences for her. I’ve done some research trying to find out her options, and I read about dentures and dental bridges, but we could use some help. – Rachel, Arkansas

Rachel – A dental bridge is not an option if all of your mother’s back teeth are missing. There are two options for replacing the missing teeth—dental implants or removable partial dentures, which would be attached to the front teeth.

The removable partial dentures are the least expensive option. With this option, many teeth can be replaced with one appliance. Although less expensive than implants, removable partial dentures would put stress on your mother’s remaining teeth.

Dental implants are healthier, will function as natural teeth, and they are more comfortable. But they are also more expensive—the cost is per implant. Implants are surgically placed in the jawbone, and after the jawbone heals, replacement teeth are secured to the implants.

Another advantage of implants is that they help prevent jawbone shrinkage. When teeth are missing, the body resorbs the jawbone in the area that once supported the tooth. When a dental implant replaces a missing tooth, there is no jawbone shrinkage, and facial collapse can be prevented.

Find an artistic cosmetic dentist with whom you and your mother can discuss the implants and removable partial dentures, as well and the pros and cons for each.

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

Will teeth whitening help tetracycline stained teeth?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

My teeth are stained by tetracycline. My dentist is recommending crowns for my front teeth, but I am wondering if teeth whitening will help. If not, what are my options? – Beverly

Beverly – It’s best to avoid having crowns placed on your teeth. There are two other ways to handle the tetracycline stains.

Tetracycline is a powerful antibiotic that treats certain infections, and it can be life-saving. It can also treat acne. If tetracycline is taken while your teeth are still developing, it will deposit in your teeth and darken them. You’ll have gray or brown stains in your teeth. Sometimes the color of tetracycline stains presents itself as horizontal bands on the teeth.

One way to cover the stains is with porcelain veneers. But porcelain veneers are quite thin, and to get beautiful results without the dark stains showing through requires the expertise of a cosmetic dentist. Perhaps that’s why your dentist wants to use crowns instead. You can get beautiful results from a cosmetic dentist who understands the techniques required to give the veneers the right color and translucency, and who works with an expert dental laboratory technician.

The KöR Deep Bleaching System is a second way to treat the tetracycline stains. Many dentists say that teeth whitening will not budge tetracycline stains, but KöR deep bleaching has proven effective on these stains. See an example in the before-and-after photographs below.

Before and after teeth whitening pictures with Kor Deep Bleaching.

This blog is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Should I get my teeth bleached before I get a porcelain crown?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

I’ve been planning to have my teeth bleached this fall, but I had an accident that broke more than half of one of my front teeth. Now I need a porcelain crown. Does it matter which I have done first—the crown or the teeth bleaching? – Donna P. from River Ridge

Donna – Yes, it does make a difference which treatment you have done first. If you want whiter teeth, they should be bleached first.Then, the porcelain crown will be matched to your whiter teeth. If you get the crown first, when your teeth are bleached, they will be whiter than the crown.The crown will be noticeable—not natural looking—and you’ll likely want a new crown.

You need a waiting period between your teeth whitening and the placement of the crown. When your teeth are bleached, the color will stabilize in about two weeks. So wait for the entire two weeks to pass before attempting to match the porcelain crown to your bleached teeth.

You’ll save time and money if you have your teeth bleached first, wait two weeks for the color to stabilize, and then receive a porcelain crown.

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