New Orleans Dentist Archives - Page 3 of 4

considering dental implants

Posted on January 11, 2019 by writeradmin.

I need to replace three teeth. I’ve been considering dental implants but wanted to know what things I should consider ahead of time about them. Any input?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

Abutment and crown being placed on dental implants — Dental implant parts and placements

While dental implants are the top of the line replacement there are some things to consider. First, are you committed to the long haul?

The journey starts with the surgery to place the dental implants. From there, is a healing period. This is to allow the bone to integrate with your implants, keeping them secure. Once that’s completed, your dentist can place the dental crowns. That process takes a while.

You also want to be committed to a lifetime of good oral health. You don’t want to invest all that time and money on something if you’re not willing to take care of it. It would be like buying your dream house, but never bothering to clean or care for it until it sits there, nothing but a shambled ruin.

A third consideration is your long term smile goals. If you want a white smile, it’s important you have any teeth whitening done before you get the dental implants. While a skilled cosmetic dentist can match your implant crowns to the color of your teeth, the color is permanent. If you want them white, you’ll need to make sure you do that before the crowns are created.

All that being said, the most important consideration is the dentist.

Finding an Implant Dentist

Dental implants are an advanced procedure. Too much can go wrong if you have an inexperienced dentist. It’s something which requires extensive post-doctoral training.

Never hesitate to ask a dentist about their implant training. if they name their dental school, that’s not enough. If they seem offended, they don’t have enough. No dentist with skill minds those type of questions.

Instead, they want patients to feel confident and secure going into any procedure. You can take a look at just some of Dr. Delaune’s credentials to get an idea of the type of dentist you’ll want to do your implants.

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

Regular Versus Zoom Whitening

Posted on December 31, 2018 by writeradmin.

I want to get my teeth whitened. I was going to my dentist to get those trays but everyone is saying Zoom is better. Should I do that instead? I’m so confused. I tend to be a people pleaser so I feel bad when someone tells me to do something and I pick something else.

Patsy

Dear Patsy,

Don’t feel bad about going a different direction if that is what’s better for you. I wouldn’t say that Zoom Whitening is better; just that it is faster. With Zoom, your teeth are whitened quickly in just one appointment.

It uses a special light (pictured above) which activates the whitening gel allowing the process to move faster. Your teeth will get as white as possible in that one appointment.

With at-home whitening, your dentist will use the trays to custom fit them to your teeth, then provide you with professional strength whitening gel. It will get your teeth just as white, it just takes longer and works more gradually.

This is ideal for people who want to control the level of whitening. Or people who don’t want to suddenly show up with super white teeth. Instead, it will happen gradually and won’t be a sudden change which makes it obvious you’ve had your teeth whitened.

So, one is not better than the other, just different ways of accomplishing the same goal— getting your teeth as white as you want them.

When You Want to Change More than Their Color

Some people are thrilled with just getting their teeth whitened. They already have fantastic teeth which just picked up stains as they got older.

Others, however, have several things they wish they could change about their teeth. If that happens to be you, porcelain veneers may be a better option for you. They give you a total smile makeover. The veneers can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth all in one go.

They are more pricey than teeth whitening, so only do it if you want to completely remake your smile.

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

Lemons for Teeth Whitening

Posted on December 28, 2018 by writeradmin.

I keep reading that lemons are a great way to naturally whiten your teeth. Is this true? I’d think the citrus acid would actually be bad for your teeth, but I’m not a dentist. So, I guess I’m asking if I can give this a try or is my amateur concern actually correct?

Lora

Dear Lora,

Can Lemons Wash Your Teeth?

Your reasoning is spot on. The citric acid in certain fruits is a danger to teeth. In fact, I would even recommend not brushing your teeth immediately after eating or drinking citrus without first swishing some water around in your mouth. Otherwise, you are grinding the acid right into your enamel.

What citrus fruits do that is useful is kill bacteria, that’s why teeth appear brighter when using them as a “whitener”. The same is true for apple cider vinegar which is also touted as a natural way to bleach teeth. However, it kills bacteria with acetic acid.

The problem with both of those options is their corrosive nature, as you surmised. If you think about it, citrus and vinegars are used in almost all cleansers because how powerful they are at breaking things down.

Safely Whitening Your Teeth

There are two ways you can safely whiten your teeth. The first is the over-the-counter whitening strips, such as Crest Whitening strips. They do work. They’re just limited in their strength and in the number of teeth they reach. You’d have to use many kits, to get to the level of one professional treatment. This leads me to the second option.

Professional teeth whitening is the standard for safely getting your teeth as white as possible.

Teeth Whitening At-Home with Custom Trays

This is done at your convenience with trays your dentist will custom fit to your bite. You’ll inject the whitening gel into the trays and wear them for a minimum amount of time each day until you reach the level of whitening you want. In fact, that’s their biggest benefit, you control how white your teeth get. If you just want to get them as white as possible, in-office whitening is faster.

Teeth Whitening with Zoom

In office whitening allows you to whiten your teeth in just one appointment. It uses a special light system which activates the whitening solution to work faster. By the end of your appointment, your teeth will reach their maximum level of whiteness.

Talk to your dentist. He’ll help you find the right way to get the bright smile you want.

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

Do I Need to Replace Every Crown for them to Match?

Posted on December 19, 2018 by writeradmin.

I’m kind of hoping you give me the answer I want, but am willing to follow your advice regardless. I had crowns on eight teeth on my top arch for a smile makeover. One of them became loose. I went back to my dentist. He said there is decay on the edge and the crown needs to be replaced. However, he wants me to replace all of them so they’ll match. I want my teeth to match but don’t have a ton of money. Is that really necessary?

Candace

Dear Candace,

I think the biggest problem here is your dentist isn’t a cosmetic dentist. Was there a particular reason he gave you a makeover with dental crowns instead of with porcelain veneers? Veneers are the standard treatment for a smile makeover because it doesn’t require your teeth to be ground down the way crowns do.

While there’s nothing you can do about that now, and those teeth will always require crowns now that the tooth structure is gone, you don’t have to replace all of them in order to get them to match. Though, to get a good result you will have to use a different dentist for this procedure.

Your Crown Replacement Options

You basically have two choices here: replace them all at once or replace them one at a time. The benefit to doing them all at once isn’t for them to match. A great cosmetic dentist can match a single tooth. It’s more to save you time. You’d replace them all and be done.

If you do them one at a time, it means a new trip to the dentist every time one goes bad. That could get annoying. The benefit to that is you’re only having to fork out money a little at a time instead of all at once.

Either decision will still require you to find a skilled cosmetic dentist if you want an attractive result.

Finding a Cosmetic Dentist

I’m going to suggest you go to mynewsmile.com. They have a “find a cosmetic dentist” link. You simply input your zip code and the distance you’re willing to travel. They’ll provide a list of qualified cosmetic dentists for you. The best part about this is they’ve carefully screened every single one of them for both technical knowledge as well as artistic ability in their work. No matter which dentist on their list you choose, they can give you a gorgeous smile.

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

Dentist Won’t Remove My Mercury Fillings

Posted on December 7, 2018 by writeradmin.

I have a mouthful of silver fillings. I learned a few weeks ago they are mostly made of mercury. This terrifies me because of the neurotoxicity. I went to my dentist and asked him to remove them and replace them with the white fillings. He refused because he said it’s too dangerous for me because I’ll inhale the mercury. If it’s too dangerous to take out, surely it’s too dangerous to keep in. What should I do?

Maya

Dear Maya,

It is understandable that you’re nervous about having a large amount of mercury in your mouth. There is a special procedure known as a sanitary amalgam removal which is designed to protect you from inhaling or swallowing any mercury.

However, it sounds like your dentist doesn’t know that procedure. It wouldn’t be safe for you to have him do the removal. If you are serious about removing them, your best option would be to locate a mercury-free dentist in your area. Almost all of them know how to do this procedure and already has the necessary equipment.

Mercury-free Fillings and Tooth Color

Before you get your white fillings, you want to think about your tooth color. The filling material can be made to match your teeth. However, the color is permanent. If you decide to whiten your teeth later, your natural tooth structure will whiten, but not the composite fillings.

That doesn’t bother some people at all. If you feel that way, then no problem. However, if it will bug you the simple solution is the get your teeth bleached before you switch out your fillings. You can do that two different ways.

Your first option is to have your dentist make you custom fitted trays and provide you with professional strength whitening gel. This will allow you to whiten at home as well as control the level of whitening.

If you want it to work faster, so you can get your fillings removed sooner, you can look at Zoom Whitening. This is an in-office procedure which gets your teeth very white in just one appointment.

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

Dentist Stained My Lumineers

Posted on November 30, 2018 by writeradmin.

I am so angry, but don’t know if I can do anything about it. Before getting my “smile makeover” my dentist and I discussed what I wanted it to look like. One thing I specifically said was how white I wanted them. Despite my instructions, he put a stain on my Lumineers. When I asked him about it he said, “I want smiles I do to look natural.” When I let him know I wasn’t thrilled, he said, “Well it’s certainly prettier than your natural smile.” I’m furious. Can anything be done?

Stephanie

Dear Stephanie,

I understand your anger and have heard these type of stories so often it makes me sad. It’s so hard to get patients the information they truly need before getting their smile makeovers done. Here’s the thing, the only thing which guarantees a great result in your smile makeover is the dentist you choose. Too many patients think their family dentist is qualified.

I don’t blame the patients. They’re supposed to trust their medical and dental providers. However, doing proper smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. In order to be a great cosmetic dentist, your dentist would have had to invest in post-doctoral training at a reputable institute which trains in cosmetic dentistry.

It’s not a recognized specialty so it’s completely up to the dentist how much time and money they invest in this type of training. At the same time, there are companies (like the Lumineers company) which heavily markets their products to dentists as being “easy” to place because they’re not required to do tooth prep. While they may be easy to place, that doesn’t make them any easier to get a beautiful result.

Evidence Your Dentist Isn’t a Skilled Cosmetic Dentist

In dental school, dentists are taught that they know better than the patient and should tell them what to do. However, cosmetic dentistry is different. Notice your dentist said, “I want smiles I do to look natural.” What he’s not realizing is cosmetic dentistry is about what you want, not what he wants.

Additionally, he thinks a stain is what makes a smile look natural. But, patients who come for cosmetic work aren’t looking for a “natural” smile. They’re looking for a gorgeous smile.

Finally, he didn’t do a try in. Based on what you described, he didn’t let you see them before he permanently bonded on your porcelain veneers. Any cosmetic dentist worth his salt will use a temporary try-in paste to make sure the patient is satisfied before bonding them.

What to Do About Your Lumineers

You have a reason to get a refund. You gave your dentist specific instructions about the color. He ignored them. That means he didn’t have your permission to place those porcelain veneers. Tell him, either you get a refund or you’ll go to the dental board about him not following your instructions and then bonding them on without giving you an option.

Then, once you get your money back, go see an expert cosmetic dentist to have them redone. My suggestion to find the right dentist is to go to the mynewsmile.com website and use their “Find a Cosmetic Dentist” link. They only recommend expert cosmetic dentists who can create gorgeous smiles and know how to follow a patient’s instructions. In fact, most of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

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

Bleeding Gums with Porcelain Veneers

Posted on November 24, 2018 by writeradmin.

I got porcelain veneers and am sort of happy with them. However, a few weeks after I received them my gums started bleeding. I don’t know if it’s related to the porcelain veneers or not, but it seems a coincidence they happened about the same time. Then, I just went in for my checkup and they said I’ve developed gum disease. I’m seriously puzzled. I’ve always had very healthy teeth and gums. Is there something I’m doing wrong? I don’t think I’ve changed my habits. Any ideas? I saw on your website that you do porcelain veneers. I’m hoping you’ve encountered this before.

Elaine

Dear Elaine,

Bear in mind I haven’t examined your particular case, so I’m going on intuition. If none of your habits have changed, then my suspicion is you have what’s known as bulky margins. This means your dentist didn’t get your porcelain veneers flush against your teeth and gums.

What this does is cause there to be a little shelf on the top of the porcelain veneers which traps food and bacteria. This will lead to gum disease, which in turn will cause your gums to bleed as it progresses.

Here’s what I recommend to you. I want you to ask your dentist to look at the veneers and check them for bulky margins. If he realizes his error, he should repair it free of charge. If he doesn’t see the problem, it’s okay for you to get a second opinion. However, I want you to see an expert cosmetic dentist for your second opinion. I’ll show you how to find one in a moment.

If it turns out there are bulky margins, then ask your dentist for a refund. This way you can get them re-done properly by a dentist who knows what he or she is doing.

Finding an expert cosmetic dentist

Doing great smile makeovers isn’t something taught in dental school. A dentist interested in cosmetic dentistry will have to invest the time in to learning the skills and developing the necessary artistry after they’ve already received their doctorate. In fact, they should never stop learning.

It’s hard for patients to know which dentists have the skill and artistry they need to give them a gorgeous smile and which don’t. It’s obvious to me your dentist didn’t have what it took. Not just because you’re having gum problems, but also because you were only “sort of” happy with them.

When a smile is done well, a patient will be thrilled. A true cosmetic dentist won’t be satisfied unless the patient is. They often have a beautiful smile guarantee.

To find this type of dentist, I’d go to the mynewsmile.com website. They have a “find a cosmetic dentist” link. You’ll input your zip code and how far you’re willing to travel and they’ll provide a list of dentists which have been vetted for knowledge, skill, and artistry.

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

Premedicating with Dental Implants

Posted on November 8, 2018 by writeradmin.

I’ve got two conflicting opinions and I’m not sure which direction is the right one. I had a hip replacement about ten years ago. Now I need to get some dental implants. One dentist says I’ll have to pre-medicate with antibiotics; the other says that’s nonsense. Who’s right?

Beth

Dear Beth,

Oh…the medical community. Don’t you love them? They all claim to be experts and none of them agree with one another. That’s a lot of experts who see things differently. Here’s what is going on in your situation.

It used to be that the standard recommendation was any time someone with a hip replacement had anything invasive done, including a dental cleaning, they were to have antibiotics so there was no risk of any bacteria being introduced which could make its way to the replacement site.

However, that changed in 2012 when both the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American Dental Association (ADA) released a new study which said recent studies showed there was no direct evidence to continue to make that recommendation.

That simply means it’s up to the dentist. It sounds like the dentist recommending the pre-medication likes to take every precaution possible. Which you do is up to you. There’s not a right or wrong answer. I would say if you’re a healthy person who doesn’t easily get sick it won’t matter. If you tend to catch things more easily, I’d pre-medicate.

Cosmetic Care and Dental Implants

I want to give you a heads up on a cosmetic issue that recently came up with a patient I know. She’d planned on getting dental implants and teeth whitening. Even though her dentist knew she wanted both procedures, he didn’t warn her that the teeth whitening needed to be done first.

The reason for that is the gel used to whiten teeth only works on natural tooth structure. While her natural teeth were getting whiter, her dental implants stayed the same color they were the day they were placed.

Only then did her dentist tell her to get her smile to match she’d have to replace her implant crowns. If he’d have advised her to get her whitening done first, she wouldn’t be in this situation having to spend unnecessary money. Her crown could have been made to match her new, white color from the beginning.

I don’t know if you were ever going to want teeth whitening, but as this just happened to someone I know, I thought I’d warn you just in case.

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

Do I Need a TMJ Specialist?

Posted on November 3, 2018 by writeradmin.

I told my dentist about a pain in my jaw. He decided I have TMJ and keeps giving me Botox injections. While the injections help, I don’t want to need them for the rest of my life. If I went to a TMJ Specialist would there be a permanent solution?

Gina

Dear Gina,

TMJ Disorder can be very complex. Often, there’s more than one factor. If all your dentist is doing is the Botox injections without looking for what could be causing it, then yes, you’ll want to see someone else. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a TMJ Specialist as far as a recognized specialty goes. But, there are some things to look for when choosing a dentist to treat your TMJ.

You’ll want a dentist who has invested in post-doctoral training in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ Disorder. Some of the more reputable institutions are:

The Dawson Academy
The Seattle Institute
The Kois Center
Pankey Center
Las Vegas Institute (LVI)

Dentists who’ve studied with one of these institutions will be a practitioner who can help find the root cause or causes of your particular TMJ problems.

A couple of Causes of TMJ

One leading cause of TMJ problems is teeth grinding or clenching. Over time, this not only does damage to the hinge joint, but it is also devastating to your teeth. It can cause them to crack or break, requiring dental crowns. It can even cause them to come loose.

The grinding motion wears them down to nubs and could end up costing tens of thousands of dollars for a full-mouth reconstruction. To make matters worse, if you don’t regularly see a dentist you may never know you’re even doing it until it is too late. That’s because most people do it in their sleep.

Fortunately, for most patients, when caught early, there’s a simple fix. A night guard can protect your teeth. It fits like a custom made comfortable mouth guard and places a barrier between your teeth.

Another cause is malalignment of the teeth. If your bite is off, it can throw off your jaw joint leading to serious TMJ problems, including lockjaw. Sometimes, it is just a matter of simple orthodontics, other times it’s more serious.

A good dentist will always start with the least invasive treatment before moving onto other more drastic measures.

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

Zoom Whitening While on Cipro

Posted on October 31, 2018 by writeradmin.

I’m on a 14-day course of Cipro for a UTI. I’m scheduled for Zoom whitening in a few days, but I’m still on the medicine. Both the doctor and the pharmacist were adamant that I stay out of the sun. My husband mentioned it might be a bad idea for me to go through with the Zoom until after my Cipro is done. I called the office and they said I’d be fine, but they didn’t leave me very confident so I asked them to check with the dentist. They said he was with a patient but a hygienist said we could just double up on sunscreen. Now I’m even less sure. What do you think I should do?

Elizabeth

Dear Elizabeth,

Your dental hygienist is wrong and your husband is right. I’m sure he’s going to love hearing that. When we’re talking about Cipro the reaction can be much more serious than a sunburn. Some patients have a strong reaction after just a moment in the direct sunlight, such as hives and blisters which will cause you complete agony.

You must have a very strong infection. Most prescriptions are 10-day but yours is 14-day. So, whatever you do, don’t stop taking your medicine in order to get your teeth whitened. It will cause the infection to come right back.

You Can Still Get Zoom Whitening

The light will cause you problems

The Zoom Whitening light is very strong. It will cause you problems even if they “double up” on your sunscreen. What I recommend is you reschedule your appointment for 3 days after your last dose. Technically, it should be out of your system within 24 hours of your last dose. But, you’re on a stronger dose.

Then, when you can be sure it’s clear you are good to go.

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