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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.

Dental Bonding Turning Yellow

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I’ve had dental bonding for just a few days. I really liked how they looked, but they’ve started turning yellow. I can’t think of anything I’ve done to them except maybe the fact that I brush with baking soda.  Is that a problem with bonding? Is it possible for me to whiten them?

Karyn

Dear Karyn,

before and after dental bonding for broken teeth

 

As you can see from the picture above, as well as the results you had, dental bonding can look both beautiful and natural, when well done by a skilled cosmetic dentist. Unfortunately, your dentist neglected to instruct you on how to properly care for them. The likely damage culprit, in your case, is the baking soda. It is an abrasive. This will damage the polish on your dental bonding enabling them to pick up stains.

I think your dentist should be willing to re-do the polish on them without charge for a couple of reasons:

  • First, he should have told you how to care for your new dental work. His neglect to do so led to this problem.
  • Second, it hasn’t been that long since you had the bonding done. It shouldn’t be a problem for him to work with this.

Taking Care of your Dental Bonding

The first thing I want to recommend is you get some Supersmile Toothpaste. This is specifically designed to work with cosmetic dental work and will protect it while safely removing stains.

Unfortunately, teeth whitening won’t work. It will whiten your natural tooth structure but not your bonding. This is why I recommended instead you have your dentist re-polish them.

I would also like you to look at this link.  It is a fairly extensive article on dental bonding. If you scroll down, there is a section just devoted to how to properly care for your new bonding.

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

My Dental Bonding Looks Awful

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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.

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.

type 1 diabetes & dental implants

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If I have type 1 diabetes, is it still possible for me to get dental implants or am I not a candidate?

Ben

Dear Ben,

dental implant diagram

With diabetes, you can still get dental implants as long as your diabetes is under control. While it is not a contraindicator, it is a risk factor. A significant one, in fact.

One thing I highly suggest is you research your implant dentist very carefully. You need someone who has had significant post-doctoral training in dental implants. For instance, Dr. Delaune received the following training in dental implants.

  • Implantology training from the Zimmer Institute and Russo Seminars
  • Advanced dental implant training at the Medical University of South Carolina

You’ll want them to do all the diagnostic work possible and keep a close eye on everything throughout the process. Diabetics often have trouble healing so make sure they do extra checks on you during the healing process.

While some dentists will do the implant surgery themselves, others refer you out to an oral surgeon. Don’t make the mistake of seeing an oral surgeon before the dentist. You’ll want the dentist to have close communication with and surgeon to make sure they only place the implants where the dentist wants them.

If you’re going to have a mixture of your own teeth and dental implants, you’ll be more happy with your smile if you whiten your teeth beforehand.

Your dentist will place porcelain crowns on top of the implants. When he or she does that, the crowns can be matched to your natural teeth. However, once that color is made, it is permanent. You’ll want to make sure your teeth are the color you’ll want your implant crowns for a long time.

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.

dental bonding disaster

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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.

Crown hurts

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I don’t know what’s going on. My crown hurts whenever I bite. It feels like the crown is bigger than the teeth next to it. I’m thinking bigger like taller. Could this be why it’s hurting. My dentist said it’s just a matter of me getting used to it but it has been about two months and it still hurts. Will I get used to it or is something else going on?

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

A woman holding her jaw from TMJ pain

When a crown is done properly, you shouldn’t even notice it is there. Your dentist saying, “You’ll get used to it.” is generally dental speak for “I’m not sure how to fix this.”

Normally, a basic step would be for a dentist to check that the crown isn’t seated to high. To do that, they’d have you bite on registration paper. This leaves marks where the crown hits prematurely. They will grind down those places.

I’m going on the assumption your dentist has already done this. If he hasn’t, you should definitely get a new dentist. If he has done this, there is something more challenging wrong and it’s out of his depth so he’s just saying you’ll “get used to it”.

This Can Lead to TMJ Disorder

If you don’t get this resolved, there is a possibility you will develop TMJ disorder.

I don’t think I’m confident your current dentist can fix this. Because of that, I’d like you to see a dentist who has experience with TMJ. They can properly place your crown so that you don’t have to worry about developing TMJ.

Making the Most of a Bad Situation

I’m a big believer in finding the good in a tough situation. If it turns out your crown was made improperly for your bite in a way which can be fixed, two good things can result.

First, you’ll be able to get a refund from your first dentist which will help you pay to get it done right. Second, this is a chance to improve your smile.

The color your crown is made is permanent. If you’re going to have it redone, I’d suggest getting your teeth whitened, so your second crown can be made to match a much lighter color to match your new, more youthful looking smile.

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