teeth whitening Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Dr. Duane Delaune's Blog

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dental Implants in Mexico

Posted on October 8, 2018 by writeradmin.

Why are dental implants so much cheaper in Mexico than in the United States?

Brent

Dear Brent,

Good question. Many people complain about dental costs in the United States. In fact, there is a whole dental tourism industry. Much of the higher cost is due to regulations. However, most of those regulations are there for the protection of the patients. Let’s use Mexico as an example.

There are no laws regarding sanitation or the quality of the implants. It’s completely up to the dentist as to whether or not they sanitize their equipment between patients or even at all. Plus, the patient has no recourse if the procedure goes horribly wrong.

For instance, let’s say a dentist doesn’t sanitize his equipment and the patient develops a horrible infection as a result and loses half of his jaw. In the United States, they would be shut down. Additionally, they’d have to pay compensation to the patient.

When it comes to the implant itself. Ones from the United States cost several hundred dollars because of quality control. However, you can purchase implants from outside the U.S. for just a few dollars. They’re much more likely to fail or even break.

However, getting quality dental implants can be made more affordable.

Finding Affordable Dental Implants

One thing that helps with paying for dental implants is finding a dentist who will let you pay for it in stages. Almost every dentist allows you to break up the cost of the surgery and the implant crown. However, you could also ask your dentist to allow you to break up each of those two large payments into monthly payments.

If they’re unwilling, you could try applying for Care Credit. They’re a medical credit card which allows you to have low and even no-interest payments depending on your credit. There’s also no penalty for early pay off if you come into some money and no longer want the payments hanging over you.

Just don’t make the mistake of thinking cheap dental implants are the same as affordable. Your safest course of action is to find an experienced and skilled implant dentist and breaking up the cost.

Teeth Whitening with Dental Implants

If you’re having a dental implant placed in a visible part of your smile, you may want to consider having your teeth whitened ahead of time. Once the implant crown is made, the color is permanent. If you whiten your teeth afterward, the color of the implant will not change.

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

Will Mercury-free Fillings Stop My Migraines?

Posted on September 21, 2018 by writeradmin.

I keep having these unexplained migraines. Sometimes they’re debilitating. My doctor can’t find a cause and just wants to give me pills to take every day. They’re anti-seizure drugs, but they make me move slower. I feel less in-touch. Recently, I read that amalgam fillings cause underlying health problems and doctors have a hard time diagnosing them. Could this be the cause of my migraines? Would replacing them with mercury-free fillings help?

Laura

Dear Laura,

Before we go into replacing them it’s important I tell you that the official position of the American Dental Association is that amalgam fillings are completely safe and their studies have shown the amount of mercury released in the fillings is within acceptable limits.

That being said, many have disputed those tests pointing out that they only tested the fillings under static instead of real-world conditions. Other tests, done in more realistic conditions, have shown the opposite.

There are theories that the mercury content is leading to underlying health problems, including high blood pressure and migraines. If you’ve already eliminated other neurological causes with an MRI, then it wouldn’t hurt to replace your amalgam fillings for mercury-free fillings, but it’s not a guaranteed solution.

You should also be aware that not every dentist can do the replacement safely.

To Safely Replace Your Fillings You Need a Mercury-free Dentist

During the removal processes, without taking the right procedure for a sanitary amalgam removal, you have a great chance of swallowing mercury or inhaling mercury vapors. However, using the right precautions protects you from that.

Mercury melts at room temperature. It needs to be kept cool during the process. A wise dentist will keep cold water on it while working. They also need to use a stopper dam and keep you from inhaling the vapors. If your dentist is a mercury-free dentist, they’ll know and be prepared for this.

You’ll find there are many other advantages as well. Also, if you have any visible fillings (which have probably been an embarrassment to you) you’ll not only have a natural looking smile with fillings that match your natural tooth color, you can finally get a bright white smile as well.

Before, if you’d have whitened your teeth, it would have just made the difference more obvious. Now, if you whiten your teeth ahead of time, you’ll be able to get the filling material made to match the color exactly. You’d have to whiten first. Once the fillings are made, the color can’t be adjusted.

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

Is U.S. Violating UN Agreement on Mercury Fillings?

Posted on July 26, 2018 by writeradmin.

I thought the United States agreed to phase out mercury fillings when they signed the Minamata Convention Agreement, yet there are still thousands of dentists using amalgam fillings all over the country 5 years later. Can we demand our dentist (and more helpful financially our insurance) stop using them because of the agreement?

Maggie

Dear Maggie,

First, you’re right that there has been very little evidence the United States followed through with the agreement signed. However, the Minamata Convention agreement wasn’t about the fillings themselves. There’s no agreement to ban those or phase them out.

The agreement was based on a village in Japan that was absolutely devastated by mercury poisoning in the water. 900 people died as a result and more than double that became ill. There’s no record of the cognitive impact but I’m sure it’s much higher.

What the agreement actually deals with is the disposal of mercury to keep it from polluting the environment and therefore people. Every dentist should be aware of the agreement because the main ingredient in amalgam (silver) fillings is mercury. Whether or not they’re following the recommendations is hard to tell. But, most dentists will be environmentally conscious.

If You Want Mercury-free Fillings

While you’re right that there are many dentists still using amalgam fillings, there are also an increasing number of mercury-free dentists. They’ll be happy to give you composite fillings. In fact, in many cases it’s all they offer.

If you happen to have some leftover amalgam fillings you want to rid yourself of, most mercury-free dentists know how to do sanitary amalgam removals. That allows you to safely switch out your fillings for healthier options without worrying about inhaling the mercury vapors.

White Fillings and White Teeth

When you have white fillings, you want your dentist to match them to your teeth, especially if you have any visible fillings. They can. However, you need to be aware that once the fillings are made the color can’t be changed. So, if you’ve considered whitening your teeth at some future time, you may want to do it before you get your filings switched out.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Duane Delaune.

How Can I Avoid Nuclear Teeth if I Get Them Whitened?

Posted on March 2, 2017 by writeradmin.

I’ve been considering whitening my teeth. They’re showing their age. Plus, I drink a lot of coffee. The only thing holding me back is an episode of the TV show “Friends” where one of the characters has his teeth whitened so much they practically glow in the dark. Is there a way to avoid nuclear teeth if I do decide to get them whitened?

Sam Q. – Nevada

Sam,

A lot of it depends on what type of whitening you do. Zoom Whitening, an in-office procedure, whitens your teeth as much as they can be whitened. At first, they seem super, super white, but the color generally calms down after a week.

However, if you want total control over the level of whitening, then you may consider take-home whitening. It will whiten in increments. You wear it a certain amount of time every day, then when you reach the level of whitening you desire, you’re done. It’s that simple. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how stained your teeth are.

Most dentists will want to do an examination first, to make sure you’re a good candidate for teeth whitening. If you have any fillings, they’ll check those and make sure they’re healthy, etc.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Duane Delaune.

How Do I Whiten My Teeth Without Glow in the Dark Teeth?

Posted on December 28, 2016 by writeradmin.

I’m considering getting my teeth whitened. I had a friend do it and it seemed like she came out of the office with glow in the dark teeth. Is it possible to get white teeth without being visible from outer space?

James – Missouri

James,

Your friend likely had Zoom Whitening. When you first complete the treatment, which is done in one appointment, in-office, the results are startlingly white. However, it does calm down after a week. They’re still very white, but won’t be “glow-in-the-dark”.

If you’re still concerned, maybe you want white teeth, but not your whitest teeth, than instead of doing Zoom, you could do professional take-home teeth whitening.

Your dentist will custom design whitening trays for your bite. You’ll wear them a minimum of 20 minutes a day, though many people prefer to just sleep in them. You can decide on the level of whitening you want. When you reach it, simply stop wearing the aligners. You’re in complete control.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Duane Delaune.