Two Concerns with My Porcelain Veneers
I had porcelain veneers placed about five days ago and love them. That being said, I have two concerns. First, I did not realize I should not be using whitening toothpaste on them. I did that because I wanted to keep them bright, but a friend told me that they can damage porcelain veneers. Did I ruin my new smile makeover? Second, I was only able to get six veneers. I wanted a white smile, which my dentist gave me. But, the teeth next to the porcelain veneers are not white and it is detracting from my beautiful new teeth. If I get my teeth whitened, will it damage the veneers?
Zack
Dear Zack,
I’m glad you wrote. Let’s start with the toothpaste because that has you really worried. While it is true that most-over-the-counter toothpastes will damage both cosmetic dental work, as well as your normal teeth, that damage would happen after some prolonged use. It sounds like you’d just stared using it, so I would not be too worried. So you know, there is one whitening toothpaste that I would recommend which is safe for both your teeth as well as your porcelain veneers–Supersmile Toothpaste. If you want to keep stains off of your teeth, this is the only toothpaste I would recommend.
As for the natural teeth being a different color, there is a fix for that. Technically, your dentist should have addressed this before you had your porcelain veneers were placed. Most smiles are eight to ten teeth wide. Knowing that you were only getting six porcelain veneers, your dentist should have anticipated the color difference. Standard procedure in those cases is to have the patient do teeth whitening before they get their veneers, that way the natural teeth will blend in with the veneers.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
MAC Veneers or Lumineers?
I had an accident which damaged the appearance of some of my teeth. In preparation for fixing this, I’ve whitened them. Now I want to get porcelain veneers. My dentist said that MAC veneers are the strongest but Lumineers means no grinding of my teeth. I’m having a hard time deciding. Are there pros and cons to each of these?
Margaret
Dear Margaret,
I am glad that you wrote. I can tell you are trying very hard to do some research and make a wise decision. It was wise of you to get your teeth whitening done first. As for the veneers, I would like to gently suggest you shift the way you look at this. Cosmetic dentistry is not just a procedure, it is also an art form. As an analogy, let’s compare this to a painting. If you were trying to commission a beautiful work of art, would you focus on the brand of paint or on getting the right artist? Well, the artist, of course!
What you want to focus on for your smile makeover is the artistic skill and training of the dentist. While in the hands of a skilled cosmetic dentist, MAC Veneers can look stunning, but if the dentist isn’t skilled, they could end up looking awful. I am a bit concerned about your dentist’s second recommendation.
Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers which are highly marketed to in experienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. Unfortunately, unless the dentist is highly skilled they end up looking quite bulky. Some disappointed patients have even gone so far as to call them horse teeth. Most skilled cosmetic dentists don’t like this brand because the lab that they require dentists to use is not known for producing beautiful results.
What you want to do is make sure you use a skilled, artistic dentist to do your smile makeover and let them pick the brand. If they’ve done adequate post-doctoral training, then they will know the pros and cons of each brand. Then, depending on what type of smile you were looking toward, they would know which brand can best get those results.
I would start by asking the dentist what type of post-doctoral training they have in creating beautiful smile makeovers. This is not adequately taught in dental school. Then, take the additional precaution of checking out their smile gallery. If they do not have a smile gallery, then I would not consider them a serious cosmetic dentist. If they do, make sure you love the results they get before you move forward with anything.
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Tetracycline Stains and No Money for Porcelain Veneers
I have had tetracycline stains most of my life. My dentist does not do cosmetic dentistry but recommended someone for me. He told me the solution for my issue is to get porcelain veneers. They are way too expensive for me. Is there any other possible solution for me? I would love to not be too ashamed to smile.
Sandy
Dear Sandy,
I am glad you wrote. Before I answer your question, I want to make sure those who are unfamiliar with tetracycline stains understand what we’re dealing with here. Tetracycline stains are dark stains on teeth which are a result of the tetracycline medication taken while someone’s teeth are still developing.
While porcelain veneers are the ideal solution, they are not the only thing which will help improve your smile. What you don’t want to do is look for cheap cosmetic dentistry. The results will not be good. Instead, I recommend you have professional teeth whitening done. If you’re persistent, it will make a huge difference. I would plan on it taking a few months, but it will be improving that whole time.
While it will not be as stunning as porcelain veneers, it will allow you to smile again without feeling embarrassed. Don’t try to take a short cut with something like Zoom Whitening. While that is strong, it would take too many sessions to make as much a difference as the regular take home trays. That would cost too much.
Then, while you are doing the teeth whitening and improving your smile, you’ll be able to save up for the porcelain veneers and get the smile of your dreams.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Antibiotics with a Sinus Perforation
I am a bit frustrated. I had a dental implant placed. Then, it was removed again six months later because the dentist said that the bone never filled in properly. He mentioned that the implant had perforated my sinus cavity, but that it was no problem because this happens all the time with dental implants and that it was only a few millimeters. I worried that I would need an antibiotic, but he told me there was no need. I started having some pain and popping in the nose area. I called the dentist and he told me to take some decongestant. I did that but it didn’t help. In fact, then I developed yucky drainage and a fever. I called back and this time insisted he give me an antibiotic. He relented and wrote me a prescription. That’s when I finally started getting better. Should he have given me the antibiotic to begin with? Also, he said we could try again in a year or I could just get a dental bridge. Do you have a recommendation?
Avery
Dear Avery,
I’m glad you wrote. There is an even bigger issues here that we’ll get to in a moment. First, I want to answer the question you wrote with. Not giving you an antibiotic at the beginning is not a problem. He’d want to wait until there were signs of infection. That being said, there was some sign there when you began having pain. I am glad that you had the courage to put your foot down when the fever developed. At that point, you should not have had to insist.
Now, let’s get into two huge issues I see here. First, the perforation of the sinus cavity. While it does happen sometimes, I wouldn’t say that it happens all the time, at least not with skilled dentists who do proper diagnostics. However, JUST a few millimeters is misleading. In most cases in life, a few millimeters is no big deal. In dentistry, however, a few millimeters is HUGE. He should not have made light of that.
When you have dental implants placed, it is important to have some 3-dimensional diagnostics done, such as a CT scan to avoid what happened to you, among other potential serious problems.
A second issue is the fact that your bone never integrated with the implant. This is why it had to be removed. In a way, you are fortunate that it did not integrate because if it did, your infection could have gotten into the bone and been very serious.
As for whether you should get a dental implant or a bridge, I would recommend a dental implant unless the adjacent teeth needed crowns anyway. If they do, you can knock two problems out with one procedure. If they don’t need a crown, it seems a bad idea to grind those teeth down if you don’t have to.
That being said, I would make sure you had a good explanation for why the bone didn’t integrate before you move forward.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
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Will Zoom Whitening Fix Uneven Color?
My daughter recently got off her braces. When that happened, there were white spots on her teeth. I asked our dentist about it and she sugested zoom whitneing. I don’t know if she did something wrong or not, but it seemed to make the white spots worse. It is a new service she’s offering so maybe she missed a step? I’d really like to help my daughter get this fixed because she is very self-conscous about her teeth and had been looking forward to getting her braces off. This feels like a let-down to her. Do you have any advice for us? Teenagers are really sensitive and some of her peers have been mean.
Kaitlin
Dear Kaitlin,
I am glad you wrote and am sorry for your daughter’s disappointment. It is not easy being a teenager even when everything is going smoothly. It appears that your dentist is a bit confused about the principles behind teeth whitening. You mentioned this is a new procedure for her so she may be still learning.
The reason the Zoom Whitening did not work on your daughter’s white spots is not because your dentist did anything wrong. It is actually because that is not how teeth whitening works. Both in-office whitening, like Zoom, or take home whitening are very effective, however, the bleaching process works on the teeth evenly. Because of that, the white spots get whiter along with the rest of her teeth. That is why they look worse now.
White spots after braces are caused by decalcification. These are precursors to decay and are fairly common in teens after traditional braces. Many teenagers tend to not brush adequately around all those metal wires and brackets. One solution to this is a product called Tooth Mousse. It will remineralize the teeth and preven the spots from turning into decay. They don’t make any aesthetic claims, however. If after the spots are remineralized, if there is still a color difference I recommend you bring her to an excellent cosmetic dentist to have dental bonding done on those spots.
Don’t have your current dentist do the bonding. This is a much more advanced cosmetic procedure than teeth whitening and she is still learning that. Start with the tooth mousse, then go from there.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Alternatives to Dental Implants?
I had an accident that caused me to lose a tooth. I was hoping to get a dental implant for it, but my dentist said I wasn’t a candidate because it is a front tooth. I was disappointed but need to find a replacement for this tooth. What are my next best options?
Corinne
Dear Corinne,
I am sorry to hear about your accident. Given what you’ve said, My first suggestion is that you find another dentist. You can absolutely get a dental implant on a front tooth. My guess is your dentist does not do dental implants because he doesn’t have the training. It is a procedure that he would have needed to get post-doctoral training in. Rather than send you to a dentist that could do the procedure, he lied and said you were not a candidate. Not the best dentist for you.
I would like you to get a second opinion from someone else. In most cases, if you are in good general health, then you should be a fine candidate for dental implants. There are exceptions, of course, which is why I want you getting a second opinion.
If for some reason it turns out you are not a candidate for a dental implant, you do have other options. Your next best option is to get a dental bridge. Though, that does require the two adjacent teeth to have dental crowns placed on them. Your false tooth will be suspended between the two crowns. Like the dental implant, it is permanently placed.
I would not give up on the idea of the dental implant yet. Get that second opinion.
Whichever procedure you end up with, you may want to consider teeth whitening first, depending on how satisfied you are with the current color. Once your dental implant crown is made, the color is permanent and will not respond to whitening. If you have the bleaching done first, you can match your new crown to the color you’ll be proud to keep around.
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A Date and Zoom Whitening the Same Day
I have an upcoming appointment to have my teeth whitened for the first time using the Zoom Whitening system. The thing is, someone I really enjoy has asked me out for a date on the same day as my whitening. My appointment is at 3:00 in the afternoon, and we’d not start the date until around 7:00 in the evening. I’m hoping I won’t be in too much pain, but I’ve never had this done before. Will I be okay to go on the date? I feel like saying my teeth hurt would be a lame excuse.
Cassidy
Hi Cassidy,
What a full, exciting day you have planned! This is a great question you’ve asked here, and an important angle to consider when planning your upcoming events. The answer to your question is, it depends.
How Zoom Works
You mention never having had Zoom whitening performed on your teeth before. A short summation regarding what to expect will help you make the correct decision here.
Typically, patients do not need a local anesthetic for this procedure. It will take roughly an hour or so, sometimes a little more.
The clinician will isolate your teeth by using lip and cheek retractors, then will place a bead of material on the gum line along each tooth, which then hardens and acts as a barrier, protecting the soft gingiva from the whitening agent and preventing burns.
After that, the Zoom whitening gel is applied to each tooth, and a blue LED light is shone upon your teeth. This light helps initiate the whitening process and speeds it along. Typically, you will need 15 minutes under the light for each of the four quadrants of your mouth, equaling an hour. The gel is then suctioned and rinsed off, and the barrier is removed from your gums.
Many practitioners choose to place a fluoride varnish at this time to lessen post-appointment sensitivity. Your doctor will let you know what is best for you at your appointment. Considering your date, I would ask for this if it is not offered.
Post-Appointment Care
Your enamel is made up of tiny microscopic “tubules”, which, while typically sealed, are opened during the whitening process to allow the gel to enter the tooth. Once your teeth have been whitened, it’s best to stay away from beets, red wine, tea, coffee, and other staining foods, since during this time your teeth will be much more prone to staining. Will your date include going out to dinner? If so, try to avoid these types of foods if possible.
What To Expect
Occasionally, some people experience a degree of post-appointment pain and discomfort following Zoom whitening. You can simply take some over the counter pain medication to find relief, but if this happens to you, it may affect your enjoyment of the date. Will you be having cold drinks, or ice cream desserts? While the discomfort will likely be a nagging annoyance and not an emergency, you may elect to reschedule the date for a different day. However, if you’d prefer to keep it, consider taking some pain medication before your evening out.
It’s Up To You
Ultimately of course, this is your own personal decision. It’s always best to make an informed choice once you’ve been made aware of the facts–good on you for being proactive! Now that you know, have a wonderful visit and a fantastic date, no matter which day they fall on.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Goebel.
Zoom Whitening and Marijuana Stains
I smoke medical marijuana. It’s caused a funky greenish tint and film to my teeth. I have four job interviews coming up fairly soon and want to get my teeth up to snuff. I don’t think I have enough time for the normal at-home type of whitening a lot of dentists do and wondered how effective zoom whitening would be in my situation.
Kris
Dear Kris,
While Zoom Whitening is fast and effective at getting rid of tooth stains, there are some things you’ll need to do ahead of time in order for it to work. No matter what method of teeth whitening you choose to do, you will need to have a cleaning done. Think of your teeth as a canvas. Unless the canvas starts off clean it is going to have an impact on your result. When you have film and calculus on your teeth, the results will be splotchy. That will not be a good look for your job interviews. As a result, I would start by getting a cleaning done. If you don’t have a regular dentist, look for one who offers Zoom Whitening and you can use the same dentist for both procedures. Many dentists will require a cleaning before any form of teeth whitening either way.
Your Teeth and Marijuana
Some good news for you is that if you brush your teeth immediately after smoking, the stains are fairly easy to remove. You will need to be aware that pot smokers have a much higher incidence of gum disease and build calculus on their teeth faster than most people. It will be very important going forward that you get regular checkups and cleanings.
Gum disease is especially serious because if left untreated you can actually lose your teeth. In the advanced stages of gum disease, your teeth can literally just fall out. Taking the simple precaution of regular oral hygiene at home as well as twice yearly visits to your dentist, you can save your teeth and keep them looking as brilliant as the day you have your Zoom whitening done.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.