Teeth Whitening and Dental Fillings
I have quite a few dental fillings. Some of them are amalgam, that I want to replace. Others are composite, which I like. But, I want to whiten my teeth so I will likely need to change the composite fillings too so that they can match. My question is what order do I do this? Is there anything else I need to know about changing fillings?
Charlie
Dear Charlie,
I’m glad you wrote. I would start with the teeth whitening. That will allow you get your teeth the color you want and then you will be able to match the new dental fillings to the brighter color. There are a couple of types of professional teeth whitening. You can do at home teeth whitening. This allows you to just put the whitening gel in some custom made trays that your dentist provides for you and you wear them at a time which is most convenient for you. Obviously, the longer you wear them each day, the faster your teeth whitens, but that schedule is completely up to you.
A second option is Zoom Whitening. This allows you to whiten your teeth in one day, but you’ll do it in your dentist’s office with several short whitening sessions under the Zoom light. Once you have your teeth the color you want, then you can go ahead and replace your fillings.
The amalgam fillings that you have are made mostly from mercury. While the American Dental Association does say they are safe, mercury is a known toxin so you want to make sure that the dentist you have do the procedure knows how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. You do not want to inhale or swallow any of the mercury.
I would look for a mercury-free dentist or a holistic dentist when it comes to switching out your fillings. They will know the right safety precautions to take as well as have the equipment required to do the job properly.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Should I Give Up Holistic Care for Competence?
I am a bit frustrated. I feel like I am left to choose between getting the holistic care I want and competence in that care. We only have one holistic dentist in our town. I wanted to replace two things. First, a metal based crown for an all-porcelain one. Second, a mercury-filled filling for a composite one. My previous dentist didn’t believe that they needed exchanging. So, I found the holistic one and she was willing. Unfortunately, she used this new machine called a CEREC to make my crown while I waited. The crown I had before, though metal based, was comfortable and fit well. The one she made hurt and was too big for the area. I went back and she sanded it down to try to get it to fit the area. This changed the rest of my bite somehow and everything is off. She’s now telling me my problem is I need rothodontics. That would cost $6000…all for a crown not placed properly. I don’t know what to do.
Daria
Dear Daria,
I’m sorry this happened to you. First, let’s talk about your options. Holistic dentistry isn’t a specialty. It is a philosophy of care, which entails considering your whole body during treatment and not just your teeth. They are more likely to work around metal sensitivities that you have and will know how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. There are plenty of dentists who will adhere to this type of treatment without offically calling themselves a holistic dentist. If you do an internet serach for a mercury-free dentist or a metal-free dentist, you can probably find someone with that same philosophy. You are not stuck with the one declared holistic dentist in your area.
As for your dental crown, it sounds to me like your dentist didn’t not know how to use the CEREC machine. When the right information is input into the program, you actually end up with better fitting crowns because they are precicely milled by a computer. It sounds to me like what you were dealing with is a dental competence issue more than a CEREC issue.
If your bite wasn’t off before the dental crown but is after, that means she did something wrong. I would ask for x-rays from before your procedure and after, then take them to another dentist to look over. At the very least, you should get a refund for the crown. However, if she’s thrown off your bite than the repairs could be expensive. In that case, she bears some of the responsibility in covering that expense.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.