Tag Archives: cosmetic dentistry

What’s Wrong With My Root Canal?

Hi there,

I fractured my teeth playing sports a few months back, and was treated by an emergency dentist and released. A few weeks after the accident, my teeth became grey and discolored.  I was in severe pain and had swelling, so I had to go back to the dentist for an emergency root canal.

I was ok for a few days with antibiotics but now the pain is back. I don’t know what to do to get the pain to go away. My tooth is sensitive to cold food and even chilly air. I’m very uncomfortable and want the pain to stop.

Should I have gotten a root canal sooner? Do I need more antibiotics? What can I do about the pain?

Luca, from Quebec, Montreal

 

Hi Luca,

A discolored tooth means there is damage to the root, or an infection may be present. It needs a root canal treatment as soon as possible at the first sign of greying. Once the root is removed, the bacteria is cleared up and the tooth is sealed to prevent further problems. Leaving an infected tooth in your mouth longer than it needs to be there serves no purpose. Oral infections should be taken seriously, as they can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated too long.

It sounds like your root canal treatment was sealed before all the bacteria was removed, which is causing a flare up. Usually, the infection is allowed time and space to drain, but since it has been sealed, there is no where for it to go. Also, a few days of antibiotics is not enough time to be on the medication.

Your best bet is to find an endodontist specializing in root canals. They can fix what has been started, and will advise you on how to properly take your antibiotics for maximum effectiveness.

This blog post is brought to you by Gilbert emergency dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper, of Vista Dorada Dental.

 

 

My Porcelain Crown Keeps Falling Off!

Hi there,

I was issued a same-day crown, which I thought would be fast and convienent, but in the year since I’ve gotten it, it has fallen out a handle of times!

I went to see a different dentist, who changed the setting of my crown, and gave me a zirconia crown. However, even this one has fallen out! He says that a different porcelain crown will stay in better.

Is this dentist right? Should I go to another dentist? Should I give CEREC another try? What should I do?

Nancy, from Trenton, New Jersey

 

Hi there Nancy,

When CEREC same-day crowns are done correctly, they will stay put permanently. CEREC crowns are made from a milled block of ceramic, but no matter what material you use to make a crown, it does not affect whether the crown will stay in.

There are two things that affect whether crowns will stay in. One this is the type of bonding used to cement the tooth into your mouth. The stronger the cement, the better the hold. The other factor is the shape of the tooth. The tooth needs a little bit of tapering to look natural, but the more taper done to the tooth, the harder it will be to bond it into your mouth. It is likely that your tooth was not tapered properly, which is why it keeps falling off.

You should go see a dentist in the area that specialized in crowns. It is very uncommon for crowns to fall out as many times as you have experienced.

This blog post is brought to you by Gilbert CEREC crown provider, Dr. Matthew Roper, of Vista Dorada Dental.

 

 

Why Does My CEREC Crown Look Like a Piece of Chicklet Gum?

My dentist got in this new CEREC machine. He was so excited. In fact, I remember him talking about how he couldn’t wait to get it at my last appointment. So, when I needed a crown, he was almost giddy. He’d get to use his new toy. I was happy for him and happy about only needing one appointment. But, when I got the crown, it’s way whiter than the rest of my teeth and looks like a rectangular piece of Chicklet gum. I can’t believe my dentist was so excited about this. Is that was CEREC crowns always look like? I wouldn’t mind if it were a back tooth, but it’s a front tooth and very distracting.

Cyrill K.

Dear Cyrill,

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “The only difference between men and boys is the size of their toys.” It sounds like your dentist was as joyful as a boy at Christmas with his new CEREC machine. While it is the CEREC which mills the crowns, it’s the dentist who designs the crown.

If your crown looks like unnatural, it’s not because it’s a CEREC crown. It’s because your dentist isn’t a skilled cosmetic dentist. Have you tried telling him how unhappy you are with the crown? He might be willing to re-do it, especially if it means he gets to use his new machine again. Or, he may give you a refund.

If the color difference is the only issue, you may want to consider whitening the surrounding teeth to match the crown. Any teeth whitening you do will not affect the crown. It only changes the color of natural tooth structures. However, you mentioned the shape being different from the other teeth too, so re-doing it is the only thing which will fix that.

If for some reason he refuses, you may want to get a second opinion on the crown. If it’s obviously mismatched to the surrounding teeth, that dentist could put pressure on him to refund your money. Dentists care about what their peers think of their work.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Matt Roper.

Referral To Dentist For CEREC Crowns On Front Teeth

I’d like to get a referral to a dentist to get CEREC crowns on my front teeth. I really like the idea of having them done in one day so I don’t have to walk around for weeks with those unnatural-looking temporaries on. They always fall off and I have such trouble with them. The last thing I want to do is go through all that with my front teeth. My dentist normally does CEREC crowns- that’s how I know about them, but he said he won’t do it that way with my front teeth. I’m not sure why, but I think it’s because he charges more for the other kind. I’m thinking about going somewhere else, just so I can get CEREC crowns done on these. Any recommendations?

Bill – Portland

Dear Bill,

CEREC crowns have their limitations. They are fabulous for saving time and limiting how many visits you need, but they’re not always the best choice for aesthetics. If the dentist you already see does CEREC crowns, then it sounds like he’s a fan of them, but also recognizes when they might not be the best choice.

It takes a lot of work to make a restoration look natural. If you think about it, your tooth is made up of layers, and there’s a perfect mix of colors blending, as well as opacity. With traditional lab-made restorations, they try to mimic it by adding layers of porcelain, shading the restoration, and glazing it. CEREC crowns are a single block of material that is trimmed down to match the shape of the tooth. Although it can blend in pretty well in the back of the mouth, it’s very difficult to make them look natural in anterior teeth.

If you want your teeth to look beautiful and natural in the long run, it’s probably best to heed your dentist’s advice and go with the standard lab-made ones. Yes, you’ll have to wear the temporaries, but this is just for a couple of weeks, compared to the possibility of being stuck with front teeth you don’t like for a decade or more. If time is a huge concern for you, mention it to your dentist. Sometimes the lab can “rush” cases or prioritize yours so it gets processed quicker. There’s usually an extra fee for this, but you may find it worthwhile if you’re eager to have your new smile quicker.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Matt Roper.

My front teeth are too big.

I really don’t like my smile because I have two really big front teeth. They are long too and actually stick out a bit from my other teeth.

Is there anything I can do to fix them? I’ve been looking into the different options with cosmetic dentistry, but I can’t seem to find something that I think will work. Whatever the case, I don’t want to end up doing something that makes my teeth look bigger.

Do you think I should have them extracted and replaced with dental implants? From what I can tell, implants seem like a good option.

– Jade in New Jersey

Jade,

There are many things that can be done for your case based on what you have described. That said, dental implants is not the way to go. Please don’t have your otherwise perfectly healthy teeth removed. That would be a bit extreme.

The first thing you should do is find an excellent cosmetic dentist. They will be able to evaluate your specific situation and make recommendations to give you a beautiful smile. They are the experts, so you don’t have to take the matter into your own hands.

Some possibilities that may work to make your teeth smaller may be done using diamond burs or strips. This will carefully file them down to make them more narrow and shorter. Then a retainer is a possibility to gently return them into alignment with your other teeth.

After they have been shaped and trimmed, Invisalign is also an option that may work to reposition them. These invisible braces straighten teeth in half the time as conventional braces. And no one will ever know you are wearing them.

Or if they are very large and need to be trimmed down significantly, they can be covered with porcelain veneers. This will give you a beautiful smile and you can work with the exact shape and color so you love your new smile.

Again, I can’t stress the importance of seeking the talents of a true cosmetic dentist. Not just any family dentist will be able to do this type of work well.

Best of luck to you.

This post is sponsored by Gilbert dentist Vista Dorada Dental.

Will Snap-On Smile work for my son?

Hello,

My son is eight years old and he has chipped his tooth pretty badly. It’s almost broken in half. The dentist filled it, but it broke within a week. It doesn’t seem to hurt him since the roots are unharmed. We’ve been told that he isn’t old enough to have his tooth capped. Will the Snap-On Smile work for him?

– Maya from Indiana

Maya,
Snap-On Smile works well to temporarily give the appearance of a straight, white smile. In the particular case of your son, I’m not sure this is the way to go.

If his tooth is broken, then placing this Snap-On Smile appliance over his tooth is doing nothing to address the real problem. Direct dental bonding with porcelain or composite materials can fix this problem for your son. And it needs to be done correctly so that it does not interfere with his biting or chewing. Although, you will need to seek the talents of a true cosmetic dentist. Not just any family dentist will be able to do this kind of work well.

There are some other issues to choosing Snap-On Smile for your son. Not only will it feel bulky, a boy his age may lose it. Also, he has a combination of permanent and baby teeth. This means that fitting the appliance correctly will be difficult since his bite is changing so rapidly. The appliance itself may also get in the way of new teeth that are erupting.

The reason the repair you mentioned failed is likely due to the fact that it got in the way of his bite. When he is a bit older, he will have all his permanent teeth and this will be less of an issue. It is difficult to make anymore recommendations without actually seeing this particular case. Therefore, I highly recommend consulting with an expert cosmetic dentist to present your options to you.

The tooth will look and function normally if it is done correctly.

Best of luck to you.

This post is sponsored by Gilbert dentist Vista Dorada Dental.

Related link: emergency dentist

My porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are ugly

Many years ago, like 20 years or so, I had porcelain fused to metal crowns placed on my front top teeth. I think they look so terrible now. You can see this dark line when I smile. It makes me feel unhappy every time I look at them. Are Lumineers an option for me?

– Sally from Virginia

Sally,

What you have described is really quite simple for an expert cosmetic dentist. Yet it is important to realize how cosmetic dentistry truly is an art form. So be sure you understand the difference between a general dentist who says that they can do cosmetic dentistry and a true cosmetic dentist.

You can have the beautiful, white smile you long for. All new ceramic crowns is the way to go. They do not have any metal in them.

This post was provided by Gilbert dentist 16th Street Dental Care.

Related posts: porcelain veneers, CEREC crowns