Tag Archives: porcelain veneers

Teeth Whitening

Whitening My Non-Veneered Teeth

I went to an expert cosmetic dentist in another state to get porcelain veneers. My dentist does porcelain veneers but was new to them at the time and suggested Lumineers which I’d heard bad things about. The expert dentist wanted to do ten veneers on my teeth, but my dentist said he’d do six. I’d saved up for six and this other dentist was more expensive so I told him I only wanted six. He said I’d need to get my teeth whitened first or the new teeth would look fake. I didn’t like that but agreed because it was the only way he’d do them. Fast forward and now my non-veneered teeth have yellowed over the past several years but my veneered teeth look great. It wouldn’t matter except I have a wide smile so those yellow teeth show, making the veneers look obviously fake. I’m too embarrassed to go back to the expert dentist to get this fixed. Is there a way I can use something like Crest Whitestrips to whiten the teeth back? Will it hurt the veneers?

Stacy

Dear Stacy,

Image of teeth whitening trays
Professional teeth whitening trays

While using Crest Whitestrips will not hurt your porcelain veneers, it’s not likely to make a difference either. First, they’ll only cover the front six teeth. In your case those have veneers already so that would be pointless. You could cut them in half and try to place them on the teeth adjacent to your veneers. What you need to bear in mind, though, is that Crest Whitestrips are not very strong. Because of this, it will take you a very long time and many kits to achieve the same amount of whiteness that you would get in a short time with a professional whitening from your dentist.

The good news is that you will not have to go back to the original dentist to have this done. While you were wise to have an expert cosmetic dentist do your porcelain veneers, that is not necessary for teeth whitening. Any general dentist who offers it should be able to do teeth whitening just fine.

While the whitening will not harm your porcelain veneers, it is possible for your dentist to custom fit the trays around your veneers so that the only teeth getting whitening gel on them are the ones you actually want whitened. My suggestion is you go to your dentist and ask for just that. You shouldn’t have any problem.

This blog is brought to you by a gentle Gilbert dentist, Dr. Matt Roper.

Dental Emergency

Porcelain Veneers Keep Coming Off

My dentist said that I needed porcelain veneers because my teeth were discolored, one was a bit crooked, and I would sometimes grind my teeth. The whole process has been a nightmare. They keep popping off, even if I’m eating something as simple as a banana. I would say not a week goes by when one of them doesn’t come off. It’s crazy embarrassing, especially because the only thing left is a small nub of a tooth under the veneer. He does glue them back on, but I usually have to wait a day or two to get in. I think he should consider it an emergency and glue it back in that day. Is this normal?

Penny

Dear Penny,

Crown versus veneer tooth preparation

No, this is not normal. It also sounds to me like your dentist provided you with dental crowns instead of porcelain veneers. Your teeth only have a minimum amount of surface of the front of the tooth removed for porcelain veneers. When you start talking about nubs, that sounds like dental crowns. You can see in the picture above the comparison of the two preparations.

Porcelain veneers are an advanced cosmetic procedure which requires significant post doctoral training to know how to do. Dental crowns, on the other hand, are taught to every dentist in dental school. Unfortunately, your dentist doesn’t even seem to know how to pull that off. My guess is (and please bear in mind that I haven’t examined you) that your dentist has over contoured these dental crowns and that is why they keep popping off.

If you’re grinding your teeth, you will need to wear a nightguard while you sleep to protect them, but that isn’t the problem with your crowns. When they are properly formed and bonded on they are secure. They certainly wouldn’t fall out from eating a banana. Yes, I agree with you that your dentist should fit you in the same day to bond that back on. Most dentists leave some room in their schedule for dental emergencies.

However, I think you need to have these crowns looked at by an expert cosmetic dentist. I’m concerned about the amount of crowns popping off. It may be you need these completely redone. If that is the case, don’t just ask for a refund. Ask for the dentist to pay to have this repaired by the dentist of your choice.

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

Teeth Whitening

Tetracycline Stains and No Money

I’ve had tetracycline stains most of my life. When I went to my dentist about ten years ago in order to improve my smile. He told me that porcelain veneers were the only solution. I couldn’t afford them. I still can’t. I’m hoping there are other solutions now. Is there anything else I can do to improve my smile? I’m tired of being embarrassed by my teeth.

Caroline

Dear Caroline,

Image of teeth whitening trays
Professional teeth whitening trays

While porcelain veneers are the best option for smile makeovers, you are correct that they are quite pricey. The good news is that they are not your only option. While it will not make your teeth as absolutely stunning as they could get with veneers, it will improve them remarkably. My suggestion is that you have at-home teeth whitening done. Your dentist can make you custom fit trays. You’ll be able to smile without feeling embarrassed.

It is important to know up front that you will have to be persistent. This won’t happen overnight. But, if you keep wearing the whitening trays, you will eventually make a significant difference. And, it will be much more affordable than porcelain veneers, even after months of whitening.

One precaution. Do not try to use Zoom whitening or laser whitening. While both of those are initially stronger than the at-home whitening trays I suggest you use, it would take too many treatments to do what you need. These two options are more expensive and I do not believe you will find the extra cost worth the minimal amount of time you will save using them.

In the meantime, you can save up for porcelain veneers if you still want to get them eventually. The good news is that, while you need an expert cosmetic dentist to do porcelain veneers and you would not want to price shop for them, pretty much any dentist can do teeth whitening well. It is a basic procedure. So, in this case, you can price shop. Find an affordable dentist and wear the whitening trays as much as you can. You’ll find it the most effective if you wear them overnight.

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

Sedation Dentistry

Novocaine or Sedation for Porcelain Veneers?

I am on the cusp of getting porcelain veneers. I am a bit concerned about the procedure. I have a sensitivity to Novocaine as well as any drugs which can make your heart race. A friend of mine recently had the porcelain veneers procedure done and said that the green topical agent they put on her teeth made her very shaky and nervous. This went on for almost fifteen minutes. Do you know if there is epinephrine in the medication used in the procedure? If so, would I be better off having this done with dental sedation?

Sally

Dear Sally,

An image of a porcelain veneer being held up to a tooth.

Epinephrine’s function in a Novocaine injection is to restrict the blood flow and keep the medication more effective. However, any epinephrine in a body would have very little effect on the symptoms your friend experienced. It is more likely that she was dealing with anxiety. That would be a much higher amount of epinephrine than what would be in the medication given to you.

My advice would be to use a mild relaxant along with the Novocaine, such as nitrous oxide. This will keep the epinephrine in your body from getting too high and causing the issues you are concerned about. As I mentioned earlier, any epinephrine in the medication would be miniscule compared to a body’s reaction to anxiety.

I do not recommend you use a stronger dental sedation such as oral conscious sedation. Though stronger, you will not be lucid. Your dentist should place your porcelain veneers on with a temporary try-in paste. This is so that you can get a good look at the veneers and approve of them before they are permanently bonded on.

If you are practically asleep, as you would be from oral conscious sedation, then you would have no way to approve or disapprove the smile makeover. That is important.

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

Teeth Whitening

How Much Do I Need for a Smile Makeover?

I am a tad confused about something and hope you can help clear some things up. I want to get porcelain veneers but in order to do that, my dentist is insisting I also get teeth whitening and Invisalign first. I was under the impression that porcelain veneers can make your teeth look white and straight. My teeth aren’t really crooked enough to justify a full orthodontic case. I just have one front tooth that crosses over the adjacent tooth. Have I misunderstood this completely?

Theodora

Hi Theodora,

Porcelain veneer being added to a tooth

Let’s start with the teeth whitening. Whether or not this is useful to you depends on how many veneers you are getting. Very few people can afford to get a porcelain veneer placed on every tooth. That means the other teeth may need some whitening done in order to match your porcelain veneers. Most smiles are 8-10 teeth wide. If you’re only getting four or six veneers, you’ll want to whiten your teeth first to have everything blend naturally. The same goes for your bottom teeth. I doubt you want to spend money to veneer your bottom arch. In most cases, people get enough veneers on their top arch to have a beautiful smile and only whiten the bottom arch.

The Invisalign is a completely different story. Given the scenario you described to me, I don’t think you need orthodontics. Porcelain veneers done well can take care of that issue. The fact that your dentist is suggesting Invisalign tells me that he or she is not comfortable reshaping your teeth for the procedure. Don’t force his hand. Instead, find a cosmetic dentist who has done this lots of times and will be skilled getting it done.

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

Invisalign

Can a Dental Flipper Make Teeth Look Straight?

I have crooked teeth but feel I am too old for braces. I’ve heard about a dental flipper that can snap onto your teeth and make them look straight. Will this really work?

Theresa

Dear Theresa,

A dental flipper

A dental flipper

I think whoever told you this had a dental flipper confused with the snap-on smile. A dental flipper is used to replace a missing tooth. It does not fit over a tooth. In case someone reading this is looking into tooth replacement options, a flipper is considered a temporary replacement. It’s inexpensive and people use it to give themselves a “tooth” while they save up for a permanent replacement, such as a dental implant.

Having a Straight Smile Without Braces

Snap-on Smile is something that will snap over your teeth in order to make them look better. They will not look stunning, like they would with porcelain veneers but they will look okay. They are more suitable for something like a photoshoot or one-night class reunion. They are made of acrylic and would need to be replaced every few years.

An image of Invisalign aligners

These days we have better options than ye olde fashioned traditional braces. Now, there is Invisalign. Instead of metal wires and brackets, it uses clear aligners. These are invisible, even at a conversational distance. These are more comfortable than braces and work in significantly less time.

You can go with the snap-on smile and it will give you a decent temporary solution. My suggestion, however, would be to plan long term and get Invisalign. It has an additional hidden benefit of enabling you to whiten your teeth at the same time as you straighten them. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. It is like getting a mini smile makeover at a fraction of the cost.

This blog is brought to you by Gilbert Dentist Dr. Matt Roper.
Click here to learn about sleep dentistry.

Invisalign

Options for a Tooth Gap

I have an 8mm gap in my front teeth. My dentist is suggesting I get Lumineers to fix that but I’m a bit nervous about that. I see the Lumineers have mixed reviews. Are there other options for me that do not include 3 years in metal braces?

Cameron

Dear Cameron,

An image of Invisalign aligners

Whatever you do, please do not allow your dentist to do Lumineers on your teeth. For one, 8mm is enough space for a whole other tooth. This is a very complicated case for any brand of porcelain veneers and you are correct that Lumineers is touch and go at best. This is due to two factors.

1. They are highly advertised to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. You would need one of the top 1% of cosmetic dentists for your particular case.
2. The company that owns Lumineers insists dentists use their lab, which is not known for having excellent results.

My suggestion would be for you to get Invisalign. This can straighten your teeth and close that gap in half the time of traditional braces. Not only that, they can do it invisibly. There are no metal wires and brackets. Instead, Invisalign uses clear aligners. These are much more comfortable and, because they are removable, it is simple for you to brush and floss your teeth.

They have an additional hidden benefit of allowing you to whiten your teeth at the same time. This is because the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. It is like getting a mini smile makeover at a fraction of the cost.

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

Dental Emergency

When Does a Tooth with a Root Canal Treatment Need a Crown?

I have a root canal treatment that has never been crowned. Recently, I read that is a mistake. Should I get this crowned? I used to have dental insurance, but now I don’t so I don’t want to spend the money if I don’t have to. What are your thoughts on it?

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

I’m very glad this question came up because I have seen some people just crown every tooth that had a root canal. In some cases that can do more harm than good. Much of the answer to this question will depend on which tooth you are talking about. If it is a back tooth, such as a molar, then I would say to crown the tooth. It will protect it from the type of biting forces those teeth face. With other teeth, it gets more complicated.

illustration of a a front tooth

The biting stresses on a front tooth and their adjacent teeth are mostly horizontal because of the tearing stress. This means the neck of the tooth is the most vulnerable. By the time you prepare a tooth for a dental crown, it loses a minimum of 30% of its diameter, putting additional stress at the neck of the tooth. If that tooth also lost a significant amount of structure before the root canal treatment because of decay, there will be even less structure there.

If you place a dental crown on a front tooth that doesn’t have the necessary diameter to support the forces it is subjected to, it could end up breaking at the gumline. Some dentists try to overcome this by placing a post in the tooth, though that can increase the chances of the root fracturing, which will require an expensive repair.

The issue with front teeth after a root canal is that they tend to turn dark, which becomes an appearance issue. Our smiles are one of the first things people notice about us so we want them to look as nice as we can. Here is my advice on how to keep its white color longer and what to do when it does turn dark.

Helping a Tooth with a Root Canal Keep its Color

Your dentist needs to thoroughly clean out any root canal material and cement from the crown of the tooth, these are huge contributors to the dark appearance. Next, he or she should place a white fiberglass post into the tooth. Fiberglass is more flexible and will help with the stress. Finally, fill the remainder of the open area with white composite filling material. Doing this will extend your tooth’s color.

If it does eventually turn dark, instead of crowing it, I would suggest a porcelain veneer placed on that tooth. That removes far less structure, which will be better for the tooth viability in the long run.

This blog is brought to you by Gilbert Dentist Dr. Matt Roper.
We treat dental emergencies.

Uncategorized

Need affordable dentist to correct veneer work

I have battled with the appearance of my teeth for my entire life. I have chips in both of my front teeth and another tooth, also in the front of my mouth, is badly twisted. I am sure I should have had braces when I was a child, but I was one of seven children, so that wasn’t in the cards. I researched to find an affordable dentist for veneers, but am not at all satisfied with the results. They are unnatural looking, almost to the point that it looks like fake teeth have been glued on top of my natural ones, not to mention the twisted tooth is still severely-twisted looking. I really need an affordable dentist, skilled enough to to correct these issues. Is this possible?

Thanks,
Bobbi

Dear Bobbi,

Cosmetic work is not something you should look for in an affordable dentist. Sure, the costs vary from office to office, as do the rates, but if you focus on cost alone, your results will be sub-par, which is what you are experiencing now. Cosmetic dentistry is a practice which requires an amount of skill which is not possessed by all dentists. Therefore, you should focus your search on looking for a quality cosmetic dentist, then look at costs.

It is important to look at examples of a dentist’s work. Many share their work in smile galleries on their office sites. These allow you to browse at your own leisure, and will give you a good idea of what to expect. Also be sure to read reviews of cosmetic dentists from patients who have had the same treatment you hope to have. Just because a dentist does beautiful crown work, doesn’t mean he or she has the same quality veneer experience.

You should also keep in mind that veneer work is not necessarily something an insurance company will cover. However, financing through a company such as Care Credit, may be an option to help with the costs of a cosmetic dentist. Focusing on the quality of the cosmetic dental work will yield beautiful results for many years. Focusing on the cost may cause you to have veneer work done again, just as you are now.

This article was brought to you by the office of Gilbert affordable dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper.

Crooked Teeth, Invisalign, Porcelain Veneers, Teeth Whitening

Should I whiten and straighten before porcelain veneers?

I am thinking about getting porcelain veneers since I don’t love my front teeth, especially my top ones.  I have looked a little and know it’s expensive to get porcelain veneers, so if I’m going to get them, I want them to look the best they can.  Should I do teeth whitening and invisalign before I get veneers so my teeth will be perfect when I’m done?

Thanks,
KC, San Diego

Dear KC,

Someone's "perfect" smileYou mentioned you wanted perfect teeth. “Perfect” for you may mean something different than another patient. “Perfect” may be dazzling white and perfectly straight teeth.  Maybe “perfect”  is whiter, straighter, natural-looking teeth that are better than what they are now. No matter what your definition of perfect is, it is important to consider your answers before spending the money on porcelain veneers, whitening, or invisalign.

Should I whiten before getting porcelain veneers?

If you are unhappy with the general color of your teeth before veneers, whitening is a step that needs to happen before you start the porcelain veneers. Veneers themselves do not whiten. Good cosmetic dentists will match the color of your porcelain veneers to your regular teeth so they look more natural. If you want the new veneers to be matched to whiter teeth, complete this step before you start the porcelain veneers.

Should I straighten my teeth before porcelain veneers?

It is not necessary to straighten  crooked teeth before you start. That’s one of the beauties of porcelain veneers. They can make your teeth look straight. Invisalign isn’t necessary.  It won’t affect the placement of the veneers and will save you a lot of money, especially if your teeth aren’t too crooked. If you are generally not happy that several of your teeth, top or bottom, are crooked and you are only planning to get a couple of veneers, it may be something to consider.

The best path for you to take to get the smile you want is to discuss your “perfect” teeth with a cosmetic dentist. Ask for his or her opinion about your treatment plan. Discuss your options so you are comfortable and happy with what the outcome will be before you start anything.

This post is sponsored by Vista Dorada Dental in Gilbert, AZ.