Tag Archives: smile makeover

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain Veneers Staining After Just One-Year

I had my porcelain veneers done about a year ago. At the time, I was told that they are very stain resistant. I did mention I smoked but my dentist didn’t seem concerned. Now here I am one year out and I’m getting stains between the teeth. I’m still paying for these and don’t want to keep paying if I was mislead. Help!

Michelle

Dear Michelle,

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

You were not misled, porcelain veneers are very stain resistant. In fact, they are more stain resistant than your natural teeth. I wish I had a picture of your veneers because that would help me narrow the problem down. What I can give you is some general advice.

For the benefit of others reading this post, if her staining were over the complete surface of her teeth (which hers aren’t), then that would mean something damaged the glaze on her veneers. The glaze is not only what gives veneers their natural shine, but also is what protects the veneers from picking up stains. Never let a dental hygienist use something like a Power Prophy Jet or acidulated fluoride on your porcelain veneers. That will destroy the protective glaze quicker than quick.

Your staining, however is between your veneers. Those are what is known as margins, where the porcelain wafer meets the tooth. There are a couple of reasons why these could be picking up stains.

1. There is a gap between the veneers and the tooth. This would be tricky to fix and would likely mean replacing them. A gap will allow for bacteria to get in there, which not only discolors the tooth, but will also expose them to problems with decay.

2. A second issue is there is some composite bonding there that is picking up the stains instead of the veneers themselves. That is a simple fix. It just requires some polishing. I would go back to the dentist who did the veneers to polish them. While this is simple, not many family dentists will know the procedures.

I would consider the polishing of the bonding a regular maintenance issue. A hygienist or dentist will use fine polishing strips along with an ultra-fine aluminum oxide polishing paste. This will do a few things. It will keep the area smooth. It will help keep them resistant to stains. It will help prevent plaque accumulation. Smoking makes this even more important.

This blog is brought to you by a friendly family dentist in Gilbert, Dr. Matt Roper.
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Porcelain Veneers

Will Peroxide Help My Porcelain Veneers

I had a set of porcelain veneers done overseas. They look okay, but my gums have been red and swollen from the beginning. The dentist told me that was normal and would go down in a few days. It hasn’t. In fact, it’s been well over a month and my gums are miserable. Do you know if I did a peroxide rinse if it would help with the swelling and tenderness? If so, will it damage the veneers?

Greg

Dear Greg,

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

While peroxide will not damage your porcelain veneers, it will not solve your problem. In this case, the problem is the veneers themselves. I know you likely went out of the country in order to save money on your smile makeover. This is often called dental tourism. It works sometimes, but not as often as is safe for people to risk.

Your dentist lied to you. The redness and swelling is not normal. Because your underlying problem is the veneers, the first order of business is to find the underlying cause of the problem. If you don’t fix that, not only will you have the irritation, but it will lead to gum disease. Here are a few possibilities:

  • The margin between your porcelain veneers and your teeth are supposed to be completely seamless as well as smooth. Without that, there will be an overhang. It will catch food debris. This will become a breeding ground for bacteria and infection.
  • The veneer can be overcontoured at the gumline. That means there is an extra bulge in the veneers at the gumline, that also traps food debris and bacteria.
  • Your dentist could have left hardened cement that hasn’t been cleaned off the tooth. This will leave a very rough surface there, which will cause irritation. This one would be the easiest to solve.

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

Did Getting Porcelain Veneers Harm My Baby?

Can you help me? I’m in a bit of a panic. I just found out I’m pregnant, but just a few weeks ago I had porcelain veneers placed. Someone told me that the dentist would not have done the porcelain veneers if he knew I was pregnant. Does this mean that by getting them placed I harmed my baby? Is there any way to reverse any damage I’ve done?

Catherine

Dear Catherine,

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

The first thing that I want you to do is take a deep breath. In the case of porcelain veneers, your baby is completely safe. Dentists are taught to avoid dental work in the first trimester of a woman’s pregnancy because the baby is more susceptible to substances at that point. Most women don’t know they’re pregnant for quite some time through the first trimester, so you’re not the first mom to have work done without knowing they were expecting.

The only medication used during the porcelain veneers procedure is a local anesthetic. These are the safest medications around. In fact, one of the most common of the local anesthetics is Lidocaine. This has been used countless times not only during pregnancies, but even during the deliveries. You don’t have anything to worry about.

Looking ahead, it is important that you keep up with your dental care, especially during pregnancy. You don’t want to develop a tooth infection. Not only will that lead to the need for emergency dental care, but any infection you have your baby will deal with as well. I would schedule your cleaning and check up for the time period during your second trimester. Once you hit the third trimester, you are not only a bit larger, but you have a whole other human pressing down on you. Because of that, you will not be as comfortable in the dental chair as you would like. The second trimester tends to be the most comfortable for expectant moms.

Congrats on the new blessing!

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.

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.

Affordable Dentistry

How can I find an affordable dentist for cosmetic work?

I am looking for an affordable dentist who can help me with some cosmetic teeth issues I have been battling my whole life. I have teeth in need of straightening, as well as a chipped front tooth. I consulted my family dentist, but was told the work I need done would cost over $20,000, an amount much higher than what I am able, and willing, to pay. I did inquire about less expensive options, but was made to feel like I offended the dentist. I’m not looking for a total makeover, just want some teeth straightened and a chipped tooth fixed. Any advice would be great!

Thank you,
April

Dear April,

Thanks for writing. First and foremost, your dentist should not have acted that way.

A couple of suggestions to help:

  1. Be cautious when looking for affordable  dentist who does cosmetic work. This is because anyone can claim to be a cosmetic dentist. There are currently no guidelines on training or skills. Therefore sometimes dentists who have more skill/training tend to charge more.
  2. It would be a good idea for you to find a dentist with a solid reputation. Then, have a consultation and express your financial concerns upfront. This will allow the dentist to offer suggestions which include cost-effective ways to address your dental needs, yet stay within your budget.
  3. Lastly, it is always a good idea to get more than one estimate. This will allow you to choose someone that is the best fit for your situation.

This article is sponsored by Gilbert affordable dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper.

Porcelain Veneers

My porcelain veneers are not smooth

My porcelain veneers do not feel smooth on my five upper, front teeth. Basically, when I run my tooth over them they do not feel slick like my normal teeth. I have gone back to the dentist that did them to have them polished two times. Also, I think they look pasty.

-Carrie from California

Dear Carrie,

Unfortunately, from what you have described it does not sound as if your dentist knows how to polish your porcelain veneers. Another issue could be that he originally used a laboratory that may not have made the most natural-looking veneers.

Many general dentists claim that they can do porcelain veneers. The problem is that they need to look as life-like as possible. It truly take an “artist” to perfect this technique. That is why there is so much additional training and education to be considered a cosmetic dentist.

Porcelain veneers do not require polish. The process in which they are made when they are fired in the porcelain oven gives them a glaze. This coating is very stain resistant and durable. There are occasions where polishing is required when a dentist that is maintaining them does not treat them properly.

I would recommend consulting with a true cosmetic dentist. They should be able to polish them properly and ultimately give you the natural, beautiful look you are after.

This post was provided by Gilbert dentist Vista Dorada Dental.

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