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Archives for April 2019

Safety of Dental Implants from a Dental Student

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I wanted to get a dental implant and spoke with my dentist about it. He said I was a good candidate, but the price he quoted me is beyond what I have. Someone from church mentioned I might be able to get it cheaper at a dental school. I’m all for more affordable, but wanted to double check this was a wise option. Would this be a safe way to get dental implants?

Lizzie,

Dear Lizzie,

Three stages of a dental implant

Going to a dental school will cost less. They do that both to draw patients in for their students to practice on and because you are getting a less experienced caretaker.

It is up to you to weigh the risk versus reward and decide which you think is the most important factor to you.

Dental Implants at Dental Schools

Dental schools are very careful. They are there to teach their students best practices. There is always an instructor there to check the student’s work. All that being said, this is an advanced procedure and even uncomplicated cases, such as yours, still require surgery.

It will be the dental student which implants the prosthetic tooth root. Even expert implant dentists who’ve been doing the work for years will sometimes have a procedure fail.

There are things which can go wrong and although there is an instructor there, it is a matter of whether or not this dentist is skilled at recognizing issues quickly enough to intervene.

Paying for a Skilled Implant Dentist

If you decide you’d rather see an implant dentist with more experience, then you can see if they have in-house payment plans. They may not. But, even when they don’t, dental implants are generally paid for in two phases. First, you would pay for the implant surgery. Then, after a period of healing, you would pay for the dental crown.

If that is still out of reach, there is a medical credit company that could pay the fee to the dentist and allow you to pay it out to them. You can apply for Care Credit online. They have low and even no interest plans. If you have basically good credit, you shouldn’t have a problem.

If it turns out you absolutely cannot have a dental implant, getting a dental bridge, which is simply a false tooth suspended between two dental crowns) is a perfectly acceptable tooth replacement option.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Why Can’t Lumineers Make My Teeth Longer?

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I’m so frustrated right now and need some advice. I’m looking at the Lumineers advertisement holding it in my hands. They show before and after pictures of teeth being made longer. When I went to see my dentist, he said it could happen. All I wanted was whiter, longer teeth. Yet, when the lab sent them back, they weren’t any longer. My dentist called and they said that’s as long as they can get. I don’t get it? Do they falsely advertise?

Mischa

Dear Mischa,

Lumineers Advertisement

So, your biggest problem here is your dentist. Think about this. If the Lumineers lab is right (which they are not) shouldn’t he have known this? Also, He’s the doctor. The lab workers are technicians. They follow the doctor’s instructions, not the other way around. So, what is going on here?

Smile Makeovers Aren’t Taught in Dental School

Many people don’t realize that dental schools are for general dentistry. If a dentist is interested in learning how to do smile makeovers, they have to invest in the time and training for that post-doctorally.

Some dentists do it. Some don’t. Some invest more time and effort into it than others. As a result, some smile makeovers end up beautiful and some end up a disaster.

The Lumineers brand, in particular, is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists in being easy to place. However, the brand forces dentists to use their lab, which isn’t known for its beautiful work. That means you have two things working against you– the inexperience of your dentist and the low-quality results of the lab.

How to Get a Guaranteed Beautiful Smile Makeover

Your dentist hasn’t provided the smile he promised. You specifically asked for longer teeth and he didn’t provide that even though porcelain veneers can accomplish that very request. In your place, I’d ask for a refund and start over with a true cosmetic dentist.

Then, go to aacd.com. This is the website of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. They have an accreditation program where dentists who truly want to excel in cosmetic dentistry can receive training and be tested for their skill and artistry.

They have to pass both oral and written exams as well as show visual evidence of a large number of specific cases they’ve personally done to demonstrate their artistry. Only then can they be accredited. Their website has a link where you can search for AACD accredited dentists in your area.

That would be the dentist I would go to in order to get a stunning smile makeover.

This blog is brought ot you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Blotchy Teeth After Bonding

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I had Dental Bonding done because of some chips and some wear of my enamel. The bonding itself was so bulky I couldn’t speak properly. My dentist said she’d remove it but when she did my teeth ended up looking splotchy. My dentist insists this is how my teeth looked before but I know it isn’t. What do I do?

Catherine

Dear Catherine,

before and after dental bonding

It sounds to me like your dentist, who may be a decent general dentist, doesn’t understand cosmetic work at all. If she’d done it right to begin with, your teeth wouldn’t have been bulky. This is especially true because you were only getting chipped and worn teeth fixed.

Look at the before and after picture above. This is a case Dr. Weiss did for a patient. Her teeth look natural and there is no added bulk. When dental bonding is done properly, the results are beautiful and natural.

I haven’t seen your case, but based on what you’ve described, I think I can guess what happened in her removal process. She likely went past the bonding and ended up taking off some of your natural tooth enamel. The structure underneath is a different color and will end up making your teeth look splotchy.

When Dental Bonding Goes Wrong

You can ask her for a refund. If she cares about her results, she should give you one. However, without a “before” picture to show what your teeth looked like before the bonding, you won’t have any proof that they didn’t look splotchy beforehand. There’s no way to hold her to a refund without proof.

Again, this is also evidence she’s not a true cosmetic dentist. They always take before and after pictures.

The only way to fix this is to have your case completely re-done. Please don’t use the same dentist. You need a great cosmetic dentist this time around.

In your place, I’d look for an AACD accredited dentist. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. They will give you a stunning smile.

Before you move forward with the procedure though, you may want to look into porcelain veneers instead. These are much more durable than dental bonding and will last for many more years.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Staining Around 1-Year Old Porcelain Veneers

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I’ve had my porcelain veneers for about a year. I thought they were supposed to be pretty stain resistant. Mine seem to be picking up stains on the top edges though. I’m still paying for thise so I’m kind of worried. Is this normal?

Drew

Dear Drew,

A single porcelain veneer being placed

No, this is not normal. Porcelain veneers are very stain resistant unless there was some damage to your veneer’s glaze. This can happen if your hygienist uses something like a power prophy jet or an acidulated fluoride on them. It takes away the glaze and causes staining.

This, however, will cause staining across the veneer and not just the top as you mentioned.

What you’re describing sounds like you have bulky margins. That’s when the porcelain veneers aren’t bonded flush against the teeth. This essentially creates a tiny shelf on the top of the porcelain veneers.

This will harbor bacteria and cause decay. That means it needs to be repaired. Your dentist should re-do this for you. If he doesn’t want to admit this is the problem, then I’d suggest you get a second opinion from another cosmetic dentist.

If they say it is an issue with bulky margins, then you have a right to get a refund. Your porcelain veneers aren’t considered functional if they put you at risk of decay.

If You Need to Replace Your Porcelain Veneers

IF you end up getting a refund. You’ll want to make sure you go to a more experienced cosmetic dentist. Ideally, look for a dentist who is AACD accredited.

The reason you’ll want this is they have both the technical skill and the artistry to create smiles that are not only perfectly bonded (unlike your current veneers), but stunningly gorgeous.

To get an idea of the kind of beauty they can create, look at Dr. Weiss’ smile gallery. You can find an AACD accredited dentist by going to aacd.com where they have a link to help you find them.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.