Archives for August 2022

Can I Get Porcelain Veneers with a Missing Front Tooth

Posted on August 31, 2022 by writeradmin.

I have a removable partial denture on a front tooth, which looks absolutely awful. Even having my dentist redo the work a couple of times made no difference. My two front teeth look totally different. I’d like to get a pretty smile, but don’t know if it is even possible to get porcelain veneers when I am missing a tooth. Help!

Deanna

Dear Deanna,

Dental Implant

There are some great options for you. I should tell you off the bat, you will probably have to go to a different dentist to have them done, though. Even your removable partial denture could have been made to look beautiful if your dentist and the lab he used had artistic ability. Most family dentists are of an engineering rather than aesthetic mindset. You need one with both.

If you are perfectly happy with your teeth, other than the replacement, your first and cheapest option is to just replace the partial using an expert cosmetic dentist. I’d suggest someone who is AACD accredited, which is different than just a membership with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. If, however, you want the best tooth replacement, you could upgrade to a dental implant (pictured above). This places a prosthetic root in your jaw and then a dental crown on top. It’s the most secure replacement you can get.

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

Porcelain Veneers

As for a smile makeover, if you are not pleased with the remainder of your teeth, then yes, you can still get a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. A great cosmetic dentist will be able to seamlessly blend all the materials used to create a uniform, beautiful, and natural looking smile. Just make sure you go to the right dentist to do it. Otherwise, you are just spending more money for poor results.

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

My 11-Year-Old’s Dental Bonding Looks Terrible

Posted on August 24, 2022 by writeradmin.

I need some advice. My eleven-year-old daughter fell in such a way that it knocked a giant portion of the middle of her two front teeth out. She has some on the sides and top and that is it. Our dentist said the best solution would be to fill in the empty space with dental bonding. We agreed, but in all honesty, it looks awful. Her two front teeth are now lumpy looking and the color doesn’t exactly match the remainder of her natural teeth. This is a very tricky age for kids and she has been in tears since we returned. I don’t know what to do. Can this be fixed? Did he need to do a different procedure?

Avalon

Dear Avalon,

While your dentist was correct about the type of repair that would be the best solution, he doesn’t appear to have the cosmetic training necessary to do the actual work. Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. As such, any general dentist can “do” cosmetic work, but very few of them have the actual training necessary to do it right.

Dental bonding is particularly difficult because it has to be done freehand. It also requires special materials in order to match the colors exactly to the remaining tooth structure. On top of that, your daughter’s type of repair is more difficult than most. It’s even on the list of cases dentists have to show proficiency and artistry in for them to pass the AACD Accreditation Exam, which is the one “guarantee” for knowing that you have an expert cosmetic dentist.

My suggestion is you ask for a refund from your dentist. It doesn’t sound like he even came close to doing this in an acceptable fashion. Then, look for an AACD accredited dentist in your area. They will make certain your daughter has gorgeous front teeth as she returns to school.

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

Teeth Whitening Before a Dental Crown

Posted on August 10, 2022 by writeradmin.

I am getting a dental crown on a white tooth and I want to do a touch-up on my teeth whitening before I get it. I asked my dentist how long I would have to whiten my teeth each day and for how many days to get them back to their original color when I first whitened them three years ago. He couldn’t tell me so I am wondering if there are some tips you have.

Bethany

Dear Bethany,

I am going to help you with this, but before I do I want to let you know that I am concerned that your dentist was unable to answer these type of questions. Teeth whitening is a fairly straightforward procedure. If he can’t deal with that I would not trust him to place a dental crown on your front teeth. We’ll go over how to find a dentist who can in a moment.

The Basic Principles of Teeth Whitening

The main idea behind whitening your teeth is the longer you wear the whitening gel, the faster your teeth will whiten. You can wear them one hour a day, but they whiten faster than if you wear them several hours a day or overnight. Because each person’s teeth are different in the amount of staining and how white they want them, there is no way to quantify a number of days/hours. The one constant is you want to leave a week between when you stop your teeth whitening and when you begin the procedure for your dental crown. This is because the teeth will continue to whiten during that time period.

Getting a Crown on a Front Tooth

Crowns on back teeth are no big deal. The color doesn’t have to match exactly. However, matching a single crown to a front tooth is a completely different story. All the light hits your front teeth making all the differences much more visible. Even the best cosmetic dentists will do a couple of try-ins before settling on it being just so.

Ideally, you would want an expert cosmetic dentist to do this. Look for a dentist who is AACD accredited. Then you can be certain they will get it right. If your dentist cannot tell you about teeth whitening, I would not let him near this crown.

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