Archives for April 2023

Will Medicaid Cover Porcelain Veneers?

Posted on April 29, 2023 by writeradmin.

I’m a forty-seven year old cancer survivor. In the late 90s, I had porcelain veneers placed and really loved them. Unfortunately, the cancer treatments have done a number on my oral health and my gums have receded making my smile look ridiculous. I’m broke from medical expenses but am on Medicaid. Is there any chance because this is a medical issue that they would cover the expense of me getting my porcelain veneers replaced?

Carmen

Dear Carmen,

I am sorry about what you went through with your cancer, but am glad you are a survivor! The problem you are up against is government based medical insurance. Let’s say that they agreed this was caused by a medical problem, which they probably won’t if they can get away with it. For instance, they can say you caused the receding gums and you’d have little way of proving otherwise, even though we know cancer treatments are horrible for teeth and gums, etc.

However, let’s say for argument’s sake that they agreed. National health care will only cover the least expensive treatment. In your case, that would mean extracting all of your teeth and giving you dentures. Something you most definitely do NOT want, especially at your young age.

I don’t know what type of dental insurance you have, if any, but I’d start by looking there. If that is no help, your best bet is to just begin to save up so you can get this done right. You don’t have to get all the porcelain veneers placed at once. You could do them one or two at a time as you have money.

Just remember, when it comes to cosmetic work, do not go to the cheapest dentist. This is an art and you want a smile that looks beautiful and a dentist who can match what you loved about your smile makeover, to begin with. There are countless cosmetic dentistry horror stories and you do not want to be one of them. If your original dentist who did your veneers isn’t available, look for someone who is AACD accredited.

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

Luster Premium Teeth Whitening System

Posted on April 16, 2023 by writeradmin.

I saw an advertisement for Luster Premium At Home Teeth Whitening System. There seem to be some positive reviews that said they saw an almost immediate difference. Do you know if this is safe for my teeth?

Drew

Dear Drew,

After looking into this product, I have come to the conclusion that they are swindling people. Starting with the light, it doesn’t have any real power to do anything so I believe they have put it there as a psychological trigger to make patients think the light is the reason their teeth look whiter. It’s not.

You may be wondering why I say it is a swindle if their teeth are whiter. Good question! The whitening results are coming from a pigment in their “Super Whitener”. The pigment, zinc oxide, sticks to your teeth and makes them look whiter, but fades away. My guess is the positive reviews were written when the pigment was first placed on the teeth. I would not waste your money on this because you will have to keep buying it often in order to keep the pigment on your teeth. That isn’t whitening your teeth; it is painting them.

The Best Way to Whiten Your Teeth at Home

If you want to truly whiten your teeth, the best way to do that is with bleaching trays from your dentist. He can custom fit trays to your specific bite. Then he or she will give you some whitening gel to wear in the trays. You can wear it at a time that is convenient for you from about 20 minutes up to overnight.

This gives you complete control over how fast, as well as how white your teeth get. This truly whitens your teeth, oxidizing them from the inside out. The change is permanent, though teeth can pick up new stains. If you’re diligent with your oral health, you can get rid of those while they are surface stains. Some people do like to “touch up” their teeth every few years.

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

Treating Enamel Hypoplasia

Posted on April 8, 2023 by writeradmin.

I am frustrated with my smile and tired of always hiding from pictures. We’re thinking about starting a family and I don’t want to avoid photos during my child’s entire life. What are my options for treating this?

Caroline

Dear Caroline,

Congrats on starting a family. I can completely understand why you want to feel comfortable and present for pictures. There are a couple of good options for you in giving you a smile you can feel proud to share with the world. For those who are unaware of what enamel hypoplasia is, it is a defect, which is caused either by genetics or an illness during the formation of the teeth, that causes to the enamel of the teeth to not fully form.

Treating Enamel Hypoplasia

With mild hypoplasia, you have two good options. The first is dental bonding. With this procedure, your dentist will drill or sand out the white spots and then fill the tooth with composite resin. This is done freehand and will be finished when you leave. It is the least expensive of the two options but does need to be replaced periodically.

Your second option is to have porcelain veneers placed over your teeth. If you are dealing with severe hypoplasia, as pictured above, this would be the only option I would recommend. With porcelain veneers, thin wafers of porcelain are bonded to your teeth. They are the go-to for those Hollywood smile makeovers and can not just cover the hypoplasia, but completely redesign your smile. Porcelain veneers can change the size, color, and even shape of your teeth.

Pick the Dentist Carefully

Both of these are cosmetic procedures. Unfortunately, cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty yet. This means that any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. To make matters worse, smile makeovers are not adequately taught in dental school. If a dentist wants to develop skills in creating smile makeovers, then they will need to invest in post-doctoral training. Not many dentists do.

So how are you to know the real deal from the pretenders? Well, you could ask them where they got their post-doctoral training in cosmetic work and then ask to see their smile gallery to see what type of artistry they have. Another option is to look for a dentist who has been accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists have passed stringent exams on the technical procedures as well as demonstrated a high level of artistry in the work they do.

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