Dental Bonding Archives - Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist

How Long Do Composite Veneers Last?

April 9, 2022 by writeradmin

I’ve been looking at options for smile makeovers. Most people suggest getting porcelain veneers, but I am just curious about composite veneers. Would they be less expensive? How long will they last?

Carol

Dear Carol,

In most cases, composite bonding is better used for small repairs, like a tooth gap or chipped tooth. The procedure has to be done freehand, which would take much longer in the dental chair than porcelain veneers will. In fact, many dentists will not do a smile makeover with composite resin for that reason. It would end up costing you more because of the tedious nature of the smile development. On top of that, the composite bonding will only keep their luster a few years before they begin to pick up stains. On the other hand, well-cared for porcelain veneers can last upwards of twenty years.

My suggestion would be to look for an excellent cosmetic dentist. This is not a skill taught in dental school, nor is it a recognized specialty. If a dentist wants to become skilled, they would need to invest in post-doctoral training. It would be easiest for you to just look for an AACD accredited dentist. These dentists have proven skill and artistry. It will keep you from having to investigate the training of each dentist you look at. Any one of them can give you an extraordinary smile makeover.

Let them look at your teeth and talk to them about the look you want. They will be able to determine what procedure can give you the best outcome.

I hope this helps.

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

Fixing a Gap Between a Crown and a Dental Bridge

March 14, 2022 by writeradmin

I have a gap between my front teeth I would really like to fix. Unfortunately, the tooth on the right is a dental crown and the left is a crown attached to a dental bridge. Is there a way for me to close this gap without having the fixtures replaced? Maybe by putting something like Lumineers on top of them?

Peggy

Dear Peggy,

Years ago, Lumineers would advertise something like you mentioned. They told patients that old crowns can be restored by placing Lumineers on them, but it ended up not working out as well as they hoped. First, porcelain does not bond to porcelain as well as it does to the natural tooth structure. Second, it takes as much work to place them over crowns as it would to just make a new crown. Finally, you have double the risk of failure because now there are two things bonded.

I am curious why your dentist didn’t place the crown and the bridge in a way where there was not a gap to begin with. That makes me wonder about his skills. In reality, because of that you will likely have to have these two procedures re-done. You don’t want to re-do just one of them because the porcelain would be “lopsided”.

There is a possibility you could have someone do a repair by bonding composite to porcelain, but they would need to have some experience with dental bonding and some special equipment. Your dentist would need to use a micro-etcher on the areas of porcelain near the gap. After that, they’d need to etch the area with a hydrofluoric acid gel. Then it would need to be primed with a silane coupling agent. Finally, a bonding resin and then a composite bonding applied to match the color of your crown and bridge. As you can see this would take some specialty skill. I’m not sure your dentist has it if he or she was not able to apply your procedures without a gap to begin with. If you want to try this repair method before resorting to replacing everything, I suggest you see an AACD accredited dentist.

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

Does the Dentist Matter If They Outsource Their Porcelain Work?

February 16, 2022 by writeradmin

I am getting a smile makeover, which will include porcelain veneers on the top arch and some dental bonding for some broken teeth on the bottom arch. I understand that they outsource their porcelain work, so I don’t have to worry about that as much, but the dental bonding is done by the dentist in the office. How do I know if they can do quality bonding work or not?

Billy

Dear Billy,

You are correct that dental bonding is tricky and that the dentist really needs to know what he or she is doing. Not only is it done in the office, but it is done freehand. However, be careful about thinking the dentist won’t matter for the porcelain veneers. That is like saying it doesn’t matter what doctor you go to because it is the pharmacist who gives you the medicine. The reality is the pharmacist can only do what is precribed. If the doctor makes the wrong diagnosis and prescribes the wrong medicine, the result will be a disaster even if the pharmacist fills it perfectly.

With porcelain veneers, the cosmetic dentist prescribes the map for the ceramist to follow. He can do the work perfectly according to the dentist’s instructions, but unless the dentist is skilled and artistic the results will be disappointing. So, I would say you will need to find an expert cosmetic dentist for every part of the smile makeover.

How to Find an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

The hands down easiest way to guarantee you will have one of the best cosmetic dentists in the country is to look for a dentist who is AACD accredited. In order for a dentist to reach accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. They have to pass oral and written exams as well as have a large number of cases they’re required to do examined in front of a board to ensure they have artistry. You can be assured that they will give you both stunning porcelain veneers and dental bonding. It will be the complete package.

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

Adult with Baby Sized Teeth

January 6, 2022 by writeradmin

I need to figure out if there is anything I can do to improve the appearance of my teeth. I am a 33-year-old adult with baby-sized teeth. It is very embarrassing to smile. One of the things I am considering is dental bonding to make the babyish teeth look better. Is that a good solution? Is there a better one?

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey,

While you could use dental bonding for this, there are drawbacks. First, dental bonding does better on tiny repairs, such as a chipped tooth. For larger repairs, such as what you are facing, you will be much better off with porcelain veneers. Compared to your natural enamel, dental bonding is quite soft. It will scratch and stain easily, making it only a short term solution.

Porcelain veneers, on the other hand, are stronger than your enamel when they are bonded to your teeth. They are also much more stain resistant. When well cared for, you can expect them to last a lifetime in many cases.

Who Should Do Your Porcelain Veneers?

It is important you find an expert cosmetic dentist to do this. Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty so any general dentist can “do” cosmetic dentistry. On top of that, smile makeovers do not get taught in dental school. If they want to learn how to do beautiful cosmetic work, dentists have to invest in post-doctoral training on their own.

So, how will you know which dentists have this training and which do not? The easiest way is to use an AACD accredited dentist. These dentists have passed stringent exams on both their technical skill and their artistry. They are the top cosmetic dentists in the country and any one of them can create a stunning smile for you.

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

Fixing Black Triangles

December 31, 2021 by writeradmin

My orthodontist did some shaving of my teeth to fit me for a retainer and it has resulted in black triangles. Is there a gum grafting procedure I can do to fix these? My smile looked great before he did the shaving.

Andrew

Dear Andrew,

Black Triangles

I haven’t examined you so cannot tell you if the shaving was necessary or not. It is very likely that your orthodontist is planning on dealing with the black triangles when your procedure is over. If he doesn’t, there is a solution. I would not consider gum grafting. Our gums respond to the position of our teeth. If your teeth are straight, the gums will move back to the open position even after the grafting.

The solution to this when your treatment is done and your teeth are perfectly straight would be to have dental bonding placed in the open spaces on either side of the teeth. Be careful though. I would not expect your average family dentist to be able to do this procedure. Dental bonding is quite tricky and has to be done freehand. You will need an expert cosmetic dentist for this procedure. I would look for someone who is AACD accredited. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country and will give you a natural looking result that blends perfectly with the rest of your teeth.

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

Solution for a Tooth Turning Dark

November 18, 2021 by writeradmin

I’ve had a tooth that has gradually been turning dark over the last five years. My dentist said a root canal treatment may be needed. While there is no infection there is a possible fracture. I don’t know if I should go ahead and have the root canal treatment or just do cosmetic work to repair the graying tooth and only worry about the root canal treatment if it becomes absolutely necessary or if I should just bite the bullet and do the root canal and get it over with. One thing my dentist mentioned is that I would need bonding on several teeth in order to make them look uniform. In that case, would it be better to get porcelain veneers?

Laura

Dear Laura,

I am going to be quite blunt here and say that you are not in the hands of the best dentist. Let’s start with the root canal treatment. Either the tooth is infected and you need one or it isn’t and you don’t. You said there was no infection, just a possible fracture. With a fracture, you would not want to do a root canal treatment, which could lead to leaking.

Bear in mind that I haven’t examined you, but given your description of the darkening happening over a period of years, I think you’re dealing with the aftermath of trauma that happened to the tooth several years ago. Over time, your body builds up defenses in the tooth which creates a secondary layer of dentin making the tooth look darker.

The solution to this is cosmetic. You can either do dental bonding or a porcelain veneer. The veneer will be more expensive but has the benefit of lasting longer. With either one you will need an expert cosmetic dentist and I will be honest that your dentist is not going to fit that bill. I know that because of his comment that you’d have to do several teeth to get them to look uniform. That is not the case when you have an expert cosmetic dentist. And with someone who is not an expert, just because they are uniform does not mean they are beautiful. My recommendation is you look for an AACD accredited dentist to do this work for you.

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

Tooth Dark After a Root Canal Treatment

October 8, 2021 by writeradmin

My left front tooth (central incisor) had a root canal treatment several years ago and has since turned a grayish color. My dentist was suggesting a dental crown for it, but I really would rather be more conservative with the tooth structure. He doesn’t think a porcelain veneer is a good idea and so I am wondering about composite bonding. Would that work? One thing I am worried about is that every time it has to be redone that I will lose more structure. I like my dentist but I’m starting to lose confidence in him. He’s just not interested in keeping this tooth as intact as possible. What would your advice be?

Matthew

Dear Matthew,

I’m glad you wrote. Either a porcelain veneer or some direct dental bonding will be fine, with a catch. You have to be careful who does it. If it is done right you won’t have to worry about losing structure during updates. Let’s start with the direct composite bonding. The benefit to this is the dentist can work with the color right there instead of having to go back and forth with the lab. This will last between three to five years. If well cared for, even longer. My suggestion, if you go with the bonding, is to use Supersmile Toothpaste. It is specifically designed for cosmetic work. The porcelain veneer will last longer, but will cost more.

Now for that catch I mentioned earlier. Matching a single tooth is super advanced. If your dentist is suggesting a dental crown on a healthy tooth, it tells me that he is not comfortable with cosmetic dentistry. I honestly think this is beyond the skills of your family dentist. It doesn’t mean that you have to give him up altogether if you like him. He may be a perfectly respectable general dentist. Many cosmetic patients go to one dentist for their general work and another for their specialized cosmetic work.

To match a front tooth, I would only go to an AACD accredited dentist. They are the top 3% of dentists in the country. These are the only dentists I would trust with such a difficult procedure.

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

Best Solution for a Chipped Tooth

September 1, 2021 by writeradmin

I fell while my son was teaching me to skateboard and chipped one of my teeth. I wanted to just get bonding done to keep everything as minimally invasive as possible. My dentist said that dental bonding does not hold. Instead, she wants to give me a dental crown. I’m hesitant to do that because it is a healthy tooth. Plus, I have another crown and it really doesn’t look very natural. Thankfully, that one is toward the back, but this will be a front tooth. Is there an alternative to these procedures?

Patricia

Dear Patricia,

Before I answer your questions, let me first say that you get the epic mom award. Now, onto why you really wrote. Unless you are an unusual case, dental bonding would be the correct fix for this. It can hold up well when done by an expert cosmetic dentist with the right materials. I think the bigger issue here is your dentist is not comfortable doing dental bonding and is, therefore, trying to steer you in another direction. You are right to be concerned about the dental crown.

Not only is it overly invasive, but it is extremely difficult to match a crown to a single front tooth. If she is not capable of doing dental bonding and your other crown looks fake, I would not let her anywhere near this chipped tooth.

My suggestion is you see an expert cosmetic dentist and let them do the repair. You are better off finding a dentist who has reached accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (aacd.com). AACD accredited dentists have to pass arduous examinations as well as have their cosmetic cases evaluated by a board of examiners. Those who reach accreditation are in the top 1-3% of cosmetic dentists in the world.

As a tip, I would recommend you get your teeth whitened before having your dental bonding done. While the bonding can be made to match any color exactly, once it is cured into place, the color cannot be changed. If you decide to whiten your teeth afterward, your natural teeth will whiten, but not your bonding. It will have to be completely re-done. If whitening is on the horizon, getting it done before saves you money.

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

Daughter’s Dental Bonding Is Yellow

August 29, 2021 by writeradmin

I took my twelve year old daughter to the dentist in order to deal with some discoloration on her two front teeth. We’d decided on dental bonding. When the dentist put it on, it was yellow. I thought that was like a step one, but she declared it done. I told her we really can’t accept my daughter having two yellow front teeth. The dentist did it again. Still yellow. Now she is talking about a porcelain veneer. I thought she’d be too young for this. What do we do? She can’t go around with two yellow front teeth.

Miranda

Dear Miranda,

When done right, dental bonding should seamlessly blend in with the rest of your natural teeth. Your dentist is obviously unqualified to do this procedure. These types of cosmetic procedures are not really adequately covered in dental school In order to do them properly, your dentist would have to take significant post-doctoral training. Dental bonding especially is hard because it has to be done freehand along with understanding color theory.

The first thing I would do is ask your dentist for a refund. Even if your daughter were not too young, I doubt this dentist could do porcelain veneers either. What you will need, is an expert cosmetic dentist. The best are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). This is different than just being a member. AACD accredited dentists had to pass stringent exams as well as demonstrate their artistry in a large number of cases to a board of examiners. Those who pass accreditation are in the top 3% of cosmetic dentists in the world.

Schedule an appointment with one of them and he or she will be able to get your daughter’s smile shining beautifully.

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

Jagged Teeth After Braces

July 14, 2021 by writeradmin

I am toward the end of my orthodontic treatment. While my teeth look straight, I have noticed the edges are jagged. I am hoping to fix this. After spending all this money to get straight teeth, I don’t want this one little thing to bother me. Is there a way to fix it?

Ellie

Dear Ellie,

I’m glad you wrote. There is a procedure known as dental contouring that can solve your issue. If the problem is minor, your orthodontist should smooth this out as a part of completing your case. If it is more substantial, I would invest in having an expert cosmetic dentist do this. Cosmetic contouring is a fairly advanced procedure and requires a cosmetic dentist that is not only technologically skilled, but artistic as well.

This type of procedure has to be done freehand. It is not something your average family dentist could do. In your place, to ensure you get a good result, you will need to check out the dentist’s smile galleries to make sure they get beautiful results with a variety of different cosmetic procedures. You could start by looking on the mynewsmile.com website to see if there are any dentists in your area they recommend. These dentists have already been prescreened for their training, technical skill, and artistry.

Often you will need some dental bonding done with the contouring. If you look at the before and after images above, you can tell right away that the sides of some of his teeth had bonding material added to them. You can also see that the teeth have varying opacities throughout the lengths of the teeth making them look completely natural and blending them seamlessly with the remainder of the teeth.

You won’t get this type of result with any dentist.

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