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Porcelain Veneers While Pregnant

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I had planned on getting four porcelain veneers for a smile makeover. Then, I found out I was pregnant. I asked my dentist if it was still okay to move forward with the procedure and he said yes. Just to be doubly sure, I asked another dentist who would not be making money off of me the same question. That dentist told me NOT to get the porcelain veneers. Now I’m a bit worried. I’m hoping you can be the non-biased tie breaker. I don’t want to harm my baby because I want pretty teeth. I also don’t want to avoid pretty teeth  if it isn’t necessary. So, give me the vote.

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth.

First, congratulations! It is so exciting that you are having a child. What a blessing.

There are actually two factors to this question. Let’s start with the porcelain veneers in general. That procedure is perfectly safe during pregnancy. The only medication given is Lidocaine which has not only been proven safe during pregnancy, it is also used in the delivery room.

The second factor here is the number of porcelain veneers you are planning on getting. You mentioned four veneers. Most smiles are eight to ten teeth wide. Dentists typically work around this by having patients do teeth whitening before having their veneers placed. This helps the adjacent teeth to blend in. However, teeth whitening does not have adequate data on its safety during pregnancy. We don’t know that it is unsafe. We just don’t know that it is.

In my opinion, I would say you have two choices. First, wait to have your teeth whitening and porcelain veneers done until after your child is born. Second, you could have enough porcelain veneers placed to cover your entire aesthetic zone (the area visible when you smile). This is more expensive, but you can get your smile makeover right away.  You’ll still want your lower arch  whitened after the baby is born, but that can wait.

There is not a right or wrong answer here. Neither one will make you a bad mother. It is just a matter of how much you’re willing to spend to get it done right away.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Damaged New Porcelain Veneer

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I had four porcelain veneers placed. There are two things bothering me. First, my regular teeth stand out because I wanted white porcelain veneers. Is there a way to get the other teeth whiter so my smile matches together? This leads me into my second question. There was a small divot in one of my porcelain veneers. I went back in to see the dentist and he said that he could fix it. He said he could polish out the divot. When he did that, the divot was gone, but it looks like the shine is gone too. I can’t tell when my teeth are wet, but when they are dry there is an obvious difference, like part of the veneer is shiny and the other small part is matte. I’m worried that small part will start to look different from the rest. What do I do? Will whitening it help?

Sally

Dear Sally,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth.

I’m glad you wrote. I’m guessing your dentist is well meaning, but he does not have adequate training in cosmetic dentistry. That is one of the problems with there not being a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. There are a couple of things wrong here. First, he only gave you four porcelain veneers. Most smiles are eight to ten teeth wide. Now, if you can only afford four porcelain veneers, that is okay. In that case, he should have had you whiten your teeth before you had your porcelain veneers done. The good news there is that you can still have the teeth whitening done. It won’t hurt your veneers at all. The only thing it will whiten is your natural teeth.

The second thing he did wrong was how he repaired your divot. You are correct that with a matte finish your tooth will pick up more stains. The good news is there is a way to fix this as well. However, it does require specialized knowledge and tools. My guess is that your dentist doesn’t have these materials or know what to do with them. You can ask if he knows how to polish these up so that the shine will be close to what you originally have using a diamond polishing paste. If he doesn’t know how, then it is time for you to go to a dentist with post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Can I Whiten My Teeth to Match a Golf Ball?

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I am a huge golf fanatic and am working on developing my own brand of golf balls incorporating some new technology. I am planning a marketing campaign and for kicks I thought it would be fun if I could whiten my teeth to match the golf balls. Is that possible?

Andrew

Dear Andrew,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

First, congratulations on your product development. I hope it goes very well for you. I found your question fascinating. Teeth bleaching can get teeth very white but there will be limits. I guess it would depend on just how white your golf balls are. The bigger problem would be getting an exact match. The thing about teeth whitening is that even after you stop whitening, the bleaching continues for about two weeks.

If you want to get an exact match to a specific color, then I would recommend that you get porcelain veneers done. These are the go-to procedure when it comes to smile makeovers. It’s how all those Hollywood celebrities get those perfect teeth. It can change more than just the color of your teeth. You can also design the shape, size, and character of your teeth.

There is a consideration, though. While any dentist can do teeth whitening, it would take a great deal of post-doctoral training for a dentist to be able to do it well. Look for someone who has trained at the Dawson Academy, the Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies, or the Pankey Institute. These are great post-doctoral institutions. There are others as well, but these are well documented with their success.

If you’re not wanting a complete smile makeover, then you can still get the teeth whitening and just know that you may not get an exact match.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Whitening Teeth with Tetracycline Stains

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I have pretty bad acne and my dermatologist has had me on tetracycline to treat it for over a year and it has done wonders for my face. I just had a dental appointment this week and they said I have brown stain lines on the back of my teeth. My sister said that it is from the tetracycline. Is that accurate? Is there a way to get rid of the stains? I certainly don’t want the brown stain lines on the front of my teeth.

Phillipa

Dear Phillipa,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

Unless you are using minocycline, which a particular variant of tetracycline, then the stains will not be from your tetracycline medication. While your sister is correct that they do stain people’s teeth, they only do that if you were taking the medication while your teeth were still forming. You didn’t mention your age, but you would have to be under thirteen years old for that to be the case. If you are taking minocycline, just ask them to switch you to actual tetracycline.

For people who may be reading this that have tetracycline stains, the standard way to deal with those stains are to use porcelain veneers. Though, you will want an expert cosmetic dentist to do them. Porcelain veneers are an advanced procedure by themselves and tetracycline stains are the toughest type of porcelain veneers case to do.

While they can create a gorgeous Hollywood smile, when done will, they are quite expensive. For many people they are just out of reach. An alternative is professional teeth whitening with take-home trays. It will take quite some time and you will have to be very persistent to make a difference. Your smile won’t be as white as they could be with the porcelain veneers, but they can greatly improve the appearance of your teeth.

Your particular stains, Phillipa, are on the back of your teeth. Porcelain veneers only cover the front of your teeth so they won’t be helpful to you. However, teeth whitening could make a difference. But, make sure what is the true origin of your stains so you can prevent them.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Cosmetic Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Crowns Versus Veneers for Tetracycline Stains

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I have tetracycline stains and am finally in a position to get them fixed. I have a choice between two dentists. One is suggesting porcelain veneers and the other porcelain crowns. He said that added thickness is needed for the severity of the stains. He also wants to do top and bottom, while the other wants to just do the top and recommends whitening the bottom. I thought whitening didn’t work on tetracycline stains. Which of these treatments do you recommend?

Petra

Dear Petra,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

While teeth whitening will not make your teeth as beautiful as porcelain veneers, they can help a lot if you’re persistent. On the bottom arch, things don’t have to match the uppers perfectly, just get close to the color. I have found that KöR whitening does better with tetracycline stains than other brands. It’s pretty standard procedure to just whiten the teeth first and then just place veneers on the upper arch.

As for the porcelain veneers verses the crowns. I would definitely go with the dentist suggesting veneers. Those who suggest dental crowns often do so because they are uncomfortable with their cosmetic skill in porcelain veneers. His comment that you need the added thickness is incorrect and adds to my concern about his cosmetic skill.

Tetracycline stains are among the most difficult and advanced cosmetic procedures there are. Dentists have to manage the delicate balance of making the work opaque enough to cover the dark tetracycline stains, yet transparent enough to reflect light and look natural. In experienced cosmetic dentists think using crowns will help with this. It will not. All it serves to do is require removal of much more healthy tooth structure than is necessary. Porcelain veneers will do the best job for this in the hands of a skilled, artistic dentist.

It is worth it to you to find an expert cosmetic dentist, who has a lot of experience with tetracycline stains. In fact, I recommend that you ask to see before and after images of tetracycline stains that they’ve worked on.

I hope this helps you make a decision.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Cosmetic Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Will I Save Money with Premium Home Whitening?

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I was thinking of getting my teeth whitened with my dentist but after looking at some things online, it looks like I can do the same thing much cheaper with the over the counter stuff. One that I’m looking into is the Premium Home Whitening Kit. Would this be a useful kit for me to use?

Audrey

Dear Audrey,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I’m glad you wrote. First, the good news. They do use a valid whitening ingredient, which is 35% carbamide peroxide. It will whiten your teeth. There are two other concerns to consider before making your final decision.

First, the trays are a problem. When you have professional teeth whitening done, your dentist will do it with custom-fitted teeth whitening trays. The trays for these are not going to be specifically fit to your bite. That means that it will allow your whitening gel to leak out of the tray, which lessens the amount of whitening you will get. It will also allow your saliva to get in, which will weaken the gel that does get on their teeth.

This means you will need to purchase quite a few kits to do the same amount of whitening that just one treatment with your dentist will do for you. This is not likely to save you a lot of money.

A second factor is that when you are not under the care of a dentist during your teeth whitening treatment, you risk additional problems. There is a post on another blog about a woman who ended up needing a root canal treatment because of over the counter whitening. This was because she had a tooth that was having problems that was undiagnosed.

You will also want to have your teeth cleaned before you get your teeth whitening done. Otherwise the results will be splotchy.

My recommendation is to do it through your dentist. I’m saying this as someone who will not be the one treating you so I do not get anything out of it. I just want you to get the best care possible.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Is Using Tanda Pearl Whitening Better for TMJ Patients?

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I’ve read that the Tanda Pearl system only has to be worn for 5 minutes a day to whiten your teeth. My dentist is having me wear my trays for three hours a day and it is aggravating my TMJ. Would switching to the Tanda Pearl kit be better for me?

Mia

Dear Mia,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I’m glad you wrote. If your dentist is using professional strength teeth whitening, there is nothing magic about you wearing the trays for three hours. Because that is aggravating your TMJ Disorder, I would reduce the time you wear them. Really, you want a minimum of fifteen minutes for it to penetrate the enamel efficiently. The only thing wearing it longer than that does is whiten your teeth faster. Don’t torture yourself.

I would not recommend switching to Tanda Pearl, especially because you have TMJ Disorder. Their kit uses a single bite tray. You have to keep it in by clenching your teeth. Even for just five minutes, that will end up causing you significant problems. Though, I have serious doubts that their “ionic” technology makes their whitening work faster. They would make more money selling that technology to dentists than over-the-counter and they provide no documentation to back up their claims.

The other thing to be aware of with over-the-counter kits is that their trays will not be custom fitted to your bite the way professional teeth whitening will. That means that your saliva will leak into the trays, which weakens the whitening potency. Second, it also allows some of your whitening gel to leak out, which weakens its potency even further, as well as putting your gums at risk for sensitivity from the gel getting onto them. The reduced whitening also means you will have to purchase a LOT of kits to get the same level of whitening that you will with your dentist.

My advice is to stick with the professional kit you have already paid for but reduce the amount of time that you wear the trays to a time that does not aggravate your TMJ.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

I Hate the Way My Teeth Look

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I have never had much money to do anything. I have done nothing but work and pay my bills… barely. Now I am 52 and my smile is an embarrassment to me. I was recently gifted some money. I’m trying to figure out how to fix my smile. My teeth are very yellow and I have a lot of fillings. They are all those ugly silver fillings because I went to charity clinics. Is there a way to get my smile pretty?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

Porcelain veneer being held up to a tooth

I am glad you wrote. I do not know how much you are wanting to spend, but you have a range of options. First, if you want a complete smile makeover, you could get porcelain veneers. This is what celebrities use in order to get that Hollywood smile. It can change everything about your smile, including the shape, size, and color. The only downside is it is pricey. It’s worth it if you can afford it, though.

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

If that is out of your budget, do not despair. The only things you mentioned not liking about your smile are the fillings and the staining. There is an affordable way to improve both of these things. First, have teeth whitening done. Your dentist can provide you with custom fitted teeth whitening trays and professional strength gel. These can get your teeth as white as you would like. Simply whiten your teeth until you are pleased with the shade. Once that is done, give it a couple of weeks and then have any fillings replaced that you feel detract from your smile.

Your dentist can switch out your silver fillings with composite fillings. They are white and can be made to whiten your teeth. However, silver fillings are made mostly of mercury, a known toxin. You will want a dentist who knows how to remove them safely. I would look for a mercury-free dentist. They can perform what is known as a sanitary amalgam removal.

You will find whitening and replacing your fillings much lower in cost than veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Re-Touching Teeth Before Crowns

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I need to get a couple of crowns placed on front teeth, and wanted to touch up my teeth beforehand in order to get them as white as they used to be. Would I be better of with Zoom Whitening or tray whitening? If I did tray whitening, how long would I need to whiten? Would it be days or weeks? How many hours a day should I whiten? Do I need to wait for any period of time between the whitening and the dental crowns?

Brianna

Dear Brianna,

Patient under the Zoom Whitening Light

There are few hard and fast rules for what you are asking, though there are general principles. A lot of what you do depends on how white your want your teeth. Zoom whitening is strong but will give you less control on how white they get. If you are wanting a high level of teeth whitening, Zoom would be fine and do the job quickly. If you want more control, then using tray whitening will be a better way to go.

As for how many days, that will depend on how long each day you can tolerate wearing the trays. The longer you wear the trays, the more whitening you get out of it. If you can wear them overnight, that is ideal and you’ll whiten faster. If you have sensitive teeth and can only wear them for under an hour a day, then you will have to keep whitening for more days.

The one rule that is a bit more fixed is the time between when you stop whitening and when you get your dental crown. Your teeth will continue whitening for between one to two weeks. I would wait two weeks if you want to be absolutely certain that the bleach is done. Then, you can match your dental crown with more confidence.

I am a bit concerned that your dentist was not able to give you this information. Placing crowns on front teeth is more challenging than back teeth because they are so exposed to the light. If your dentist couldn’t advise you on teeth whitening, then he will not have the cosmetic knowledge and skill needed to match your front teeth. You may be better served finding an expert cosmetic dentist to provide those. If you decide against that, just make sure your dentist tries them in with a temporary try-in paste first and you get to look at them and approve them before they are permanently bonded on. If you don’t feel they match, he or she should send them back to the lab to make the needed changes.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Fixing Tetracycline Stains Without Porcelain Veneers or Crowns

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I have had tetracycline stains for many years. I am tired of being embarrassed by my smile. Unfortunately, my dentist said that the only solutions he knows that works with tetracycline stains are Lumineers and porcelain crowns. I cannot afford to have either of those procedures done on all of my teeth. Is there anything else I can do that will improve the look of my smile?

Alice

Dear Alice,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I am glad you wrote. While porcelain veneers are the ideal solution for tetracycline stains which produces the most beautiful result, there is a solution that will not cost you nearly as much as the procedures your dentist proposed. If you are persistent, you can make a big difference on the appearance of your teeth using teeth whitening. It will take some time, but it will work.

Don’t use Zoom Whitening or Laser Whitening, because it will require too many treatments. That won’t save you money at all. Instead, get the regular tray method of bleaching your teeth. The longer you can wear them each day, the faster you will get results. The ideal situation will be to wear them while you sleep, if you can tolerate that. Even then, it will likely require several months of bleaching. But, you will see a noticeable improvement.

A Word of Caution

Your dentist specifically recommended Lumineers. These are a brand of porcelain veneers that are highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. Many skilled cosmetic dentists avoid this brand because they require the dentist to use their lab. The lab owned by the Lumineers’ company is not known for its beautiful results. This, combined with the fact that he also suggested porcelain crowns, makes me think that he is not a skilled cosmetic dentist. Often, when dentists are not confident in doing porcelain veneers they will suggest porcelain crowns instead thinking it will be easier because they are thicker. It is not.

My suggestion is to start with the teeth whitening. You can save up for the porcelain veneers. However, when you do get them, make certain that you use an expert cosmetic dentist. Doing smile makeovers is not adequately taught in dental school. It is an advanced cosmetic procedure which requires post-doctoral training.

Doing them for tetracycline stains are even more challenging because they require the dentist to make the veneers opaque enough to cover the dark stains, but still look translucent and natural. It will be worth the wait to save up and get it done by someone who truly can give you a beautiful result.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.