dental bonding Archives | Poplar Crossing Dental

Can’t Floss After Receding Gum Treatment

Posted on October 25, 2023 by writeradmin.

I need some advice. My gums have been receding and it has caused there to be little holes between my teeth. I asked my dentist about it and he suggested we treat them with dental bonding. I was excited about that and went forward. I do not know what is normal for this. The bonding look like there are little white bits of hardened paste stuck in the holes. It doesn’t match the rest of the teeth. That is a bit embarrassing, but the thing that worries me is that I can only floss those teeth up to where the bonding is. I can’t actually get all the way down to the gums the way I used to be able to. Is this normal for this type of treatment?

Carol

Dear Carol,

I want to differeniate between a cosmetic repair and a treatment. Placing dental bonding does not do anything about the cause of the receding gums. It is important to know why the gums are receding. If the gums are receding because of periodontal disease, it is important that you get actual treatment, and not just a cosmetic repair or you will end up losing your teeth.

When it comes to a cosmetic repair, dental bonding can be a good way to do that. However, it takes an expert cosmetic dentist with a significant amount of post-doctoral training to do it correctly. Above is an example of those “holes”, called black triangles in dental circles, being repaired with dental bonding. This does not sound like what your repair looked like.

The fact that the cosmetic bonding does not match your teeth tells me your dentist does not understand color theory and is not skilled in esthetics. The fact that you cannot floss past the dental bonding tells me that your dentist is lacking technical knowledge that is imperative for this type of procedure.

If you cannot floss down into the gums it means you have a food trap which will accumlate plaque and bacteria. This will lead to gum disease and is a threat to your oral health. My suggestion is you ask for a refund from this dentist and get the bonding removed and replaced by a dentist who has the cosmetic skills to do it.

Bear in mind, if the receding gums are from gum disease, then you need to have that treated. This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Treating Enamel Hypoplasia

Posted on August 7, 2023 by writeradmin.

I have enamel hypoplasia and I’m tired of people judging me off of my smile. I can’t change people, so I’m going to do the best I can to fix this. Is there a standard fix for it?

Andy

Dear Andy,

It’s true that people often judge us by our smiles. It’s sometimes unfair because there are some conditions people just can’t help. The good news is there is a great treatment option for you.

For those who are unaware of what enamel hypoplasia is, I’ll explain. It is a defect in the tooth enamel where it does not fully form. Sometimes this is the result of a genetic defect and other times, it is because of illness during tooth formation.

The treatment depends on the type of hypoplasia you are dealing with. When it comes to mild hypoplasia, the easiest solution would be to have dental bonding done. This is where the dentist will use microabrasion to remove the affected area and fill it in with a composite bonding material. If all you want to do is fix the hypoplasia, this is the route I’d go.

If, however, you have severe hypoplasia or you want to do a complete smile makeover then I would suggest you have porcelain veneers placed.

These tiny wafers of porcelain can not only cover the damage to your teeth but can also completely remake your smile, including the shape, size, and color. This is what people sometimes call the Hollywood smile makeover because so many celebrities get it to improve their smile.

While more expensive than the bonding, it last many more years. Both of the procedures need to be done by a cosmetic dentist who has experience and artistry. I would look at their smile gallery to see what type of results they provide. If a dentist does not have a smile gallery that means they do not do enough cosmetic dentistry to produce beautiful results. I would move on and look for someone else.

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

Will Teeth Whitening Fix My White Spots

Posted on September 30, 2022 by writeradmin.

Hi, Can you help me? I have the white spots on my teeth that have been there for years and they really bother me. My dentist keeps saying my teeth are healthy and I shouldn’t try to fix what is broken. But, I don’t want to leave these spots any more. She said we can try teeth whitening, but the way she said that I don’t feel like she knows if it will work. I don’t want to spend money unnecessarily. Do you happen to know if teeth whitening will fix this?

Carol

Dear Carol,

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I am definitely glad you wrote. Teeth whitening will not help in this situation. The way teeth whitening works is it will whiten your teeth evenly. This will make the white spots more obvious, not less.

The real solution to this is dental bonding. However, you need to have it done by someone with experience in cosmetic dentistry. Your dentist isn’t qualified to do this. She is a general dentist with an engineering mindset. This is an advanced procedure. You want to make sure whoever you go to does beautiful cosmetic work.

One way to evaluate this is to look at their smile gallery. If they don’t have a smile gallery, they are not a cosmetic dentist. If they do, look for procedures with dental bonding. It should look completely natural and blend. If it doesn’t, move on to someone else. You can have a beautiful, even white smile.

One thing teeth whitening can do is get your teeth the color you want them if you are unhappy with the current color of your teeth. However, if you choose to do this, make sure you do it before you have the bonding done. The color of bonding cannot be changed after it is completed.

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

Can Crest Whitestrips Cause a Need for a Root Canal Treatment?

Posted on July 8, 2022 by writeradmin.

I have been using Crest Whitestrips. It was going fine, but then I started having some tooth pain. I went to my dentist and he gave me a cold test that I failed. He feels I need a root canal treatment. He also said I have a cavity which is making me wonder if that could be the cause of needing the root canal treatment. Either way, I have stopped whitening and now I need to get this extra work done. To be honest, the whitestrips weren’t helping that much anyway. I still have the brown spots on my teeth that I was hoping they would fix.

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey,

So, it is probably a combination of both of those issues. If your tooth was weak from decalcification, which is a precursor to decay, the whitening strips could have entered through that area and led to affecting the pulp of your tooth. A cold test is definitely an indication of needing a root canal treatment. However, the white strips have such a weak ingredient that I would be surprised if that is what caused the need for your root canal, though anything is possible.

There is a reason the Crest Whitestrips were not working on your brown spots and it is not just because of how weak their whitening ingredient is. It’s because teeth whitening will whiten teeth evenly, so it would actually make the brown spots more evident, even if you had professional teeth whitening done.

The solution to brown spots on your teeth, depending on the amount and depth of color will either be dental bonding for small spots, or porcelain veneers for more severe discoloration, such as you’d get with tetracycline stains.

Get your root canal treatment done, then go to a cosmetic dentist for a consultation on your brown spots.

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

Dental Bonding for Children

Posted on June 16, 2022 by writeradmin.

My daughter had a nasty fall that took out a chunk of her two front teeth. I took her to the pediatric dentist we normally go to and he suggested that it be filled with dental bonding. We agreed, trusting he knew what he was doing. Unfortunately, that did not pan out. The bonding looks lumpy and her two front teeth are now uneven. I wondered if this can be fixed. She is absolutely devastated. She is about to start sixth grade at a new school and does not want to look like this.

Kelli

Dear Kelli,

It can be fixed, but with dental bonding that mostly means having it re-done. I’m sorry your daughter is facing this. She’s at a tender age for her self-image, so you want this to be done right. While I am sure your dentist had the best of intentions, dental bonding is quite an advanced cosmetic procedure because it has to be done freehand. Not many dentists have the skills to do this because it requires post-doctoral training. In addition to the ability to sculpt the bonding, it requires materials and tints that most general and pediatric dentists don’t have.

What you really need is a dentist who is skilled in cosmetic work, and specifically in dental bonding. Because of your daughter’s age, most dentists should be willing to work with her. It does not have to be a pediatric dentist. As long as she is able to sit still she should do just fine.

One thing I would do before committing to a dentist is to look at their smile gallery to make certain they can produce beautiful results. If they don’t have a smile gallery, they are not serious about cosmetic dentistry. You’ll also want to make sure that the before and after images are actually of work the dentist has done himself and not just stock photos.

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

Tetracycline Stains and no Money for Porcelain Veneers

Posted on October 4, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have tetracycline stains. Years ago, I invested in dental bonding to make them look better. They were massively expensive and, while my teeth looked better, I always thought given the price I should have liked them more. The bonding is now stained and chipping. I know it needs to be replaced but I can’t afford that or porcelain veneers, which I now know would have been the better treatment. Is there any other option for me, like teeth whitening, that can at least brighten the teeth?

Carol

Dear Carol,

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I am very glad you wrote. There are a few things going on here. If you had dental bonding to cover all of your tooth structure, then that would have cost at least (and very likely more) than porcelain veneers. This is because bonding has to be done freehand and is very time-consuming. Unfortunately, as you’ve discovered, even though the cost was high for you, dental bonding does not last nearly as long as porcelain veneers. I wish your dentist would have told you this. To make matters worse for you, he didn’t even give you a beautiful result.

For those who don’t know, tetracycline stains develop when a child is given the tetracycline medication while their teeth are still forming. They are dark and extraordinarily difficult to deal with. See the image directly below.

Tetracycline Stained Teeth

If you can’t afford porcelain veneers, it is possible to make a difference with teeth whitening, with some caveats. First, teeth whitening does NOT work on dental bonding. It will only whiten natural tooth structure. That means the first thing you’ll need to determine is how your dentist approached your dental bonding procedure.

If your dentist placed your bonding over intact enamel, you will need to have your dentist gently remove the bonding from the tooth with sandpaper disks. He needs to be careful to leave the enamel intact. Once the bonding material is removed, your dentist will need to set you up with some teeth whitening trays, such as the ones pictured at the top of this post. You will also need the strongest whitening gel available that you can tolerate to use with the trays. If you are persistent enough and wear them for several months your teeth will get lighter. They will not be as white and bright as they would with porcelain veneers, but it will be a definite improvement.
Unfortunately, if your dentist removed your enamel, there is no way to whiten your teeth as a solution. The only thing to do is start saving up for porcelain veneers. In the meantime, you could have someone even out the bonding and polish it up a bit.

One word of warning if you can do the teeth whitening. You will want to do the tray only. Don’t let your dentist talk you into anything like Zoom Whitening or Laser Whitening. Yes, they are stronger than the trays, but the number of procedures you would have to do to get the results you want would not be cost-effective. It will be much more affordable to do it with the trays.

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

Brown Spots on Teeth

Posted on September 11, 2021 by writeradmin.

I’ve had some brown spots on my two front teeth since my adult teeth came in. They say it had something to do with a fever when I was younger. I don’t really care what happened, but I wanted to get a beautiful smile. My dentist and I started with over-the-counter teeth whitening, but that didn’t work. It makes the area around the spots whiter, which makes the spots look darker. She is now discussing grinding the brown spots until they’re gone but doesn’t know how much she’ll need to remove. Before I do something so drastic, do you think professional teeth whitening would work? I know it is stronger.

Lacey

Dear Lacey,

Porcelain Veneers

First, I want you to know that you can have a beautiful smile, but it will not be with this dentist. I want you to stop letting her experiment on your teeth. She can do irreparable damage. In your situation, professional teeth whitening will not be a good solution. Teeth whitening works on your teeth evenly. The results will be similar to what you saw with your over-the-counter tries. It will make the brown spots more obvious.

What you need is to find a cosmetic dentist with experience in microabrasion and dental bonding. Don’t let your current dentist do this. She may have good intentions, but teeth whitening is hands down the simplest cosmetic procedure and she doesn’t understand the principles behind it. What you need is so much more advanced than that, I recommend you find a different dentist.

Look for dentists who have a smile gallery. Then look for some before and after dental bonding images. If you love what you see in the results, call the office to make certain those are the dentist’s own work and not just stock photos. If it is you should be good to go.

Another option is to have porcelain veneers placed on your two front teeth. If a dentist tries to suggest you’ll have to do more teeth to get them to match, move on. He or she doesn’t have the skill you need.

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

Pain with Teeth Whitening

Posted on August 15, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have been whitening my teeth for a few weeks using an over-the-counter kit. Everything was going just fine, then recently, I started getting this sting of pain. It is a zap that hurts for a few seconds and then goes away. I noticed that it is always the spot where I have some dental bonding done for a chipped tooth. Is it possible the teeth whitening is breaking the bonding seal and that is why I am having the pain? If so, what do I do? If not, can you think of what can be the cause of my problem?

Angie

Dear Angie,

Teeth whitening is not known to cause any weakining of dental bonding, so I don’t think that is the cause. When bonding is weakened then the repair would just fall off. The more likely issue is that there is a weak, exposed spot where the dental bonding is.

My suggestion is you schedule an appointment with your dentist. He or she can analyze the area and touch up any exposed area with some more bonding. Until then, you can temporarily stop your teeth whitening. Using an over the counter whitening can be okay, depending on what kit you are using, but it is always better to whiten under the care of a dentist.

I am not saying this as someone trying to drum up business, especially because you have a dentist already. It is to protect you. There have been reported cases of someone needing a root canal treatment because of Crest Whitestrips and it is not even a very strong whitening. You don’t want to need an emergency dental appointment because of cheap teeth whitening.

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

Root Canal as a Result of Teeth Whitening

Posted on July 3, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have a tooth that has given me problems for a while after an accident. It was pushed back a bit and an oral surgeon repaired it. It’s been a bit darker than my other teeth and I wanted to do something about that. He suggested I use Crest Whitestrips, which I did. A few days after I started, that tooth began to hurt every time I whitened. I stopped whitening thinking I just needed to give the tooth a break and then pick it back up later. That didn’t help either. Now the tooth is sensitive to hot and cold even though I haven’t used the product for a week. I went back to see my dentist and he suggested I need a root canal treatment. I asked him to make sure and had him run some tests. It turns out he was right and I do need a root canal treatment. Have you heard of this happening with teeth whitening before?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

To be honest, I have only heard of one other case where a root canal treatment resulted from using Crest Whitestrips. The case was very similar to yours. Both times it surprised me because Crest Whitestrips are very mild. However, your tooth was already traumatized so maybe this just threw it over the edge. I am glad you are getting the root canal treatment you needed. It is no fun being in pain.

I will say that teeth whitening was not the right solution for your situation. Even if Crest Whitestrips were stronger this would not change the color disparity. When you whiten your teeth, the bleach works across all the teeth evenly. This means the darker tooth would still be darker.

Instead, you would have needed either dental bonding or a porcelain veneer to be placed on the traumatized tooth. I would not let your current dentist do it, though. Teeth whitening is the simplest cosmetic dentistry procedure there is. If he did not understand the basic tenents of getting that to work, then he certainly cannot do an advanced cosmetic procedure, such as porcelain veneers.

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

Lumineers for a Chipped Tooth

Posted on May 12, 2021 by writeradmin.

I fell on the ice at the skating rink and chipped one of my front teeth. I wanted to get it repaired because it was embarrassing. When I went to my dentist, he suggested Lumineers. the price is pretty high and he said he’d need to do two of them to make sure the front teeth match. I’m not sure I can afford that. Are there any other options?

Vera

Dear Vera,

Absolutely! What your dentist is suggesting is not only an overtreatment, but it is not likely to turn out okay if he or she does it. Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers that are highly marketed to inexperienced dentists as being easy to place. They may be simpler to place, but getting them to look beautiful is still just as challenging if not more.

The standard procedure for a chipped tooth is to have dental bonding done. This uses composite bonding and rebuilds the area that was lost. Like porcelain veneers, it is a very advanced procedure. It takes an artistic cosmetic dentist to be able to do this well. Based on what I have heard from you, I don’t think your dentist has the skills to do this well. It was especially concerning to me that he needed to do two of them in order to get the teeth to match. A true cosmetic dentist can make a single porcelain veneer match the adjacent tooth. When they need to make two teeth together it is a particularly bad sign.

My suggestion is you find a different dentist and have them do dental bonding. Two words of caution here. First, check that they have post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry. Dental school does not teach those procedures so they have to invest time and money in learning it after dental school. They should list their training on their website, either on the page where they talk about the procedure, their dentist bio, or both. Then, once you’ve found someone with the training, look at their smile gallery. You want to be certain it is a dentist that obtains beautiful results with their work. If you look at their smile gallery and aren’t thrilled with what you are seeing, move on to a different dentist.

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