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Solution for Crooked and Discolored Teeth

Posted on March 5, 2022 by writeradmin.

I want to improve my smile. I am dealing with discolored teeth, mostly because of my age, as well as some crooked teeth. Before I go looking into dentists I wanted to know what ALL my options are. I find I get more straight forward information if I seem to know what I am talking about.

Ahmed P.

Dear Ahmed,

Invisalign with teeth whitening gel

You have a couple of good options.

Option One: Invisalign and Teeth Whitening

If you are just looking to deal with the problems you mentioned, one option is to get Invisalign combined with teeth whitening. Invisalign uses clear aligners to straighten your teeth instead of the metal wires and brackets. Not only is the Invisalign much more comfortable, but it is also completely invisible (even at a conversational distance) and it works faster than traditional braces as well.

Because the aligners are fit to your bite, they can also double as teeth whitening trays. This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. All you have to do is ask your dentist to provide you with the gel and you can use it in your aligners just like you would with teeth whitening trays.

 

Option Two: Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneer being held up to a tooth

 

A second option you have is to have porcelain veneers made. This is a bit more pricey and is considered a complete smile makeover. It’s the go-to procedure for celebrities who want that Hollywood smile. While the whitening and Invisalign will straighten and whiten your teeth, porcelain veneers can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth.

In addition to the cost difference, one other thing to consider when deciding between your two options is the dentist. Just about any dentist can do teeth whitening and Invisalign. If you want porcelain veneers though, you need to be a bit choosier with who you use. This takes skills that are not taught in dental school so the dentist will have needed to have invested in post doctoral training. You will want to look at their smile gallery to see what type of results they get. If they do not have a smile gallery, they are not serious about cosmetic work. Look for someone else.

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

 

Filed Under: Teeth Whitening Tagged With: crooked teeth, discolored teeth, Invisalign, porcelain veneers, smile makeover, tooth bleaching

Two Sets of Teeth at the Same Time

Posted on April 5, 2021 by writeradmin.

I need some advice because I think our dentist is doing some damage to my daughter’s bite. Her baby teeth stubbornly did not seem to be coming loose. I approached our dentist about it and he said just to give it time that the adult teeth will be loosened. That didn’t happen and now she has two sets of teeth on a few of them. There are her baby teeth and her adult teeth coming in behind them. I’m not sure what to do.

CallieAnn

Dear CallieAnn,

Four smiling children

The first thing I am going to say is you need a new pediatric dentist. This one is going to practically guarantee your daughter needs orthodontics when she gets older. Not to mention the social trauma it will cause her to have baby teeth in front of her adult teeth when she smiles.

Now, once you are set up with a responsible dentist (the sooner the better), you will need to have her baby teeth extracted, at least the one which have adult teeth already pushing through. You didn’t mention your daughter’s age. There are age ranges in which some teeth should be coming out. Those which haven’t will also need to be removed.

What happens next will depend on the situation. I would have full panoramic x-rays done. to be certain there are not any congenitally missing teeth. If all her adult teeth are there and none of them are impacted, your dentist can open up the gums and hopefully that will be enough to cause them to break through and erupt. It’s possible they may need some assistance.

If there are congenitally missing teeth, the thing to do there is to procure an inexpensive temporary tooth replacement for her. I would suggest a dental flipper. Once her jaw is fully developed, you can get her a permanent replacement. The best replacement is a dental implant. It will give her the closest thing to a natural tooth.

If it turns out your daughter needs orthodontics, I would get Invisalign Teen, as long as she is responsible enough to wear them when she’s supposed to. The treatment aligners are invisible and because they are removable, she’ll be able to brush and floss easier, which will help the health of her teeth and gums during treatment.

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

 

Filed Under: Pediatric Dentist Tagged With: baby teeth not coming out, children's dentistry, congenitally missing teeth, dental implants, Invisalign, invisible braces, orthodontics., tooth replacement options

Zoom Whitening and Uneven Teeth

Posted on March 31, 2021 by writeradmin.

I’m wondering if our dentist did the Zoom Whitening wrong. Here’s the situation. When my daughter’s braces were removed, her teeth had an uneven color. Our dentist suggested we whiten them with Zoom because it is the strongest whitening. While her teeth are whiter, they’re still uneven and it actually makes it look worse. Did something go wrong with the procedure?

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

Patient under the Zoom Whitening Light

 

I’m sure the Zoom whitening procedure was done correctly. The steps are fairly straightforward. The problem your daughter is facing is that it was not the right procedure for her situation. Any type of teeth whitening procedures, including Zoom, whiten teeth evenly. It won’t selectively whiten some areas to match the others. So what is the right treatment for your daughter’s situation?

The white spots on your daughter’s teeth are decalcification spots. This is fairly common after traditional braces. It is quite hard to brush thoroughly around all those metal wires and brackets. When students don’t brush those areas well enough the decalcification spots show up. Essentially, they are pre-cavities so you don’t want to leave them.

You can try a special product called Tooth Mousse that can remineralize teeth in certain situations, but in most cases, this has to be treated with dental bonding. To do this, a dentist will gently remove the decalcified area and replace it with composite dental bonding. It does take some artistry and training to do this well. It is a more advanced procedure than teeth whitening.

Because of this, I am going to recommend you use a different dentist for this particular procedure. Teeth whitening is the easiest cosmetic procedure there is and your dentist was confused about its principles. I don’t think there is much chance they will be able to do the bonding well.

For the benefit of other parents reading this, one way to avoid this situation is to get Invisalign instead of traditional braces. They’re removable, so it is easier to brush thoroughly. However, because they’re removable it does require your teeth to be responsible. If you don’t think they’ll wear them the correct amount of time or will lose them, then I’d stick with the braces.

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

 

Filed Under: Zoom Whitening Tagged With: braces, dental bonding, Invisalign, teeth whitening, white spots on teeth

Thumb Sucking

Posted on December 14, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have always sucked my thumb. Now I’m 14 and my teeth look funny. Is there something I can do to fix them? Also, sometimes I wake up finding my thumb in my mouth. Will anything stop that?

Danielle

Dear Danielle,

Girl with Braces

I’m sorry you are having to deal with this on your own, but it shows how mature you are that you are reaching out for help. I am curious why your family dentist hasn’t helped you though. He should have at least pointed out the misalignment and given some advice.

Let’s start with what could help you stop sucking your thumb. It is normal to find yourself reverting back to an old habit when you are asleep. The good news is there is something inexpensive which can help; a liquid you can purchase called Thum. It can be painted on your thumb. It’s clear but tastes very bitter. Every time you inadvertently place your thumb in your mouth, the bitterness will make you take it out. Without breaking this habit, any repairs that are done will be very temporary. I would ask your parents to get it for you.

The best way to deal with the misalignment is to have orthodontics done. You have two choices with that. The first is traditional braces. The second is Invisalign. I usually only suggest Invisalign to very responsible teenagers, because they are removable. You want to be the type of patient who will keep them in the length of time necessary as well as not lose them. I think you are responsible enough to do that.

Talk to your parents about these options. Also, let them know I don’t feel you are being serviced well by your family dentist. It may be time to look for another one who is more invested in his patients.

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

Filed Under: Family Dentist Tagged With: children's dentistry, Invisalign, orthodontics for teens, thumb sucking

Do I Need to Have My Child’s Tooth Pulled?

Posted on June 29, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have a ten-year-old who has an adult tooth coming in but the baby tooth doesn’t seem to want to budge. I can see the adult tooth coming in a bit in front of the baby tooth. Do I just leave it or do I need to have the baby tooth pulled? If it has to be pulled, how painful is that? I grew up terrified of the dentist because of a painful experience and I don’t want the same thing for my son.

Katherine

Dear Katherine,

little boy smiling with a tooth brush in his hand

I can tell you care about your son a great deal and are trying to do the best for him all around. You are wise to recognize that bad experiences at the dentist can permanently taint how someone visualizes getting their teeth cared for. This is one of the reasons we ask parents to start bringing their children to the dentist early. Too many parents wait until there is an obvious problem with a child’s tooth. Then, their first experience with the dentist is a painful dental emergency. For the remainder of their lives, they will associate the dentist with pain.

As for your son’s tooth, once the adult tooth is starting to poke out in a different direction, it is time to have the baby tooth extracted. Without that, your son’s adult teeth will come in misaligned and then you’ll be paying for orthodontics down the line.

Extracting baby teeth is significantly simpler than it is for adult teeth because adult teeth have a much more well-built root system.

However, if you’re worried about him having a bad experience, some nitrous oxide will help relax him. Most pediatric dentists will also put a numbing gel on the gum before giving the shot. Those two things together should help. I can’t guarantee that there will be a pain-free shot. Much of that depends on the skill of the dentist who is giving the shot. Some dentists have a knack for giving shots children never even notice. Others are terrible at it.

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

Filed Under: Pediatric Dentist Tagged With: adult tooth eruption, baby teeth, dental emergency, Invisalign, orthodontics.

How Do I Help My 5 Year Old

Posted on April 22, 2020 by writeradmin.

My 5-year-old daughter is dealing with massive decay. I don’t know how to help her because she doesn’t cooperate with a dentist whenever there is more work needed than just a cleaning. At the moment, she has four back molars that need work. Two of them have mild decay, and two of them have pretty extensive decay. I have three questions. First, what is causing her to develop this much decay if we brush her teeth every day? Second, how do you get an uncooperative child to safely have their teeth worked on? Finally, what kind of treatment will she need?

Catherine

Dear Catherine,

Mother father son and daughter with the children riding piggy back.

I can tell you care about your daughter a great deal. We’ll start with your first question. In general, for decay to get that bad it would require almost constant snacking or drinking of juices and sodas. Is it possible your daughter drinks a lot of juice or snacks throughout the day? When we eat, our saliva is very instrumental in preventing decay. It contains bacteria-fighting minerals. However, it needs time to work. If she doesn’t have a few hours between meals, then the saliva doesn’t have a chance to do its job and the bacteria from the sugars in our food and drink will eat away at the teeth.

The first thing I would do is limit her snacks. If she goes a few hours without eating, I promise it won’t kill her. She’ll be fine. She may be grumpy for a few days, but her body will adjust. You’ll likely find her more willing to eat at mealtime too!

Dealing with Dental Anxiety In Children

Even some adults struggle with having dental work done, so don’t be too hard on your daughter in this aspect. She’ll need a compassionate pediatric dentist (or family dentist if you prefer to go that route). However, you also want one who offers a couple of levels of dental sedation. Usually, a dentist who offers sedation will be compassionate and is used to working with patients that have anxiety, but you never know, so check their reviews to see how patients (or patient’s parents) felt about them.

With children, it’s always preferable to do the lowest level of sedation possible, though both are safe. The reason it is better to start with the lowest has more to do with how high maintenance her care will be to you afterward.

I’d start with nitrous oxide. This is sometimes dubbed laughing gas. It won’t make her goofy, but it will completely relax her. Most children sleep through their procedures when using it. Once the work is done, her dentist will simply switch the gas to oxygen and in a few moments she’ll be completely back to normal.

For some patients, their anxiety is just too high. If you find that is your daughter’s experience, your next level of sedation is oral conscious sedation. This is so strong that she’ll be loopy for likely the remainder of the day. She’ll also be unsteady on her feet, so help her to the bathroom when she needs to go. Ideally, she’ll sleep it off or just have a Netflix binge.

As for what procedures she’ll need, it varies. For the small decay, a simple white composite filling will suffice. The other teeth, with extensive decay is a different story. Ideally, you want to preserve her back teeth for as long as possible so if you can get away with a dental crown, that is best. If not, and the tooth has to be extracted, make sure your dentist places a space maintainer. Otherwise her other teeth will shift into the open areas which will lead to crowding. Then, when she’s older she’ll be pretty much guaranteed to need braces or Invisalign.

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

Filed Under: Pediatric Dentist Tagged With: children's dentistry, decay in children, Dental anxiety, dental fear, family dentist, Invisalign, laughing gas, nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, orthodontist, Sedation Dentist, Sleep dentistry, snacking and tooth decay

Blacklisted by the Best Dentist

Posted on October 29, 2019 by writeradmin.

I went to a highly sought after cosmetic dentist about my smile makeover. I have some spaces between my teeth and they all need whitening, plus one tooth is chipped. I was very excited of the possiblity of having a smile I was proud of again, especially because all my friends have already been to see him and have gorgeous smiles. They’re all a tad wealthier than I am so I should have known this would be too good to be true for me. I went in for my consultation and we talked about what I wanted my smile to look at. When they gave me the plan and estimate it was significantly more than I could afford. I asked about alternative plans and they basically said, if I don’t like their plan, they’d prefer I find a different dentist to do my smile. I walked out humiliated. Now what do I do?

Karyn

Dear Karyn,

woman giving a thumbs up in the dental chair

The best dentists find options for their patients.

The first thing I want you to do is take a deep breath. He may have been the most sought after cosmetic dentist in your area, but that doesn’t mean he was the only one who can give you a smile you are proud of. In fact, based on the issues you mentioned were important to you to fix, there are a few alternatives I can think of.

With some dentists, it is their way or the highway. I don’t consider these the best dentists. In fact, the best dentists will work with their patients to find alternatives which work for them.

A Mini Smile Makeover

My guess is he planned on doing porcelain veneers, which in your case isn’t imperative. For the spacing issues, you could do Invisalign. This uses clear aligners to straighten your teeth. Adults no longer have to wear ugly metal wires and brackets. These aligners are invisible even at a conversational distance.

Additionally, you can have your dentist provide you with some teeth whitening gel. Your Invisalign aligners can also double as teeth whitening trays, This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at a fraction of the price.

As for your chipped tooth, after your teeth are whitened, you can have dental bonding applied to your chipped tooth. This is a composite resin that is hand sculpted to fill in the missing structure. The reason I say after the whitening is because the composite resin can be made to match any tooth color but, once it is completed, will not whiten. The color is permanent. You need to have your teeth the color you want the bonding to be when it is made.

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

Filed Under: Best Dentist Tagged With: alternatives to porcelain veneers, Chipped teeth, dental bonding, Invisalign, invisible braces, porcelain veneers, Smile Makeovers, teeth whitening

Missing Lateral Incisors

Posted on September 14, 2019 by writeradmin.

I am 16 years old and still have my baby teeth for two lateral incisors. They look pretty weird next to the rest of my teeth. I was looking at something online and learned about dental implants. Would it work if I pulled out my baby teeth and replaced them with the dental implants? About how much would that cost? I want to do all the research before I take the idea to my parents.

Kaylee

Dear Kaylee,

Diagram of a three dental implants: Left: Three components of the dental implant, including the root form, abutment, and the crown (hovering on top); 2: The root form in the bone with the abutment and crown hovering over it; 3: All components of the implant are in place with the root form in the bone.

Dental implant

I love that you are trying to take the initiative and do all the research before approaching your parents with this issue. It shows real maturity. While you still have your baby lateral incisors, that doesn’t necessarily mean there are not any adult teeth available. It may be that they are impacted. An orthodontist can help them erupt in their proper position with some type of braces. There are even invisible braces these days.

If there are no adult teeth waiting in the wings, then it is means they are congenitally missing. This would be the time to start looking for tooth replacement options.

Dental Implants and Teenagers

While you are obviously very mature, your jaw still needs time to develop. This takes time. Because of that, dental implants aren’t a good option for you…yet.

They are the best tooth replacement option. Because of the prosthetic root, it is like having a natural tooth. Additionally, the root protects you from any bone loss. When your jaw has completed growing, that will be the time to invest in the implants. This will usually be in your 20s.

In the meantime, if you have the baby teeth extracted, that leaves you without a couple of teeth. My suggestion would be to get temporary replacements. Dental flippers are not very costly and will serve you well until you are old enough for a permanent replacement.

I’m a little concerned your dentist hasn’t already addressed this issue. It’s a big deal and important. Show your parents this post and let them know I don’t think you’re being served well by your current dentist and think you need to find a different one.

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

Filed Under: Dental Implants Tagged With: congenitally missing teeth, dental flipper, Invisalign, invisible braces, orthodontist, tooth extraction, tooth replacement options

Fastest Way to Improve My Smile

Posted on May 11, 2019 by writeradmin.

I have a 30-year class reunion coming up. What is a great way for me to improve my smile quickly? My teeth, like the rest of me, are beginning to show my age. While I can’t get cosmetic surgery, I am thinking there is something I can do with my smile. What are your recommendations?

Catherine

Dear Catherine,

Head-and-shoulders photo of brunette woman with long hair smiling and looking over her right shoulder, for information on porcelain veneers from Hoffman Estates cosmetic dentist Dr. William Becker.

You have a couple of great options. I don’t know specifically what you want to improve about your teeth, but I’ll give some general ideas.

If they are otherwise in good condition but have just developed stains, the most affordable solution which can make a dramatic difference is to get them whitened. That alone will make you look years younger. You can do it slowly (and by that I mean over a period of a few weeks) with traditional teeth whitening. If you want it done sooner than that, you can have it done in one appointment with a dentist who offers Zoom Whitening.

The great thing about whitening your teeth is you don’t need to go to a cosmetic dentist. Any family dentist can do that.

If your teeth need some orthodontic work, Invisalign is a wonderful treatment for adults. It works in half the time as traditional braces. Plus, it’s invisible even at a conversational distance. Plus, they have the additional benefit of the Invisalign aligners being able to double as teeth whitening trays which allows you to do both procedures simultaneously.

When You Want the Top of the Line Smile Makeover

There is a procedure which can change just about anything you want with your smile. Porcelain veneers are what give you a “celebrity smile”. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth all at once. You will need an excellent cosmetic dentist for this. It can’t be done by your average family dentist.

Check out their smile galleries, to see what type of results they have gotten in other cases they’ve done. This has a higher price tag, but when done well, the results are absolutely stunning.

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

Filed Under: Hoffman Estates Dentist Tagged With: Hoffman Estates Cosmetic Dentist, Imporving smile quickly, Invisalign, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, zoom whitening

No Room for Dental Implants?

Posted on December 8, 2018 by writeradmin.

Many years ago, in my teens, I lost a tooth. It was toward the back of my mouth so my parents decided not to replace it because of the cost. I’m not a regular dental patient and recently lost another tooth right next to the first one. I think it’s time to replace them, but the dentist I went to said there’s not enough room for two dental implants and I should just get a dental bridge. The thing is, even though I’m not the best patient, I don’t want to lose more tooth structure. He said he’d have to crown two other teeth. Is there another alternative? Also, how could there not be room? There were two teeth there before.

Casey

Dear Casey,

dental implant diagram

Dental Implant Diagram

When teeth are removed or fall out on their own, the teeth in the adjacent area will begin to shift into the empty space if a replacement isn’t put there to keep the teeth in proper position and alignment. As yours has been missing for several years, that’s plenty of time for shifting and likely the reason why there’s no longer enough room for two dental implants.

However, that doesn’t mean you have to have a dental bridge. It sounds like your dentist isn’t comfortable placing dental implants and is trying to steer you toward the procedure he is more used to doing. Apathy in our work is never great, especially when your field is in healthcare. Keeping up is imperative.

Getting Dental Implants with Shifted Teeth

There are a couple of good options for you if you are serious about getting dental implants. The first is orthotontics. You wouldn’t necessarily have to get metal braces. I think Invisalign would suffice quite well. No one would know you’re wearing them and the treatment will likely be very quick. In fact, you are almost certainly a candidate for Invisalign express.

Another option would be to have two dental crowns placed on a single implant. There will be room for one prosthetic and it’s not too hard to do a double crown.

Who Should Place Your Dental Implants?

Because your case is a little trickier, it is even more important that you use a dentist who’s invested a lot of time in post-doctoral training in dental implants. Take a peek at the training Dr. Becker sought after graduate school to get an idea of which schools are reputable for this type of training.

  • Dr. Peter Dawson Advanced Dental Seminars
  • Seattle Institute for Advanced Dental Education in State-of-the-Art Esthetics
  • Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education

Best of luck to you.

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

Filed Under: Dental Implants Tagged With: dental bridge, dental crowns, Expert Implant Dentists, Finding an implant dentist, Hoffman Estates Dental Implants, Hoffman Estates Dentist, Invisalign, shifting teeth

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