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Blacklisted by the Best Dentist

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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.

Missing Lateral Incisors

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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.

Fastest Way to Improve My Smile

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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.

No Room for Dental Implants?

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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.