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Problems After Veneers and Crowns

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I had ten porcelain veneers and two crowns placed. The crowns were placed on either side of the veneers, which were all on my upper arch. The temporaries seemed to fit fine, but when the permanent ones were placed, I was having trouble with them. It suddenly felt like my tongue was too big for my mouth, my bite was hurting whenever I bit down, and I was having trouble speaking. My dentist finally agreed to work on that after I complained enough. He thought the four front veneers were the big problem. When he was removing those, he actually broke the veneer and damaged the tooth on tooth #9 when he was trying to pop it off. Now that tooth needs a dental implant. He’s placed it and said that I need three months to let that heal before I can get the crown. He’s blaming the problem on the lab making the dental crowns too short. I’ve got temporaries for the veneers that were removed, except for the one that is a dental implant now. He made the new veneers shorter, but they are hitting my lip now. Is the problem the temporaries or the dentist? Should I ask him to change the veneers again or the crown, or should I find a different dentist?

Sandra

Dear Sandra,

Woman in pain from TMJ

I am so sorry this happened to you. It sounds like you are seeing a dentist who is in over his head. The molars being made too short will definitely explain the problems you are having. However, I don’t like that he is blaming the lab for this. It is the dentist who gives instructions to the lab, not the other way around. Plus, when the permanent ones came in he should have checked it with a temporary try-in paste to make sure everything is right.

Another HUGE issue is the fact that he damaged your tooth. You don’t “pop” off porcelain veneers. You carefully grind them off so that you do not damage the tooth. When they are properly bonded on, they are like having a second enamel on your tooth. There is not other way to get them off than by grinding. This is a big deal. He damaged a healthy tooth to the extent that you lost it.

It also does not sound like he is planning on fixing the dental crowns. This is another big deal. If these are too small it will throw off your bite and could lead to TMJ Disorder.

Don’t let this dentist touch your teeth any more. He’s destroying your bite and causing you to lose healthy teeth. I want you to see a dentist who has some TMJ training, so they can get your bite back in to the correct placement. While there is not such a thing as a TMJ specialist, dental school is not enough for this. You want a dentist who has invested in significant post-doctoral training.

Look for someone who has attended at least one of these institutions: The Pankey Institute, The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, or The Dawson Academy.

Your current dentist has violated the standard of care more than once.
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.

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.

Can I Match My Natural Teeth to My Porcelain Veneers

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Can you help me even up my smile? I had four porcelain veneers done. They’re much nicer than my natural teeth. The only problem that I am having is that my regular teeth show when I smile. Next to the porcelain veneers, they look even worse. And, if I’m honest, it kind of gives it away that I’ve got something fake going on with those four teeth. Is there a way to bleach my natural teeth to match my porcelain veneers?  How will I know when to stop? Will the bleaching damage the porcelain veneers?

Millie

Dear Millie,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I am puzzled why your dentist did not address this and keep you from all of this trouble. Standard operating procedure, when it comes to porcelain veneers, is to have the patient whiten their teeth first, before getting porcelain veneers. This is because most smiles are eight to ten teeth wide. You want to ensure that all the teeth which are visible when you smile blend in with the veneers.

It is much simpler to match your porcelain veneers to the white color you ended up with than it is to whiten after your porcelain veneers are done. This is because teeth continue whitening for at least a week after you stop using the bleach. Because of that you will not get an exact match.

While the teeth whitening will not have any whitening effect on your porcelain veneers, you can have your dentist build you a custom tray that will go around your veneers and only touch your natural tooth structure.

I’m glad you are pleased with the veneers that were crafted for you. Given, your dentist’s rookie mistake with the teeth whitening, you are fortunate to have not ended up with one of the cosmetic dentistry horror stories we sometimes hear about when a patient’s smile ends up worse than it was before they paid for their smile makeover.

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

A Broken Porcealin Veneer

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I had about ten porcelain veneers done several years ago. This week, one of them broke off. I was able to save the pieces. My dentist had me come in and used a temporary try in paste to put it on. It doesn’t feel great and looks funny because it is in two pieces. They want me to come in to have a crown placed on that tooth in about two weeks. I told them I didn’t want to wait that long, but they said it was not a dental emergency and it isn’t a problem to wait. I have a couple of concerns. First, do I have to get a dental crown? Could I not just replace the porcelain veneer?  Second, do I have to wait that long to get it fixed?

Maya

Dear Maya,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth.

I have good news for you on both counts. First, do not get a dental crown. There is no reason to grind down healthy tooth structure. It is much better to replace the porcelain veneer. It is best if all the dental bonding material is removed first. While that is not completely necessary, it is useful. As long as the surface is properly treated, that is all that matters. However, I would not push your dentist into doing it. When a dentist suggests a porcelain crown over a porcelain veneer unnecessarily, it usually means that they are not comfortable creating the porcelain veneers because they do not have the adequate training and artistic skill. You do not have to go to the same dentist to have this redone.

Secondly, you do not have to wait the amount of time that your dentist is suggesting. He’s putting you off. While it may not be your typical dental emergency, it is an esthetic emergency and dentists who do a lot of cosmetic dentistry understand that and make time in their schedule for such things. As I’m suggesting you see someone else anyway, do a search for some skilled cosmetic dentists in your area and see if they are willing to get you in sooner. Just make certain to look at their smile gallery in order to be certain they do beautiful work. If they don’t have a smile gallery on their website, they are not a skilled cosmetic dentist.

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

White Spots on Teeth

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Since my adult teeth came in, the bottom half of my two front teeth have been very white. I’ve kind of liked how they made me look in pictures, but when I am in person my teeth do not look like they match. Is there a way to get them all the same color that doesn’t require Lumineers? That is what my dentist is suggesting, but it is incredibly expensive. I was hoping there was a way to whiten the the rest of my teeth to match those two front teeth. Is that possible?

Erin

Dear Erin,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

Yes, it is possible to whiten the remainder of your teeth and leave these two alone. It will take an expert cosmetic dentist to supervise this, though. He or she will need to cut the area where your front teeth are away from the whitening trays. Your dentist’s suggestion of Lumineers makes me think they may not have the expertise. This is a brand of porcelain veneers that is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists.

There are two types of white spots on teeth. The first, is just there from the time the teeth came in. This seems to be what you have and is not an issue. The second is decalcification of your teeth and is actually a precursor to tooth decay. We see this a lot with people who have their braces removed. It is often tricky to get the teeth adequately cleaned with all those metal wires and brackets, so we see this decalcification when people finish their orthodontics.

Those can be fixed with some dental bonding, but again, it would require an expert cosmetic dentist. It is an advanced procedure that has to be done freehand.

Your teeth whitening plan is a good one.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Invisalign and Teeth Whitening Before Porcelain Veneers

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I am getting porcelain veneers, or let’s say that I want to get porcelain veneers. However, my dentist is suggesting Lumineers, which he says are better, but before I do that my dentist wants me to also get teeth whitening and Invisalign. I am confused about this because I thought the porcelain veneers would make my teeth look whiter themselves and even make crooked teeth look straight. My teeth aren’t that crooked. It’s mostly a small gap between my front two teeth as well as a canine tooth that is a little crooked. Is it really necessary to do all three procedures?

Karyn

Dear Karyn,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

It is fairly common to do teeth whitening before having porcelain veneers done. While you are correct that the porcelain veneers will make your teeth look whiter, very few people will get porcelain veneers on all their visible teeth. If you get your teeth whitenined first, it helps those teeth that will not have veneers on them to blend in more naturally.

The Invisalign is a different story. Based on what you described, a skilled cosmetic dentist would be able to make those teeth look straight and deal with your small tooth gap. One thing to be aware of is that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. That means any dentist can do it regardless of the amount of cosmetic training they actually have. It is possible that your dentist is not extraordinarily skilled and does not feel capable of making your teeth look straight.

The fact that your dentist is suggesting Lumineers, as well as how he described them, also makes me think he is not very skilled. Lumineers are not better than porcelain veneers. It is simply a brand of porcelain veneers. One of the problems with this brand is that it is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. However, porcelain veneers are an advanced procedure that really requires significant post-doctoral training as well as some artistic ability on the part of the dentist.

I would do two things. First, ask your dentist where he did his post-doctoral training in cosmetic work. Second, look at his smile gallery to make sure you like the results he gets. If he does not have a smile gallery on his website, then he is does not do a lot of cosmetic dentistry. The biggest factor that determines the outcome of your smile makeover, will be the skill of the dentist.

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

The Secret to Really White Teeth

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I ran across your blog when looking up information about Lumineers. I’ve been trying everything to get my teeth really white. I use nite white gel in take home trays, but cannot seem to get my teeth as white as I want them to get. I asked my dentist and they suggested I get some whitening toothpaste to keep them white as things go along. However, a friend of mine told me you should never wear use over-the-counter whitening toothpaste. Now I am not sure what else to do. Is there some secret to getting really white teeth? Can Lumineers get them as white as I want?

Carol

Dear Carol,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

 

I am going to suggest that you do not get Lumineers. These are a brand of porcelain veneers that are highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. However, these dentists do not tend to get the best results. Additionally, the Lumineers company insists that dentists use their company’s laboratory. The truth is not many expert cosmetic dentists find that their lab gives beautiful results. They tend to come out a bit chalky and / or bulky.

If you are looking for a complete smile makeover, then you can get still get one, but I would go with a different brand of porcelain veneers. Though considerably more expensive than teeth whitening, porcelain veneers can change the shape, size and color of your teeth. However, if you are only interested in getting whiter teeth, you will save money by sticking it out with teeth whitening.

If you don’t mind being persistant, you can get your teeth really white with teeth whitening, it just takes time. You may want to see if your dentist is using a strong dose of the whitening gel. You can usually get a 33% whitening strength with professional tooth whitening gel. Some gels are a little less than that though.

Your friend was right about the over-the-counter whitening toothpaste. These contain abrasives that do remove stains, but they also etch the teeth slightly which, in turn, causes them to pick up more stains at an even faster rate. The only whitening toothpaste that I recommend is Supersmile Toothpaste. This uses a safe protein pelicle to remove the surface stains of your teeth. It is safe and effective, even on dental work.

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

Teeth Whitening with Lemons

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I want to get my teeth whitened but I live in a small town where there are no cosmetic dentists, just general dentists. As a result, I have been looking online for some solutions. One website said I could whiten my teeth with lemons. That is something I do have access to. What would be the best approach for this? Do I just rub them on my teeth? This site used essential oils, but I don’t have those. I do have plenty of lemons themselves, though.

Caroline

Dear Caroline,

Lemons

 

I have bad news and good news for you. First, lets get the bad news over with. You will not want to use lemons to whiten your teeth. The same is true for the essential oils this site was recommending. They contain citrus acid. This will etch the teeth giving it the appearance of whiter teeth at first, but then the etching will quickly begin to pick up stains making your teeth darker than when you first started. The best way to whiten your teeth is through a dentist using professional teeth whitening. It will thoroughly whiten them while keeping your teeth and gums safe and healthy.

Now for the good news. A general dentist can do teeth whitening. In fact, there really is not a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. Every cosmetic dentist is just a general dentist who has an interest in esthetic procedures. While some cosmetic procedures, such as porcelain veneers require extensive post-doctoral training to learn how to do them correctly, that is not the case with teeth whitening. Just about any general dentist could do it for you. I recommend calling around and seeing who offers it in your town. I’m fairly confident you will be able to find someone.

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

 

Crowns For White Teeth??

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I have one crown that needs replacing and two porcelain veneers. My dentist is suggesting that we crown all of my teeth because they are not very white. I’m a little concerned about that. It is pretty pricey and I’m worried that I will now always have to have crowns on those teeth. Replacing them will probably be a regular thing. This crown that needs replacing is only four years old. I cannot afford to do this so often. I don’t want to be ungrateful for him trying to improve my smile, but this feels like overkill.

Meredith

Dear Meredith,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

 

I do not want you to allow this dentist anywhere near your teeth. Please listen to me. You are not wrong in thinking that this is overkill. Do you know what the best solution for a stained smile is? Teeth whitening. That will only cost you a few hundred dollars. What your dentist is suggesting is called a full-mouth reconstruction and it will cost upwards of $30,000.

That is not the worst part, though. A full-mouth reconstruction is one of the most advanced procedures there is. When done incorrectly, it could throw off your bite so severely that you have a lifetime of pain without additional reconstruction. Your dentist does not appear qualified. His dental crown has only lasted four years. The bare minimum should be five years. Most dentists construct crowns that last years longer than that.

My suggestion is that you find a dentist who does teeth whitening. Get the whitening done, then replace the dental crown. Be aware that the porcelain veneers you have will not whiten along with the teeth so you may need to replace them to get a match depending on how white you are going.

That brings me to another point. Even if you did want a complete smile makeover, crowns would not be the right solution. Porcelain veneers are the standard procedure. They do not grind down your teeth the way crowns do.

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