teeth whitening Archives | Poplar Crossing Dental

Re-Touching Teeth Before Crowns

Posted on November 14, 2024 by writeradmin.

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.

What Is the Solution to Brown Spots on My Teeth?

Posted on June 1, 2024 by writeradmin.

I had a fever when I was younger that left me with embarrassing brown spots on my teeth. My dentist decided to try teeth whitening to help it. We tried every over the counter whitening in the store, none of which worked. I’m wondering if I should go to someplace that offers Zoom Whitening. Would that work any better?

Stacey

Dear Stacey,

I think your dentist means well but does not understand cosmetic dentistry. I’m sure she is an excellent general dentist, however, you are going to have to go somewhere else to get the right treatment.

Unfortunately, teeth whitening will not be the solution. Even the most powerful professional teeth whitening will not help. The reason for this is that while it will whiten your teeth, it will do so evenly. That means the non-spotted portions of your teeth whiten as well, actually making the brown spots more obvious. This is a basic tenant of teeth whitening.

There are two good ways to deal with these brown spots: dental bonding and porcelain veneers. It is important that you don’t have your general dentist do this. Teeth whitening is the easiest of the cosmetic procedures and he or she had a fundamental misunderstanding of how that worked. The two procedures I’m suggesting as possibilities are both very advanced. You would need a dentist who has invested in significant post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry to do either one of these well.

Which you get depends on your goals and how big the spots are. If the only thing that bothers you about the appearance of your teeth is the spots and they are small, dental bonding is a sufficient solution. This will require some mild abrasives on the spots and then your dentist will bond some composite on top of the spots to blend that portion of your teeth in completely naturally with the remainder of your tooth structure. This is less expensive but doesn’t last as long, which means it will have to be redone every few years.

If the spots are bigger or there are other things about your smile you want to change, then porcelain veneers are the way to go. These are what the celebrities use to get those Hollywood smiles. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth. These use tiny wafers of porcelain that cover the entire front of your teeth. When well cared for can last many years.

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

Will Dental Insurance Cover My Daughter’s Splotchy Teeth?

Posted on May 7, 2024 by writeradmin.

After we took off my daughter’s braces, there are two tones on some of her teeth, which gives them a splotchy look. Will dental insurance cover this repair? If so, is teeth whitening the way to fix it or does she need something else?

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

When there is a splotchy look on teeth after braces it usually means that they had a hard time (or neglected) really getting their toothbrush around all the wires and brackets of the braces. The whiter spots on her teeth are decalcification spots. Those are precursors to decay.

Teeth whitening will not be the solution to this. When you bleach teeth, the teeth are evenly whitened. This has the opposite affect and actually makes the difference between the two colors more noticeable.

The best solution to this is to have some microabrasion done, which gently removes the decalcification, followed by dental bonding, which will get the tooth back to a uniform look and protect the area. This is an advanced procedure that has to be done freehand. I would only allow a dentist who is serious about cosmetic dentistry do it. The repair has to blend in seamlessly with the remainder of the tooth. The picture above shows how dental bonding can be used to repair a chipped tooth.

Will Dental Insurance Cover Dental Bonding?

Because, in your daughter’s case, there was damage to the enamel, your insurance should be obligated to use benefits for this. However, don’t expect your insurance to pay for it outright. The most you will probably get is a portion of the procedure covered. Also, insurance will only care about functionality, not how beautiful the result is.

Don’t try to find the cheapest dentist in order to save money on this. Neither you nor your daughter will like the results. Find the dentist who creates beautiful results. After all that money spent on braces, you will both want a smile she can be proud of.

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

Should I Finish My Full-Mouth Reconstruction?

Posted on January 4, 2024 by writeradmin.

I had a problem with grinding my teeth. I did not realize it was a problem until I switched to a new dentist. She showed me how much tooth structure I had lost and asked if I’d been having any jawpain or headache. I had and she explained that having my bite so far off could be leading to TMJ disorder. Her suggestion was that we crown the teeth that have been ground down. I went ahead with that and not sure I want to finish. My jaw is not hurting as much as it used to. I was really emotional about how perfect the bottom teeth were. I miss the quirky nature of my original smile. Can I just stick with my upper teeth as they are? I am a bit embarrassed that the upper teeth will be darker than the bottom teeth, but maybe I can whiten those. Yet, that causes problems of its own because I used zoom once and my teeth were super sensitive. Help!

Stacey

Dear Stacey,

A smile makeover should last for years.

While you can just stop with your bottom teeth, I want to make sure you understand all the things that come with that. First, your dentist likely designed your full-mouth reconstruction to include both arches. Doing just one, limits its effectiveness. However, the thing that worries me most is the impact on your upper teeth. The ceramics on the bottom teeth will be tougher on your upper teeth than natural tooth structure. If they are already damaged from grinding, this will damage them further and could acerbate your TMJ Disorder issues.

Your main concern seems to be the appearance of the bottom teeth being too perfect. If you are seeing a great cosmetic dentist the teeth can include that quirkiness you are missing. In fact, most cosmetic dentists would jump at the chance to do something other than a Hollywood smile! Communication with your dentist is key.

If you still do not want to complete the upper arch, that is totally within your right and your dentist should respect that. You’ll be more comfortable with your smile if you do go ahead with teeth whitening. Zoom is a pretty strong way of doing that. If you had sensitivity last time, I would go with a different option. There are plenty of take home, yet professional strength, options that are more gentle but will still give you a white smile.

Hopefully, your dentist has already done this but if you’re not wearing a night guard, you really need to. It will protect your teeth from your grinding.

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

Dental Bonding Already Staining

Posted on May 8, 2023 by writeradmin.

I had my dental bonding done just two and a half weeks ago and it is already picking up stains. I have been drinking coffee, but my dentist never told me not to. Could this be what is staining my teeth? I was hoping my smile makeover would last longer than this. Is there any way to get it white again? Maybe teeth whitening?

Carmen

Dear Carmen,

I am curious as to why your dentist decided to do dental bonding for your smile makeover instead of porcelain veneers. In general, dental bonding is used for smaller restorations, such as chipped teeth or tooth gaps. If you want a complete smile makeover, porcelain veneers are the standard procedure. While it is a bit more expensive it lasts years longer.

Even though dental bonding doesn’t last very long, it should not be staining yet. There are a variety of composite bonding materials. Some are better for aesthetic procedures. Some are better for basic maintenance. It sounds like your dentist is your basic bread and butter dentist who does not stock the higher value composites needed for detailed cosmetic work.

I’m just guessing here, but it sounds like your dentist used a lower quality material that couldn’t be polished to a high shine. Another possibility here is he didn’t take the time or didn’t have the polishing equipment to be able to give it the high shine necessary to protect it from stains.

Your dentist either needs to use a Microfill or nanofill composite in order to get it up to the shine you need to protect it. I suggest you go back to your dentist and show him this post and request that he do this to repair the bonding. If he cannot, he should refund your money so you can get it done by someone who can.

Teeth whitening will not work to remove the stains. It will only whiten natural tooth structure. The only repair is either the one I just mentioned or to have the makeover completely redone.

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

How Much Dental Work Can Be Done in One Appointment?

Posted on April 17, 2023 by writeradmin.

I want to catch up on my dental work and am hoping to get as much done as possible at my appointment. I have 5 root canals that need to be done, 3 fillings, and I’d like to whiten my teeth. Can you tell me how much of this can be done at once?

Barbara

Dear Barbara,

The amount of work done at each appointment will vary from dentist to dentist. You will find that a dentist who offers dental sedation will be able to get more done at each appointment (and be more willing to). If you don’t want sedation then much of it will depend on your ability to tolerate the treatment.

Any general dentist can do teeth whitening, so that is no big deal. Your root canal treatments can be done in one appointment if they are on front teeth. Back teeth take much longer, especially for a general dentist. Those will take a general dentist between one and a half and two hours per molar. However, an endodontist (root canal specialist) can work much faster. The fillings could also be done in one appointment, as well.

As I mentioned in the beginning, much of this will depend on the dentist and their preferred work flow. If you don’t have a regular dentist, I would start with a sedation dentist so you can squeeze as much in as possible. Then, just call around and ask them about timing.

If your teeth need root canals because of an active infection, then you don’t want to put this off. These infections spread and can become life-threatening. In those cases, I would let them know and they can schedule you during one of their urgent care appointments, if they provide those.

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

Zoom Whitening on Blood Thinners

Posted on February 25, 2023 by writeradmin.

This may be a very silly question, but I would rather be safe than sorry. I am on blood thinners and have been for quite some time. This started after my heart attack. I’m in good health now but still have to take the blood thinners. That being said, I am tired of having old looking stained teeth. I don’t smoke, so I’m surprised they look this dark. I do brush twice a day. I have been toying with the idea of Zoom Whitening because it allows me to get my teeth whitened quickly. However, I didn’t know if being on blood thinners made this a dangerous procedure for me.

James A.

Dear James,

Zoom allows you to get your teeth whitened quickly!

That is not a silly question at all! In fact, any question regarding your health or well-being is important. You are much better off asking a question about potential risks than if you were to be in the procedure and then find out the dangers to your unique situation.

The good news is that you will be relieved on a couple of counts here. First, the stained, dark color of your teeth is probably not your fault. You brush twice a day, as you are supposed to, but as we age the accumulation of stains from foods we eat and beverages we drink add up. It was inevitable.

Zoom whitening is a great choice for you. The procedure is non-invasive, so you do not have to worry about any sharp implements that could catch on your gums and cause some uncontrolled bleeding.

One word of caution. This is all assuming that you are keeping up with your dental check ups and have good oral health, which would mean no periodontal disease. When a patient has gum disease, it means that their gums will bleed much more easily. That would not be a good thing in your situation.

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

Will Medicaid Cover Porcelain Veneers?

Posted on February 1, 2023 by writeradmin.

Ever since my cancer treatments, my teeth have been an absolute mess and I am ashamed to smile. I want to get porcelain veneers, but they are pretty pricey. I’m on Medicaid, which tells you about how much I earn. Is it possible that Medicaid would cover the porcelain veneers because my problem is medical?

Megan

Dear Megan,

I am so sorry for all you have been through. Cancer does a number on every part of your body, including your teeth. They are basically poisoning you in order to cure you. Unfortunately, Medicaid does not care about the reason your teeth have deteriorated. The big problem with government funded health care is that they will only cover the cheapest option. In their mind, it would be cheaper to remove your teeth and give you dentures than to try and save your teeth as well as make them beautiful with porcelain veneers. I would not recommend their solution. In fact, completely removable dentures cause more problems than they solve.

The first thing I would do is ask your dentist for some fluoride treatments to try to heal some of the damage done. He or she should be willing to do that given your situation. Then, evaluate the situation with any decay. Once the decay is dealt with it is time to get a pretty smile back.

If you really want porcelain veneers, I would save up for them so you can have them done by an excellent cosmetic dentist. In the meantime, teeth whitening is the most affordable way to improve your smile quickly. That alone can make you look years younger. Just make sure you have used that fluoride and your teeth are no longer dealing with the sensitivity that likely developed throughout your cancer treatments.

I wish that government healthcare were better and that they factored in situations such as yours. Unfortunately, they are all about the bottom line.

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

Why Are My Teeth Crowding If I Had My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Posted on January 7, 2023 by writeradmin.

Years ago, when I was a young pup, I was told if I had my wisdom teeth out that I would never need braces because there would be plenty of room for my teeth. Fast forward an intentionally unspecified number of years and I find my teeth getting crowded and crooked. My dentist suggested orthodontics. Why would I need those if I had my wisdom teeth out? Did I do something to cause this? Is there an alternative to a mouth full of metal?

Cassie

Dear Cassie,

Our teeth are not permanently positioned. So, movement is possible even as an adult. Here are some issues adults face:

One big culprit for adults is bruxism or teeth grinding. You may not even realize you are doing it because most people do it at night while they are sleeping. Your dentist could tell you if there are signs of wear on your teeth which would be an indicator. If you do grind your teeth, you will want to wear a night guard to protect them. Otherwise, you can grind them down to nubs and the repair for that is tens of thousands of dollars.
Tooth loss is another issue adults can face. If you do not replace the lost tooth, even if it is in the back, the other teeth will shift or tip into the empty space. Depending on the direction the tooth goes this can cause crowding toward the front.
Another possibility is poorly done dental work. If you have a dental crown placed that doesn’t fit the way it should it could shift the other teeth to make room for it.
Sometimes an injury or trauma to your teeth or jaw can impact the placement of your teeth.
Gum disease is another culprit. When gum disease is left untreated, then you end up losing some bone structure which loosens teeth and causes them to shift or even fall out. Smokers may not even realize they have gum disease because the nicotine in cigarettes masks the most common symptoms.

Invisalign – The Braces Alternative

My suggestion is you get evaluated by a dentist who offers Invisalign. Instead of the metal wires and brackets that nobody wants to wear, Invisalign uses clear aligners that gently guide your teeth back into their proper alignment. These not only work faster than braces, but they are invisible to others even at a conversational distance.

There is a hidden benefit too, which is especially helpful to those of us in an undisclosed age range. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time, essentially giving you a mini smile makeover.

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

Dental Care and Addiction Recovery

Posted on July 14, 2021 by writeradmin.

I am on a methadone treatment plan for addiction recovery. I need a lot of work on my teeth. The problem I have is in getting dentists to care about any pain, especially post-operative pain I’m in. It has made it almost impossible for me to go to the dentist to get significant work done. But, the situation will only get worse if I don’t do something. Even offering my clinic number and asking them to speak with both my counselor and doctor has not done anything to sway my dentist. What do I do?

Randy

Dear Randy,

First, let me say it is awesome that you are working on your addiction. That is huge and your life will be much better for it in the long run. I know it feels excruciating right now, but in a few years you will be glad you did it. As for your treatment issues, what you are bumping up against is fear. Dentists have a fear of the D.E.A. which can completely crush their practice. What you need is a dentist who has more compassion than fear. I would start by looking for a sedation dentist. They tend to have more of an empathy for patients in your situation. There will be some real side benefits to this for you as well.

First, when you have had painful experiences at the dentist it tends to up your dental anxiety which inversely affect the effectiveness of the local anesthetic you get. This makes the appointment even more painful. The only way to break the cycle is to reduce the anxiety. Dental sedation will do this for you.

Second, if you get something like oral conscious sedation, it will allow the dentist to get more work done at each sitting. This will get you caught up on your needed dental work much faster.

I’m going to suggest when all this is done that you give yourself some kind of treat to improve your smile even more, such as teeth whitening. It is the least expensive cosmetic treatment and gives you real bang for your buck, making you look years younger.

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