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Can veneers fix a tooth gap?

I have a gap between my two front teeth that has always bothered me. Can I get porcelain veneers to fix it?

Lori Ann W. – Wyoming

Lori Ann,

While you can get porcelain veneers to fix it, that is a pricey way to go…unless, there were other things you wanted to fix about your smile. Porcelain veneers can fix the shape, size, and color of your teeth.  If you’re interested in a smile makeover, then porcelain veneers are an excellent choice and can give you a stunning smile.  Though, it will be imortant to go to a highly skilled, artistic cosmetic dentist.

If you just want to fix the tooth gap, my suggestion would be to use dental bonding. It’s a much more affordable treatment and will look just like your natural teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Can bulimics get smile makeovers?

I’m bulimic. I’m getting a little better about it, but to be honest, I still purge sometimes. My teeth are in bad shape. I was wondering if it’s possible for me to get a smile makeover with porcelain veneers or if I damaged my teeth too much?

Olivia B. – Minnesotta

Olivia,

Congratulations on working on your bulimia. I know it is a hard road. Because Dr. Malone has worked with pageant contestants, he understands the difficulty of your situation.

One thing to  be aware of is that while you’re still struggling with your eating disorder, it will continue to damage your teeth, even teeth that are cosmetically restored.

Depending on the condition of your teeth, it can still be possible to get porcelain veneers. Go see a great cosmetic dentist. Look for someone who is AACD (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry) accredited.  You will get a much more attractive smile that way.

Good luck with your treatment.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Why won’t my dentist do lumineers?

I want to get a smile makeover. My general dentist is also highly praised as a cosmetic dentist so I was pretty sure I’d get what I want. But, when I told him I wanted lumineers, he wasn’t too keen and said he’d prefer to do something else.

Jennine G. – Brooklyn, NY

Jennine,

Your dentist is just trying to give you the best new smile possible.  If he’s highly praised as a cosmetic dentist, then it is likely he knows that Lumineers are the best quality porcelain veneer you can get.

One of the biggest problems with them is the lab.  Lumineers are owned by the Den Mat corporation, which insists that dentists use their lab. Unfortunately, their lab is pretty sub-par in creating gorgeous veneers.

Most expert cosmetic dentists have a lab they prefer working with and they don’t want to be tied down to an inferior lab.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Why doesn’t my CEREC crown match?

I’ve had crowns placed before and they’ve always matched my teeth.  My new dentist uses something called CEREC crowns. When he placed it, it doesn’t match. Is that an issue with CEREC crowns.  He said it’s made of porcelain. Is that why it’s much whiter than my other teeth?

Sammie M. – Dayton, OH

Sammie,

It’s not that you’ve got a CEREC crown that is causing it not to match. It’s more that your dentist didn’t match them.  Porcelain can be made to any color your dentist needed, so the material isn’t the problem either.

You have a few options. One is to leave it as is. But, if you wanted that you wouldn’t have been writing me in the first place.  The next is to have the rest of your teeth whitened to match the whiter CEREC crown. The problem with that will be your toher crowns.  Teeth whitening only works on natural teeth, so your crowns will not whiten.  You would have to have them re-done to match your new crown as well.

Your final option is to see if your dentist would be willing to re-do the crown to better match your current natural color.

I realize none of these options are that great. It’s important that when it comes to any type of cosmetics you go to a dentist who not only has the technical skill, but an artistic eye to match your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

The Invisalign Weight Loss Program

I recently received a message from a patient that I thought I’d pass on:

I just thought you’ d want to let your patients know that Invisalign is a great way to lose weight.  I’m a compulsive snacker.  Because I’ve had to wear my invisalign aligners, I’ve only eaten at mealtimes.  I couldn’t believe it, but I’ve lost 25 pounds without even trying.  It’s been awesome and I got to buy new clothes. I’ve loved my invisalign treatment, but I’ve been thrilled that it gave me a new body in addition to a new smile.

Thank you! Thank you!

Now, we can heartily recommend Invisalign as way to straighten your teeth, without anyone being aware.  They’re also more comfortable than traditional braces.  But, apparently now, if you’re a snacker, it could also be a way to ease you into new habits and new clothes.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Whitening crowns

Can I whiten a dental crown if it is old? My crown is turning beige.  So are my teeth for that matter.  I know I can whiten them, I was just wondering about the crown.

Beatrice N.  – Pennsylvania

Beatri ce,

A dental  crown, or any other dental restoration, cannot be whitened. Only natural tooth structure is whitened. That doesn’t mean you can’t have white teeth.

What it will mean is doing professional teeth whitening and then getting a new crown. Make sure you go to a dentist that does an all porcelain crown. It will be much more beautiful than a porcelain fused to metal crown.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA  Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

 

Beware of bad cosmetic dentists

I recently read a story on a cosmetic dentistry blog, of a woman who spent a small fortune to get her smile made over, only to end up with an average looking smile.  Here is the picture she sent.

bad-makeoverI don’t have the before picture, so we don’t know what the teeth looked like befre.  It’s not a horrible smile, but it’s not great either.  The teeth are off center and the color is drab.  When you’re paying for a smile makeover, you want something better.

Compare that with a makever that Dr. Malone did with porcelain veneers. Here we have both before and after pictures.

anne-smile-before
Before
After
After

There isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry.  Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist.  But, as you can tell in the difference in the quality of work between the unnamed dentist at the top of this page and Dr. Malone’s directly above, there is a huge difference between calling yourself a cosmetic dentist and actually doing gorgeous work.

One way to assure you’ll get quality work is to use a dentist who has reached accreditation level with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

This blog is brought to you by Lousiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. MIke Malone.

 

Persistent Pain with CEREC crown

I got a CEREC crown on a molar. I’ve had horrible pain ever since, whenever I bite down on anything. My dentist blames it on the way I chew. He said I have a cow chewing effect and that is the cause.  I’m wondering how that is possible if it didn’t hurt before.

Mika B. – Denver, CO

Mika,

I’m with you. I see no reason why you would suddenly start chewing like a cow. My suspicion is your dentist is just not quite up to snuff on this procedure.

CEREC crowns are milled by a computer, so they’re usually easier to place. That being said, there are two things that can go wrong.

  1. It is placed too high. If that happens, whenever you bite down, that tooth is higher than the others. That would cause sensitivity whenever you bite down.
  2. A second possibility is that the underlying tooth is infected. It’s possible something was missed.

Because I’m not sure your dentist is handling this well, I would get a second opinion from an endodontist.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Can a 12 year old use invisalign?

I have a daughter that recently turned twelve. She has all her permanent teeth. Is it possible for her to get invisalign?

Sara  L. – Pennsylvania

Sara,

It may be physically possible for your daughter to use Invisalign at twelve, depending on her specific case. However, I want to caution you about a couple of things.  There are some great advantages of invisalign over traditional braces.  One of the biggest for teens is the ease of oral hygiene. Many teens have a lot of trouble getting their teeth clean enough with all those metal and wires.  Even those who had never previously had cavities, often end up with decay problems with braces.  Because Invisalign is removable, it makes it ideal for keeping their teeth clean easily.

That advantage is also a problem. They’re removable. It is a rare twelve year old who will not lose their aligners. You also have to consider compliance.  She’ll have to keep the aligners in for 22 hours out of the day for the treatment to be effective.

If you think she can handle that responsibility, then Invisalign may work for her.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

What’s the real difference between a pediatric dentist and a regular dentist?

There is a pediatric dentist in my town, but he is pretty pricey. Plus, I find his personality a little too abrasive for my taste.  Is there really a significant difference between a regular dentist and a pediatric dentist?

Emily J. – Montana

Emily,

A pediatric dentist does two extra years of dental training that are specific to children.  Therefore, some parents choose to go to a specialist because the added training gives them peace of mind.  However, many parents have found that there child was more receptive at their regular family dentist.

A general dentist is qualified to treat children.  The advantages are the dentist treats the whole family, which gives him some insight into the dental genetics of your family and can keep an eye out for issues that are unique to your family.

If any treatment issues arise that require a specialist, your family dentist could easily give you a referral to someone else as needed.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.