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Uncategorized

CEREC crowns caused a tooth infection

I got a CEREC crown and now, a few months later, I have a massive tooth infection on the tooth under the crown. I feel like the crown caused the infection. Have you noticed this to be common with CEREC crowns?

Alonso G. – New Mexico

Alonso,

No, that isn’t an issue with your crown. It is more likely a dentist issue. There are a few possibilities going on. With the first, your dentist didn’t remove all of the infection to begin with. It’s possible he thought the infecion was dealt with, but there was some left. If the  infection isn’t dug out of there, it will continue to spread.

Another option is your tooth developed new decay. That can happen a couple of ways.  There is a learning curve with CEREC crowns. Some dentists are more skilled than others. It’s possible your dentist left some gaps in the margins or there were some other issues  with his bonding that left your tooth vulnerable to decay.

It’s also possible that you’ve had a harder time with your oral hygiene. It isn’t easy getting crowns all the way clean and flossing is more of a challenge than it used to be.

You’ll need to have your dentist look at this right away and make sure he gets all the infection. When completed, you might want to make sure there are no gaps anywhere, in case the problem is your dentist.

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

Invisalign

Travel and Invisalign

I have an opportunity to leave the country for a month and a half in France. I’m about 4 weeks into my invisalign treatment. What do I do if I’m supposed to go to my dentist’s every two weeks for new aligners?

Mary Anne K. – Richmond, Va

Mary Anne,

It’s perfectly fine for you to travel as long as your Invisalign treatment is proceeding normally. Your dentist can simply provide you with the number of aligners you’ll need while you’re away.  Be sure he or she  clearly labels the order your aligners should be worn.

If you find you run into difficulty while you’re away contact your dentist and he can give you further instructions.

I’ll try not to be jealous of your trip.

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

Porcelain Veneers

A Tale of Two Dentist

IT was the best of makeovers, it was the worst of makeovers.  My dearest friend and I got our smiles redone. We live in different cities and so we use different dentists. However, we get together twic a year for two weeks each time. I was quite looking forward to our next meeting, becuase we’d get to show off our smiles to one another. I loved my new smile and ahave been enjoying flashing it around quite a bit. We were going to hit the town with our hot pearly whites. You can imagine my dismay when my friend’s smile ended up looking quite eratz. She could tell by my face I was unimpressed was hers. Plus, mine was so much more brilliant in its color scheme and looked much more natural.  Does she have options?

Cyrienne L. – St. Louis

Cyrienne,

I’m sorry for your friend’s experience. Unfortunately, it is not an uncommon one. There is a lot more to cosmetic dentistry than just learning how to bond on porcelain veneers. Not only is the technical training important, there is a significant amount of artistic training that is necessary too. Some of that can’t be taught. Everyone is different in their level of artistry and what kind of eye they have for aesthetics.

Your dentist obviously had the training and artistry. Your friend’s, unfortunately, appears not to have.  It’s quite difficult to get a refund on cosmetic work. That “ethical” standard is they have to be functionable. Well, you can be functionable and horribly ugly.  My suggestion is you have your friend get a second opinion regarding her porcelain veneers, preferably from someone who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).

Sometimes dentists will be more willing to give a refund if their professional reputation is on the line with another successful dentist in their area.

This is important. If she gets her refund and she decides to have a new smile makeover, it is imperative she chooses the right dentist this time.  Ideally, you’ll want AACD accreditation–even if you have to drive to another city for the work to be done well. Let me know if you have trouble finding one in your area and I’ll help.

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

CEREC, Uncategorized

Dentist only does CEREC crowns

My dentist recently got a cerec machine and says he’s only doing cerec crowns now. I’ve always had traditional crowns and really want to stick with the same thing. What do I do?

Kate O. – Oregon

Kate,

What you would do is tell your dentist how you feel. There is nothing that says you HAVE  to have a CEREC  crown. I’m sure the situation is more that your dentist has invested all this money on the CEREC machine and he wants to get the most out of it.  He can do the same types of crowns in one appointment.

If he was able to do the traditional crowns before, he is now.  However, it is his practice and he ultimately decides what procedures he wants to do at his office.  However, you get to decide what to do with your body. So, you might be better served with a different dentist.

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

Invisalign

Can I drink coffee with Invisalign?

I want to get invisalign, but I’m an avid coffee drinker. Will I have to give it up during treatment?

Jane F. – New Mexico

Jane,

You can drink coffee during your treatment, but not while your invisalign aligners are in your mouth. There are a couple of reasons for this:

1. The heat of the coffee extremely likely to warp your aligners. This will damage your treatment plan.

2. The coffee will pool in the aligner. With the acidic (and sometimes sugary) nature of the beverage, that will cause the disintegration of your aligners.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t partake of coffee at all. In fact, you take your aligners out with every meal. That is three times a day right there that you can drink a cup of coffee.

Plus, Invisalign works much faster than traditional braces, so you’ll be back to drinking as many cups of coffee as you ‘d like in no time.

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

Porcelain Veneers

Can I look like Cameron Diaz?

I have always loved Cameron Diaz’s smile. Is there a way porcelain veneers can make me look like her?

Ariana M. – St. Louis

Ariana,

What porcelain veneers can do is make your teeth look like hers. Everyone has a different shape to their mouth and teeth, and Cameron’s are defintely unique.

The most important thing you can do is find the best cosmetic dentist possible.  You may not be aware that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. That means that any general dentist can say they are a cosmetic dentist regardless of who little training they have in the area.

It takes a lot of technical skill, which almost anyone can develop. Equally important, however, is an artistic eye. That is not something that is easy to develop.

Your best bet is to get a dentist that is AACD accredited. They are among the top 1-3% of cosmetic dentists in the country. They’ll be able to work with whatever shape your face is to help your smile look like any celebrity you wish, including Cameron Diaz.

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

Uncategorized

CEREC crown keeps falling out

I got a cerec crown for the first time. It has fallen out twice. Is this something that is common with these types of crowns?

Alai K. – Brownsville, TX

Alai,

No, the problem is an issue with the crown. In fact, CEREC crowns are generally more accurately milled because they are done with a computer. The problem is with whatever bonding process your dentist is using.

I’ll be honest with you, most dentists go their entire career without having even one crown fall out. The fact that yours did twice, tells me there is a problem with your dentist more than your crown.

I suggest you take your crown somewhere else to be bonded and quickly. If you like the person who fixes is, you’ve found yourself a more competent dentist.

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

 

Invisalign

Are my teeth the cause of my dating problems?

My husband left a few years ago and I’m finally ready to start dating. The only problem is, I’ve got no takers. Do you think my tooth gap could be turning off potential dates?

Stephanie L. – Minnesotta

Stephanie,

I couldn’t give you a guarantee that your tooth gap is the source behind your dating woes, however, our smile is one of the first things people notice about us, so it is a possibility.

If that is the case, you have a few options. If the gap isn’t too big, you could close it up with dental bonding or porcelain veneers. However, if it is something you’d like to have permanently repaired, then I suggest you look into Invisalign.

This will allow you to straighten your teeth, without anyone even noticing. They have no metal wires or brackets. They really are invisible.

Give it a try and good luck with the dating!

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

Porcelain Veneers

Don’t want to wait on veneers

I have been dying to get my porcelain veneers done, but my dentist wants me to get my teeth whitening done first. He thinks they won’t match my teeth otherwise.  Shouldn’t he know what they’ll look like white so I can at least get started on my veneers? I’m really anxious to get this smile makeover going.

Aamod- San Francisco, CA

Aamod,

I can tell you’re excited about getting a smile makever. It’s understandable that you’re ready to get the ball rolling. However, with as much money as you’ll have invested in it, as well as your emotional investment, you’ll want it to be the best smile possible.

In this case, you really want to make sure you’ve completed your teeth whitening in order to do the best possible porcelain veneers.  There is no way for your dentist to predict the exact shade of whitening   that your teeth will end up.  However, once your whitening is done, your dentist wil be able to match your porcelain veneers to the new shade.

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

CEREC

Crown keeps falling off

I got a CEREC crown, but it keeps falling off–like four times. What do I do?

Yvette – New Mexico

Yvette,

What you need to do first is get a new dentist. There is no reason for a CEREC crown to keep falling off if it is properly bonded on.  Most dentists go there entire careers without having even a crown fall off once, much less four times.

CEREC crowns are generally easier than traditional crowns, because they’re computer milled.

I know it sounds like I’m being harsh, but there really isn’t a reason for these to come off.

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