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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.

Invisalign

Black hole in my smile

My parents never believed in spending money on teeth. As a result, I have a giant gap  as well as some crooked teeth on the bottom.  The gap is big enough to assume there’s a small black hole in my smile. I’ve finally got my first real job and want to fix my teeth. However, I don’t want a metal mouth.  I’ve heard about invisalign, but worry my gap will make it obvious I’m wearing them.

Trey G. – Ft. Worth, TX

Trey,

How exciting that you get to fix your teeth after all these years. Invisalign is a wonderful option. Not every one is  candidate, so you’ll want to have a dentist check you out.

Don’t worry about the gap. Invisalign dentists are used to dealing with that and have a way of camoflauging it.

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

Uncategorized

Mismatched crown

I moved to a new city. As a result, I’ve obtained a new dentist. He has this machine that enables crowns to be made the same day.  That part was great. Unfortunately, that is the extent of the positives. I’ve had crowns done before. This is my fourth.  All the previous ones match my existing teeth. This new one, however, is a mismatch. It is pretty obvious too. Is this the necessary cost of convenience or did something go wrong.

Benjamin A. – Maryland

Benjamin,

No, that is not a necessary price for the convenience of a same day crown.  The type of crown you received are CEREC crowns. You’re right that they’re very convenient. It’s great not needing a temporary crown, or needing to come back for a second appointment to get your permanent crown.

This problem you’re experiencing is the result of what dentist you currently have, not the type of crown he gave you.  It is the dentists responsibility to match a crown to the existing teeth.  You can see if your dentist would be willing to re-do it to make it match your current smile. However, you may have to try for a refund and go to a more artistic dentist to get the results you are hoping to get.

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

Invisalign

I damaged my aligner-what do I do?

I drank a bunch of hot tea when I was with friends.  Now my aligner is warped. What do I do?

Rhonda W. – Montana

Rhonda,

I would go see your dentist and let him look at your aligner. Worse case scenario is he makes you a new one, but go in as soon as possible or it will throw off your treatment plan.

Using Invisalign doesn’t mean you cannot drink tea. Just don’t do it while you have on your aligners. You’ve already learned that the heat can warp them.  What you may not know is that it can seriously damage your tooth enamel. It is likely that the tea will pool in your aligner.  The sugar and other acids in the tea will eat away at your enamel.

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

CEREC

CEREC crown keeps falling out

I needed a dental crown. My dentist told me about a new kind of crown he’s doing called a CEREC crown. I liked the idea of not needing a temporary crown and agreed. The problem I’ve been having though is it keeps falling out.  Is this because it is a CEREC crown instead of a regular one? My dentist has put it back in three times.

Barry B. – Conway, AR

Barry,

No, the problem isn’t the CEREC crown. In fact, because they are milled by a computer, they are generally more accurate in their shape than a traditional dental crown.

To be honest, if the bonding procedure is done correctly, there is absolutely no reason for the crown to fall off. It sounds like the problem is really with your dentist.

One suggestion would be if the crown falls off again, see if you can get a different dentist to bond it on for you. Explain that your dentist has done it several times.

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

Invisalign

Did my dentist cheat me with my Invisalign?

I have reason to suspect my dentist gave me a knock off instead of the real deal on my invisalign treatments. Is there some way to be certain of their authenticity? Also, are they supposed to be cleaned a certain way? If I do it differently will it matter?

Sven B. – Pennsylvania

Sven,

Let me take these questions in order.

  1. First, I am curious what has made you suspicious.  To answer your question, yes, there is a way to tell if you’ve got  the actual brand.   In fact, Invisalign makes it super easy to tell.   On the biting surface of the tray and you will see their trademarked name. There will also be a set of numbers and letters that indicate your patient ID number, designations for your upper or lower arch ( marked as U and L),  as well as other information.  These are plainly visible.
  2. You should have been provided with an Invisalign cleaning kit. If for some reason you  weren’t, I would call your dental office and request one. If they don’t have them, don’t despair, there are ways to clean them without it.  You can use regular toothpaste. I wouldn’t use anything abrasive or it could create tiny scratches on your aligners. That may lead to staining. You could also simply brush them with water and rinse them thoroughly.  However, your dentist really should supply you with the cleaning kit.
  3. As to whether i would bad to clean them with something else, that answer really depends on what else you’re referring to.  Gentle toothpaste  and water are obviously OK, but I would use anything corrosive like bleach, etc.

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

Uncategorized

This bridge will be a disaster

I had four teeth removed because of gum disease. My dentist is planning on giving me a dental bridge to replace the teeth, but my other teeth are starting to get loose. Should I go through with this procedure?

Harriet E. – Mississippi

Harriet,

I am quite concerned about this treatment. If you’ve lost teeth because of gum disease, that has to be treated before you try to put any permanent replacement on.

A dental bridge needs anchor teeth, which will put pressure on them. They’re already coming loose. The bridge will pull them right out.

Your dentist has a disaster planned for you. What you need right now if to start treatments for periodontal disease. Your loose teeth will need be stabilized while that is taking place.

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

CEREC

Ugly CEREC Crown

I travel a lot for work and even when I am home, I’m still on the go. Because of this, I’ve been holding off on having a crown done. Not only is it near impossible for me to get to the dentist for two separate visits, but I’m really concerned that something will happen to my temporary while I’m away from home. I’ve been hearing a lot about these CEREC same day crowns and I like the concept, but a friend of mine had one done and the color doesn’t look quite right. Is this one of the expected trade-offs when having a CEREC crown done?

Thanks,

Sam

 

Dear Sam,

A cheesy grin is great, but not so much when it looks cheesy because the teeth are mismatched between shades of yellow and white like co-jack cheese. Unfortunately, your friend’s cheesy grin faux pas could have been avoided, but luckily, you don’t have to suffer the same fate in the name of convenience.

CEREC crowns are fantastic when it comes to streamlining the process, but like traditional crowns, some dentists don’t do a good job of matching the shade. There are options available for a dentist to make the restoration match the surrounding teeth- it’s just a matter of finding a dentist who has the cosmetic and artistic ability to do the matching.

Start by selecting a dentist who does CEREC crowns and ask the staff ahead of time how he selects shades. Often, but not always, the level of competence in the staff is very telling. You can also ask to see before and after photos of patients the dentist has treated. Many dentists like to have a “brag book” on hand or a smile gallery online to show off their finest cosmetic work. You can also speak directly with the dentist beforehand and ask him how he selects shades.

As any reputable cosmetic dentist knows, the most important deciding factor when it comes to esthetics is patient satisfaction. As such, he will always let you examine your restoration before it is cemented and will be certain to make sure you’re happy with it before you leave.

If you want to avoid an unpleasantly cheesy grin, ask a few questions in advance and you’ll be sure to have your same-day-crown be a same-day-beautiful-work-of-art too.

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

Invisalign

Wine and Invisalign

I am planning on getting Invisalign. I know you can’t eat while the aligners are in and you just take them out for meals. I wondered if that meant I have to take them out whenever I drank too? I drink about five glasses of wine a day, plus some sodas. If I have to take them out everytime I drink, I won’t have them in much.

Karen D. -Maumelle, AR

Karen,

Unfortunately, It would not be a good idea to drink those beverages while wearing your Invisalign aligners. That doesn’t mean you can’t drink the whole time of your treatment. I would just limit them to when you’re eating your meals.

There is a danger in drinking such highly acidic drinks while having your aligners in. They are likely to get caught between the aligners and your teeth. Then they would sit there eating away at the enamel on your teeth.

It might be hard getting used to limiting how much you drink. There have been similar patients who’ve had to do so. They mentioned the one benefit was losing some weight.

However, don’t despair. Invisalign treatments work in half the time of traditional braces, sometimes even faster. So, the limiting when you drink won’t last very long.

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

Uncategorized

My Crown Looks Awful

I got a makeover on five teeth. Four were veneers and one is a crown. The veneers look OK, but the crown looks different than the others. It’s like there is a shadow underneath it. My dentist says it is from the cement and that it isn’t noticeable. If that’s true, than how come I can see it? I asked if we could re-do it, but she said it wouldn’t match the others because they need to be done at the same time. Is that true?

Hannah S. – Little Rock, AR

Hannah,

Well, it may be true for your dentist, but it isn’t true for someone with expertise in cosmetic dentistry. There is a danger in letting a general dentist without a lot of training in cosmetic procedures. A true cosmetic dentist would not be satisfied if you didn’t like the way it looked.  That crown would go right back to the lab.

The problem is twofold: one, dentists are taught in dental school that they know better than the patient. That is not the case with those who have significant training in cosmetic. They are taught that the patient is the decision maker as to what is beautiful.  The second issue is skill. Now a great cosmetic dentist could match your crown to other teeth easily. Maybe your dentist doesn’t know who to do that. However, your dentist ordered the veneers with the crown at the lab. They should be able to match the specifications to the lab.

I’ll be honest, if you really want this done well, you’ll probably need to have it done by a different dentist. I recommend you see a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). These dentists are in the top 1-3% in their field. They can give you a gorgeous crown.

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