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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.

 

Invisalign

Fixing protruded teeth

I have protruded teeth. I am wanting a cosmetic option to fix it, but don’t want braces. What are my best options?

Alina M. – Montreal

Alina,

Both the options I am about to share with you will repair protruded teeth. However, neither will work if your teeth are extremely protruded. My most important advice is to make sure you go to an expert cosmetic dentist. We’ll talk more about this in a minute. I’ll give you the options first.

Your first option is Invisalign. These are different than braces, which I can understand you not wanting.  They will repair your teeth, straightening them like braces, but there are no uncomfortable wires and brackets, plus they are no visible to other people, even at at conversational distance. No one will even know you are wearing them. If you’re open to that, then Invisalign would be one of your options. A good one too, because your teeth will be straight.

A second option is to get porcelain veneers. These will not actually straighten your teeth, but they will make them appear straight. Even though these don’t actually straighten your teeth, they do have a different kind of advantage. These can also change the shape and color of your teeth.  So, if there is more than just straightening your teeth you had in mind, these may be a better option.

That being said, if you ever get cosmetic work done of any kind, it is extraordinarily important that you use a highly skilled cosmetic dentist. Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. Therefore, any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. The skills necessary to do a beautiful smile makeover are not taught in dental school. It takes a considerable amount of post-graduate training to develop the skill and technique necessary. Plus, you want a dentist with an artistic eye.

So, how do you make sure you’re getting a qualified cosmetic dentist? My recomendation would be to find a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Only the top cosmetic dentist reach accreditation level.

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

 

Uncategorized

What if you can’t have an implant?

I recently found out that I cannot have a dental implant. I’m terribly disappointed in this because I am in public relations and my smile is a big deal.  What is the next best option?  Will it look natural?

Candace- Washington D.C.

Candace,

If you’re talking about a single tooth, then there is another good option. You can get a dental bridge and it will more than adequately take care of your missing tooth.

Whether it will look natural or not, will depend on the dentist you go to.  What you want is an expert cosmetic dentist. Ideally, you will want someone who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).  These dentist are the top in the world and will give you a gorgeous smile. Even if  you have to drive a few hours away it will be worth it.

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

Invisalign

The Importance of the Time Between Invisalign Aligners

I thought we’d address a common question we get sometime during a patient’s Invisalign treatment. Invisalign has a very high patient satisfaction rating, however, at some point every patient wonders why they have to wait the full two weeks before they can switch to the next set of aligners. Here’ s why.

Your teeth will move into their new position within just a few days. It is often tempting to think if you switch to the next group of aligners as soon as your teeth are in the new position that you can get through your Invisalign treatment that much faster.

There is a reason your dentist will want you to wait the full two weeks. Your teeth are supported by bone that surrounds the root of your teeth. When your teeth move, the root is moved as well. If you don’t give the bone time to re-form around the roots. If you don’t give them that time, your teeth will become loose. It’s possible they would even fall out.

In the grand scheme of things, two weeks isn’t that long a time, especially to ensure long term health for your teeth.

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

CEREC

Crown won’t stay on

My husband got a crown, but it has come off three times.  Our dentist cements it on again, but it then it comes back off a couple of days later.  Is it because we got him a CEREC crown that this is happening?  My dentist said there is nothing else they can do for him.

Jennine- Boston

Jennine,

If a dental crown is bonded on correctly, they don’t fall off. It doesn’t matter what kind of crown it is.  The fact that it is a CEREC crown, makes it less likely that the crown will fall off, because a computer mills those, making them more accurately structured.

The problem likely lies with the shape of the tooth preparation. If the preparation is too tapered, it’s hard to keep the crown on. I guess it is also possible that he is using the wrong kind of bonding agent, but either way his work is grossly incompetent. Get to a different dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist.

 

Uncategorized

Bulimia and Teeth

I recently had a friend confide in me that she caught her daughter throwing up after a large meal. She became suspicious and started keeping an eye on her daughter’s eating habits. She was devastated to realize that her daughter was bulimic. It was such a surprise, because her daughter had always seemed happy and confident. Plus, she was very popular at school and had lots of friendships. We discussed ways to help her.

First, I wanted her to know that she needed to get her to the dentist as soon as possible. Most people think of going to the doctor for treatment, which is important, however a bulimic’s teeth get very damaged and need to be treated as well. This is especially important because it is generally self-esteem issues that lead to bulimic activity. As their teeth get more and more damaged it will negatively impact their body image.

The acid in the vomit will erode your teeth making them thin and damaged. Eventually, your teeth will become sensitive to hot and cold. This is because the tooth was eroded enough to expose the nerve. The damage isn’t noticeable at first because it is strongest in the back of your teeth.

A dentist treating a bulimic should provide some flouride, which will help decrease sensitivity and slow down decay. After vomiting, you want to rinse your mouth out with water as quickly as possible to help neutralize the acid. Do not brush your teeth right away, because that will grind the acid into your teeth. A dentist can tell you whether or not the patient will need dental crowns.

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

Invisalign

Switching dentists during invisalign

My dentist made some distasteful comments about my weight and I want to switch dentists. The only problem I have is I am in the middle of invisalign treatments. Will that be a problem?

Sandy W. – Boise

Sandy, Have you spoken to the office about his/her comments?  Could their be a misunderstanding?

Let’s assume in this case there was no misunderstanding and your dentist was rude and insensitive.  When you decide to switch to another dentist, your dentist is ethically bound to make the transititon as smooth as possible.

You’ll want to find another dentist who is skilled with Invisalign and then your dentist can get him or her up to date on where you are in your treatments, along with providing any and all x-rays and other necessary materials. I hope you have a better experience in the future.

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

CEREC

Pain with a CEREC crown

I had four CEREC crowns put on back teeth. One of them is causing horrible pain when I bite. I’ve been back to my dentist a couple of times.  He shaved it, but it didn’t get any better. He thinks it is because of the way I chew.  Wouldn’t that have been causing pain before I had the crown put in? Isn’t it more likely that it is because I got a CEREC crown instead of a regular one?

Dennis L. – Maine

Dennis,

I don’t think it is because of your bite or because of the CEREC crown. In fact, because CEREC crowns are milled by a computer, there is less chance of the crown being a problem.  When you have pain when biting a crown, there are generally one or two reasons that is the cause:

1. The bite can be too high. I don’t suspect this is your case because you’ve already been back twice. Surely your dentist would have noticed that. I’m sure he’s adjusted your bite.

2. The other reason is an infection. Your dentist can do an x-ray and it will tell you if that is the case.

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

 

Cosmetic Dentist

How Do You Choose A Cosmetic Dentist?

Can you tell me how to choose a cosmetic dentist?

Analyia- Chicago

Analyia,

That is a great question.  An expert cosmetic dentist can give you a gorgeous smile. An average cosmetic dentist can give you a disaster of a smile.  It is one  of the areas of dentistry where you really need to only go the absolutely highest qualified.

Ideally, you want to find a cosmetic dentist in your area who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Accreditation is different than being a member.  Any dentist can join the organization. In order to get accredited, a dentist has to pass a stringent examination, demonstrate a thorough knowledge of technical skill, and prove their artistic ability by showing their samples of the work they’ve done on their patients.

Very few dentists reach this level of expertise, but it is well worth it for you to drive to another city for a smile makeover and ensure you get a breathtaking smile.

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