Category Archives: Cosmetic Dentist

Cosmetic Dentist

What’s a Better Cosmetic Procedure: Crowns or Veneers?

I want to improve my smile. I went to my dentist to discuss getting porcelain veneers. He said they’re not as good as everyone makes out and I’d get a better smile with porcelain crowns. I’m a little worried about that idea because I’d lose so much tooth structure. But, if they’re better I guess I should go for it. What do you think?

Emma T.

Dear Emma,

A gorgeous smile created by cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone
A gorgeous smile created by cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone

If you want a gorgeous smile, what matters more than the material is the cosmetic dentist you have do the procedure. However, that being said, I can tell you right now your dentist isn’t the right one because of the material he’s trying to talk you into.

Porcelain veneers are as good as they say…when the right dentist does it. Your dentist is probably suggesting crowns because he doesn’t have enough experience with porcelain veneers. He doesn’t want to admit that so he suggests a procedure he is good with, porcelain crowns. But, you’re right to be concerned. Why would you want to grind down perfectly healthy tooth structure? Porcelain veneers don’t do that. They only require mild tooth preparation.

How Do You Choose a Cosmetic Dentist?

The easiest way to choose a cosmetic dentist is through the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). They have an accreditation program. Dentists who reach accreditation level are among the top cosmetic dentists in the world. They have to pass stringent oral and written exams as well as demonstrate their artistic abilities and quite a few cases they’ve done on patients. They’ll certainly give you a gorgeous smile. In fact, most of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

What if there’s not an accredited dentist near you? Not having someone who’s reached accreditation level in your area doesn’t mean you can find a highly skilled cosmetic dentist. Some dentists are in the process are obtaining accreditation but already give gorgeous smiles. I’d check the mynewsmile.com website. They recommend highly skilled and artistic cosmetic dentists only some of which have already passed the accreditation exams.

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

Cosmetic Dentist

Is There a Poor Man’s Smile Makeover?

I’ve been waiting for years for my financial situation to change so I could get a smile makeover. Sadly, I’ve come to the conclusion it’s not going to change anytime soon and I’m really tired of hating my smile. I can’t afford porcelain veneers. But, hoped there’s such a thing as a poor man’s smile makeover.

Missy E.

Dear Missy,

There are several things you can do to improve your smile on a budget. Which procedures you do, depends on what bother’s you about your smile.

If it’s just the color, teeth whitening can totally remake your smile affordably all while taking years off your appearance. It can be done in one appointment at your dentist’s office or over a period of time at home with custom made whitening trays from your dentist.

If you have minor chips or gaps, you can have dental bonding done to repair them. Of course, if changing the whiteness of your teeth is still in the picture, you’ll want to do that first. The color of the bonding can’t be changed once it’s completed, so you’ll want to match it to already whitened teeth.

Another option is Invisalign. It’s a way to orthodontically straighten teeth without using traditional metal braces. It can be done without anyone knowing you’re doing it. A bonus feature is the aligners used for Invisalign can double as whitening trays, so you can straighten and color your teeth simultaneously, saving you additional money.

Invisalign and whitening can be done by just about any dentist. Dental bonding, however, requires a cosmetic dentist with some artistic ability. It’s done freehand and your teeth change in depth and translucency as you move down the tooth.

If your financial situation ever changes and you want a blow out the room type of smile makeover, then you’d get porcelain veneers.

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

Cosmetic Dentist

Dentist Wants Me to Mortgage My House to Fix ONE Crown

I’m in a quandary. My entire top arch is made up of crowns. Don’t ask. Long story. They’re about ten years old. I noticed one of the very front crowns is wiggly. I went to see a dentist. He said the crown needs to be replaced, but in order to get the new crown to match, they’d have to all be replaced. Do you realize how many crowns that is? In order to match one crown, I’d have to practically mortgage my house. What the heck? I was never told they’d all have to be replaced if one went bad when I first got them. Is there any other option? I don’t want to go so far in debt, but it’s a front tooth so I do want it to match. Help me.

Kiera E.

Kiera,

This is just a guess, but I can pretty much guarantee it’s a correct one. Your dentist is a decent family dentist, but not one who has excellent cosmetic skills. A good cosmetic dentist can match a single crown to the rest of your teeth. This one can’t, so instead, he wants you to spend a small fortune replacing all of them so he can make them all exactly the same.

You need a different dentist. An expert cosmetic dentist. It’s hard for patients to know which dentists are skilled and artistic with cosmetics and which aren’t. One of the reasons for that is there isn’t actually a recognized specialty from the ADA in cosmetic dentistry, so any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist no matter how unskilled they are.

Fortunately, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry realized how difficult this is for patients. They started an accreditation program for dentists so there would be some way to distinguish those dentists who put the effort into learning the skills and artistry required to create beautiful smiles.

In your case, instead of mortgaging your house, I’d find an AACD accredited dentist and have them match your single crown to the rest of your teeth. You can still go to your regular dentist for other things if you want, but I’m concerned that he cares more about saving his “reputation” than how much money he costs you.

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

Cosmetic Dentist

Zoom or Take Home Whitening?

I’m getting my teeth whitened, but am trying to decide between Zoom Whitening and Take-Home Whitening. Will I need a cosmetic dentist or can my family dentist to it?

Lisa R. – Colorado

Lisa,

I’ll answer your second question first. Any dentist can do teeth whitening. It’s a fairly simple procedure. If you were getting something like porcelain veneers, then you would definitely want a dentist with cosmetic training. However, if your family dentist doesn’t have a Zoom Whitening System, then you’re down to one option. Not every dentist invests in one.

As to which procedure, that depends on your goals. If you’re wanting your teeth as white as they can be as quickly as possible, Zoom is your best option.

On the other hand, if you want more control over the level of whiteness or want to do it gradually, then take-home teeth whitening is a better fit for you. Either way, you’ll get beautiful, white teeth.

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

Cosmetic Dentist

Can I Improve My Smile Without Tons of Money?

I’ve wanted to improve my smile for a long time, but just don’t have that much money. I’ve heard porcelain veneers are the way to go, but when I looked into them they were way too expensive. Is there a less expensive way to makeover your smile?

Amanda S. – Topeka

Amanda,

It’s a tough economy right now, especially where we are in Louisiana, so I understand wanting to save money. It’s tough when you have a desire to improve something, but don’t feel you have the requisite funds. I have some good news for you though. There are cosmetic procedures you can do that will improve your smile without porcelain veneers.

One of the least expensive cosmetic procedures is teeth whitening. That simple procedure takes years off your appearance. If you can swing in-office whitening, it’s faster. Your teeth will be dramatically whiter in one appointment. However, your dentist can custom design trays for you to do professional strength whitening at home. That costs a little less. It will take a little longer, depending on the level of whitening you desire, but it can get them as white as the in-office option.

If you have chips or gaps in your teeth, dental bonding can repair them, and is significantly cheaper than veneers. Just be aware that while veneers can last a couple of decades when well cared for, dental bonding will only really last a few years.

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

Cosmetic Dentist

Can I Close My Tooth Gap Without Invisalign?

I wanted to close a tooth gap. I wanted to do it with cosmetic dentistry, but my dentist wants to do orthodontics. Isn’t there a cosmetic way to do it?

Amanda L. – Idaho

Amanda,

Yes, there are a couple of cosmetic options to close a tooth gap without orthodontics. Two cosmetic options are dental bonding and porcelain veneers.

Dental bonding is the most logical if all you want to do is close the gap.  A cosmetic dentist will use a composite resin to fill in the tooth gap.

Porcelain veneers are a bit of an overtreatment for simply closing a tooth gap. But, if you had several changes you wanted to change about your smile, such as the shape, size, and color it would make more sense.

However, let me give you a small word of caution. If your dentist didn’t suggest either of those, it’s likely because he’s not confident in cosmetic procedures. You’ll want to find a skilled cosmetic dentist.

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

Cosmetic Dentist

My Dentist Wants to Put A Metal Crown On My Tooth

I’m not sure if I should go forward with something my dentist wants to do. I need a crown. But, he wants to put a metal based crown on the tooth. My mother had one of those and it was horribly ugly. Would mine be ugly too or have their been more developments since then?

Ally R. – Idaho

Ally,

I haven’t seen your mother’s crown, nor do I know when she had it placed, so it would be hard for me to tell you if there have been advancements. However, I can tell you that cosmetic dentists (who care as much about form as they do function) would not put a metal based crown on a front tooth.

The reason for that is the appearance, as you’ve noted about your mother’s old crown. A metal based crown requires a more opaque layering in order to “cover” the metal. Plus, you will eventually develop a gray line at your gumline, which will be unattractive and distracting.

Instead, I’d recommend an all-porcelain crown. These are perfectly strong enough to be placed on your front teeth, and are much more attractive.

That being said, you’ll need to have a good cosmetic dentist to do it. Even the most beautiful materials need artistic hands to make their beauty shine.  Especially because it is a front teeth you’re talking about, I cannot stress how much the skill of the cosmetic dentist will make a difference on how the crown will look.

The best cosmetic dentists are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).

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

 

Cosmetic Dentist

Why won’t my dentist let me get lumineers?

I want to get lumineers, but my dentist Dr. ———– says they’re not any good. Shouldn’t it be my choice?

Tara M. – Kentucky

Tara,

I know the dentist you’re referring to. He’s actually a very good cosmetic dentist and he can give you a gorgeous smile. There are a lot of good cosmetic dentists who aren’t crazy about lumineers. Mostly that stems from the fact that the Lumineers company requires dentists to use their lab, which to be quite frank, isn’t that great.

Yes, it is up to you, but you’re going to your dentist for his expertise. Maybe you should trust his instinct. If you’re worried, you can tell your dentist that you want to approve the try ins. But, again, he’s a great dentist and would have you do that anyway.

One thing to bear in mind is that Lumineers are just a brand of porcelain veneers. There are several different brands of veneers. Each of them have their own characteristics and a great cosmetic dentist will know which one is the best option for the type of smile you want.

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

Cosmetic Dentist

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.

Cosmetic Dentist

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.