Tag Archives: AACD accredited

CEREC

Dentist Won’t Let Me Get a CEREC Crown on Front Tooth

One of my front teeth needed a dental crown. I am tired of going to the dentist’s office and told him I’d prefer the one visit crown. But, he told me he never does those on front teeth. Shouldn’t that be my choice?

Mel

Dear Mel,

Machine for CEREC Crowns

I realize you said you’re tired of going to the dentist. But, let me ask you if going one more time meant the difference between a beautiful, natural-looking smile or something that looked good but just a bit off, would you be willing to make the extra trip?

CEREC crowns are wonderful. They’re attractive, they’re strong. But, they’re milled from a single block of porcelain. Your front teeth are so visible and receive much more light than the rest of your teeth that they need all the natural subtleties that you can only get by using different porcelains. Traditional all-porcelain crowns don’t have that problem because your dentist can craft them using more time.
image of a tooth Notice that as you go down the tooth it becomes more translucent but at the edges it’s a little more opaque. You can’t get that without baking different layers on. To accomplish that with a CEREC machine, you’d need an expert cosmetic dentist.

How to Find a Dentist Who Can Give You a Gorgeous CEREC Crown

Very few dentists can give you a stunning CEREC crown on a front tooth. But, if you absolutely cannot handle the idea of two appointments, you’ll need to go to the right dentist. Ideally, you’ll want a dentist who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). These dentists have past stringent exams and demonstrated their artistry in creating beautiful smiles.

Something you should also be aware of is any type of dental work, such as dental crowns, white fillings, or porcelain veneers will not whiten like your natural teeth. The color your dentist makes them is permanent. If you’re considering whitening your teeth, you’ll want to do so before you get your crown so it can be made to match your new whiter teeth.

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

Cosmetic Dentist

What’s the Difference Between a Cosmetic Dentist and a General Dentist?

I can’t seem to figure out the difference between a general dentist and a cosmetic one. My dentist is a general dentist but he also does cosmetic things like teeth whitening and Lumineers. Is there a difference or do they just label themselves for the kinds of patients they want to draw and do both kinds of work?

Sandy M.

Dear Sandy,

A ugly cosmetic smile and a pretty cosmetic smile

There is no difference as far as a specialty. There isn’t a recognized specialty in Cosmetic Dentistry with the American Dental Association. Any Cosmetic Dentist is actually just a general dentist who also does cosmetic work.

That being said, there is a huge difference regarding quality and beauty that varies from dentist to dentist and it doesn’t matter which label they use. A good example of this is the image above. Both smiles are of the same woman and both smiles had the same type of dental work done. On the left, she had dental crowns. On the right, she had dental crowns. The only difference is the dentist.

The dentist on the left didn’t understand what materials to use to give her a natural looking smile. He technically knew how to make and bond dental crowns and is likely a decent general dentist. But, if you want anything appearance related it will take someone with both technical skill and artistry. That’s what the dentist on the right had.

Fixing Botched Cosmetic Dental Work—A New Industry

Most patients would be surprised how much business comes to high-quality cosmetic dentists, like Dr. Mike Malone, because they are fixing botched cosmetic cases. I suspect your dentist isn’t a high-quality dentist. The only reason I’m saying that without seeing examples of his work is his reliance on Lumineers. These are generally marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. But, the results are often opaque and bulky. So, how do you not end up with a smile makeover disaster?

If I were in the market for a complete smile makeover with porcelain veneers, I’d look for a dentist who’s reached accreditation level with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). There is a difference between being a member of the AACD and an accredited member. Any dentist can pay the fee to join. But, to become accredited, you have to pass stringent oral and written exams as well as demonstrate your artistry in many, many recent cases.

They’re among the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country. If you’re looking for a beautiful smile, they’ll create one for you. In fact, many of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

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

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

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.

Porcelain Veneers

Can I Switch My Metal Crowns with Porcelain Veneers?

I’ve got four metal-based crowns. I’ve never been thrilled with them. They’ve always looked more cloudy than my natural teeth, but it was better than no teeth. Lately, though, there’s been this dark line at my gumline. It’s making it impossible for me to smile without feeling humiliated. I’ve started avoiding going out in public. Last night, I saw an article about porcelain veneers. The pictures were stunning. First, are they really that gorgeous or was that clever photoshopping? Second, can I switch out my metal-based crowns with porcelain veneers?

Millie M. – Indiana

Millie,

No one should be embarrassed to smile. With that said, I don’t want you to feel alone. There are many people (Americans especially) who are unhappy with some aspect of their smile. We want perfection. Cloudy teeth you can maybe get away with. It’s not ideal, but it’s not necessarily distracting or ugly. A gray line at your gumline is both distracting and ugly. I understand your desire to make a switch.

Porcelain veneers really can be that stunning. Whether they are or not depends on the skill of the cosmetic dentist. A skilled, artistic cosmetic dentist can give you a gorgeous smile. Toward that end, I have good news and bad news regarding switching out your crowns with veneers.

First, the bad news. You cannot. It doesn’t matter what type of crown it is. The reason is the structural difference between the two treatments. Porcelain veneers bond to the very front of the teeth. Hardly any tooth structure is removed to place them. Dental crowns, on the other hand, fit over the entirety of your teeth, which requires grinding down a large amount of tooth structure. Because of that, there’s not enough tooth left for the veneers to be bonded to.

Now for the good news. You can still replace these ugly crowns and get a gorgeous smile. Instead of replacing your metal-based crowns with porcelain veneers, you can replace them with all-porcelain crowns. These can be created just as beautifully as porcelain veneers. Unlike their metal-based relations, all-porcelain crowns will not look cloudy. It’s the base that makes which makes that necessary in order to hide the metal. Also, you’ll never have to worry about them developing that unsightly gray line.

The key will be the dentist. The get the best results, look for an AACD accredited dentist. Accreditation is different than membership. You can purchase membership. Accreditation is earned by demonstrating proficiency in both technical skill and artistry.

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

Porcelain Veneers

Why Didn’t My Porcelain Veneers Work?

I was very excited to get porcelain veneers. I was told they could make my smile taller and wider and make my gums look even.  That’s what my dentist and I discussed. Unfortunately, that isn’t what I ended up with. Don’t get me wrong. the veneers look good, but nothing has changed the size of my teeth or my gums, which you can still see when I smile. Why didn’t they work? Were my expectations too high?

Samantha B. – Washington

Samantha,

Your expectations of porcelain veneers weren’t too high. I’d say your expectations for your dentist were.  Porcelain veneers can widen your smile, as well as many other things. However, the solution for your issue would have included gum contouring.  Additionally, it would have had to have been done before the veneers were made, not after.

It’s likely your dentist is a great family dentist who dabbles in cosmetic work. He doesn’t have any real expertise. You could talk to him about re-doing them, but I’m not sure he’d really know what to do. It sounds like you’ll likely have to have them re-done by someone with more artistic and technical training.

If I were in your place, I’d look for someone who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

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

Porcelain Veneers

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.

 

Porcelain Veneers

Should I get MAC Veneers for the lab?

I’ve heard that MAC veneers have the best lab. I want to get porcelain veneers. Should I get MAC veneers for that reason?

Drew M. – Indiana

Drew,

MAC Veneers are made at a good lab, but I think you would be better served choosing the best cosmetic dentist and letting them choose the lab.  If you were having your dream home built, Would you spend your time examing lumber and nails or would you find the best contractor you could and let them decide on the materials?

You want to let your dentist choose which brand of porcelain veneers to use and which lab.  Creating a smile is an art and dentists who are artistic like to choose their own tools.  Choosing the right dentist is the single best thing you can do toward getting the best smile possible.

I suggest you you get a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. These dentists are held to the highest standards of technique and artistry.

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

Porcelain Veneers

Difference in veneers

I’m going to get a smile makeover, which has taken me years to save up for. Because of that I’ve been doing a lot of research.  I want to make sure I use the perfect veneers. Can you tell me if MAC or JK veneers are better?

Olivia- Wisconsin

Olivia,

I hope you won’t mind if I don’t actually answer the question you asked. Instead, I’m going to answer the question that you needed to ask.  It is not the material that makes for beautiful porcelain veneers. There are exquisitly beautiful veneers from every type and brand.  It is the dentist you choose that makes the biggest difference. So, intead of asking which veneers should I get, you should ask how do I know if my dentist is a skilled cosmetic dentist.

There are a many ways to research cosmetic dentists, but I’ll tell you about the two I think are the quickest and most reliable.

1.  First, see if there is someone who is AACD accredited in your area.  AACD stands for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. I’m not talking about just looking for someone with a membership in the organization, but instead accreditation.  It might be difficult, because very few dentists reach that level.  Though I will say that many excellent cosmetic dentists though not AACD accredited do a fantastic job and are very likely working toward accreditation.

2. If you cannot find someone who is AACD accredited, then I would go to the mynewsmile.com website. They research cosmetic dentists for both their training and their artistry, both of which have to be verified. Any one of them would be able to give you a gorgeous smile with porcelain veneers.

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

Uncategorized

Congratulations to Dr. Chal

We wanted to give recognition to Dr. Arthur Chal in Phoenix who was recognized recently for 16 years of service as an accreditation examiner with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Dr. Chal served also as President of the AACD for 2001-2002, a couple of years before Dr. Malone. Dr. Malone and Dr. Chal have known each other for about twenty years, and we here in Dr. Malone’s office have the highest respect for Dr. Chal, the quality of his dentistry, and his dedication to the profession. For patients who live in the Phoenix area, we consider him the best dentist in Phoenix. He has expertise in cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry, and TMJ treatment.

Congratulations, Dr. Chal

This blog is sponsored by Lafayette LA cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone.