Tag Archives: American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

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.

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.

 

Porcelain Veneers

Do I need to go out of town for a smile makeover?

I live in a small town. We do have a dentist and he said he could give me lumineers, but my sister is saying I’d be better off going to Atlanta for the makeover. That’s an hour and a half drive. Is it really worth that?

Amy D. – Georgia

Amy,

If I were in your place, I would drive to Atlanta. I know it is a drive, but you’d only have to do it twice. I assure you it will likely make a huge difference.

If your dentist is saying he could give you lumineers it has me concerned. Many artistic cosmetic dentists feel that will not give you the beautiful smile you’re looking for. They often prefer other brands of porcelain veneers. Many inexperienced dentists place them because they’re marketed as being easy to place, but they tend to be bulky and opaque.

What you really want is a dentist who has expertise and an artistic eye.  It’s ideal if you can go to a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

A dentist with that kind of skill will give you an absolutely stunning smile. If you’re ging to spend the money on a makeover, you want to make sure you get a gorgeous one.

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

Porcelain Veneers

Can bulimics get smile makeovers?

I’m bulimic. I’m getting a little better about it, but to be honest, I still purge sometimes. My teeth are in bad shape. I was wondering if it’s possible for me to get a smile makeover with porcelain veneers or if I damaged my teeth too much?

Olivia B. – Minnesotta

Olivia,

Congratulations on working on your bulimia. I know it is a hard road. Because Dr. Malone has worked with pageant contestants, he understands the difficulty of your situation.

One thing to  be aware of is that while you’re still struggling with your eating disorder, it will continue to damage your teeth, even teeth that are cosmetically restored.

Depending on the condition of your teeth, it can still be possible to get porcelain veneers. Go see a great cosmetic dentist. Look for someone who is AACD (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry) accredited.  You will get a much more attractive smile that way.

Good luck with your treatment.

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

Porcelain Veneers

My Lumineers make me look like a beaver!

I just spent and embarrassing amount of money on lumineers.  I was so excited to get a new smile, but when he put it one I was horribly disappointed.  They’re so bulky that I feel like a beaver.  IS there anything I can do to trim them down?

Rose T.  – Georgia

Rose,

I’m very sorry for the experience you’re having with your smile makeover.  Believe me, I’ve heard similar stories a thousand times.  It appears that you’ve had an inexperienced dentist to your porcelain veneers. Lumineers are simply one brand of porcelain veneers. They often appeal to inexperienced cosmetic dentists, because they are marketed as being very easy to place.

However, to do a smile makeover well, it requires a lot of post graduate training in cosmetic techniques.  It takes more than just technical skill though.  You need a dentist who has an artistic eye…..otherwise you end up looking like a beaver (or worse!).

Unfortunately, once porcelain veneers are bonded on there is nothing you can do to change them.  You’ll have to have an entire new set done.  It’s possible you can get at least a partial refund.  I’d start by asking your dentist.   IF he says no, you can get a second opinion by a highly skilled cosmetic dentist on your veneers.  He could add some pressure to your dentist.

Look for someone who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.  They’re the top cosmetic dentists in the world. You can be confident that you’ll get a smile that is stunning.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana 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.

Cosmetic Dentist

Can a general dentist do cosmetic dentistry?

I want to do some cosmetic procedures to my teeth. My dentist is a general dentist. Can you tell me if he can do the cosmetic procedures or if I need to go to a cosmetic dentist?

Frank C. – Oregon

Frank,

There is no recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. That means that everyone who does cosmetic dentistry is a general dentist. However, not all “cosmetic” dentists are equal.

You didn’t mention what type of cosmetic work you were planning on. If you were wanting something simple, such as teeth whitening, then any dentist could do it.

But, if you were wanting someting complicated, such as porcelain veneers, then you’ll want someone with specialized training.  In those cases, I would look for a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). They’ll have the skill to give you a gorgeous smile.

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