Tag Archives: Lafayette LA Cosmetic Dentist

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.

Cosmetic Dentist

Finding a cosmetic dentist

Can you give me some advice on how to know which brand of porcelain veneers to use?

Louisa M. – New Mexico

Louisa,

There is a more important question to ask. Instead of trying to figure out the bes brand of porcelain veneers, you need to be looking for the right dentist.

There are different nuances with each brand of porcelain veneers. What you want is a cosmetic dentist who is familiar with all of them, knows the technique, and has an artistic eye.

Because it is not a recognized speciality, any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. That doesn’t mean they have what it takes to give you a gorgeous smile. Even if they know the technique, you need to know if they’re artistic enough to give you what you want.

The ideal cosmetic dentist will be accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Those with these qualifications will be able to give you a gorgeous smile.  They’re the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

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

Invisalign

Can I drink coffee with Invisalign?

I want to get invisalign, but I’m an avid coffee drinker. Will I have to give it up during treatment?

Jane F. – New Mexico

Jane,

You can drink coffee during your treatment, but not while your invisalign aligners are in your mouth. There are a couple of reasons for this:

1. The heat of the coffee extremely likely to warp your aligners. This will damage your treatment plan.

2. The coffee will pool in the aligner. With the acidic (and sometimes sugary) nature of the beverage, that will cause the disintegration of your aligners.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t partake of coffee at all. In fact, you take your aligners out with every meal. That is three times a day right there that you can drink a cup of coffee.

Plus, Invisalign works much faster than traditional braces, so you’ll be back to drinking as many cups of coffee as you ‘d like in no time.

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

Porcelain Veneers

Can I look like Cameron Diaz?

I have always loved Cameron Diaz’s smile. Is there a way porcelain veneers can make me look like her?

Ariana M. – St. Louis

Ariana,

What porcelain veneers can do is make your teeth look like hers. Everyone has a different shape to their mouth and teeth, and Cameron’s are defintely unique.

The most important thing you can do is find the best cosmetic dentist possible.  You may not be aware that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. That means that any general dentist can say they are a cosmetic dentist regardless of who little training they have in the area.

It takes a lot of technical skill, which almost anyone can develop. Equally important, however, is an artistic eye. That is not something that is easy to develop.

Your best bet is to get a dentist that is AACD accredited. They are among the top 1-3% of cosmetic dentists in the country. They’ll be able to work with whatever shape your face is to help your smile look like any celebrity you wish, including Cameron Diaz.

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

Porcelain Veneers

Don’t want to wait on veneers

I have been dying to get my porcelain veneers done, but my dentist wants me to get my teeth whitening done first. He thinks they won’t match my teeth otherwise.  Shouldn’t he know what they’ll look like white so I can at least get started on my veneers? I’m really anxious to get this smile makeover going.

Aamod- San Francisco, CA

Aamod,

I can tell you’re excited about getting a smile makever. It’s understandable that you’re ready to get the ball rolling. However, with as much money as you’ll have invested in it, as well as your emotional investment, you’ll want it to be the best smile possible.

In this case, you really want to make sure you’ve completed your teeth whitening in order to do the best possible porcelain veneers.  There is no way for your dentist to predict the exact shade of whitening   that your teeth will end up.  However, once your whitening is done, your dentist wil be able to match your porcelain veneers to the new shade.

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

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.

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

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.