Tag Archives: Smile Makeover

Sedation Dentist

Can I Use Sedation for a Smile Makeover?

I want to get a smile makeover but I am a nervous dental patient. Would I be better off getting dental sedation so they can just knock me out, do the work, and I wake up with a beautiful smile?

Candy

Candy,

Woman resting in dental chair from dental sedation

I am sorry for your dental anxiety. I want you to know that you are not alone in feeling this way. Hopefully, you go to a dentist who is understanding about your fears. It can be very helpful to go to a dentist who is compassionate with patients who are anxious.

While I am a big proponent of using dental sedation, the one concern I have about using it for your smile makeover is that, depending on the type of sedation you use, you won’t get to approve the smile before it is bonded on permanently.

If you are getting porcelain veneers, very little shaving needs to be done on your teeth. The dentist will give you something like Novocain, which will make you completely numb. If that still scares you, then you could have some nitrous oxide. Unlike oral conscious sedation, which will make you too sleepy/loopy to make an informed decision in approving the porcelain veneers, your dentist can switch the nitrous to oxygen once the porcelain veneers have been placed with a temporary try-in paste. This will enable you to be lucid enough to decide if they are to your satisfaction and ready to permanently bond on.

Never allow a cosmetic dentist to bond on your veneers without your getting to see them and approve them. If you don’t absolutely love how they look, the dentist should make the changes needed.

Unfortunately, smile makeovers are not adequately taught in dental school. In order to develop the technical skill and artistry necessary to create beautiful smiles, they will need post-doctoral training. I would look for a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are the best cosmetic dentists in the world. You can feel confident that they will give you a stunning smile.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Invisalign

Fixing Misaligned Teeth Without Braces

I have some misaligned teeth, especially in the front. They’re not horrible, they’re just not in the right place. My dentist wants me to do a full set of braces. I’m not too keen on that idea. I’m 42 and have a professional job. Is there another option? I asked about Invisalign, but he said that the Invisalign treatment was not meant for misaligned teeth. What are they for then? If that won’t work, what will that isn’t braces?

Frank

Dear Frank,

Invisalign aligner

I am glad you wrote. I am not sure why your dentist said that Invisalign would not work for misalignment. That is exactly what the procedure is for. My guess is that he doesn’t offer the procedure and he is leading you to braces so you don’t switch to a dentist who has a broader service offering.

You mentioned that your teeth were not that bad, just a bit out of alignment. If that is the case, then you have a couple of options. The first is Invisalign. It will straighten your teeth. If you want to whiten them too, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. Both of these are simple procedures that pretty much any dentist who offers them can do for you.

However, if there are other things you would like to improve about your smile, you also have the option of getting a complete smile makeover. It will not actually straighten your teeth, but when done by an expert cosmetic dentist, it will make your smile look straight. Using porcelain veneers, you can change anything about your smile, including the shape, size, and color of your teeth all at the same time. This is the procedure that Hollywood celebrities go to in order to get their gorgeous smiles.

Unlike the first option, you will need to go to a dentist with serious cosmetic dentistry training to do your smile makeover. The best cosmetic dentists are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). If you want to go with the complete smile makeover, look for a practice that has an expert cosmetic dentist. For instance, at Camellia Dental Dr. Mike Malone does our cosmetic cases.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Porcelain Veneers

Dealing with Enamel Hypoplasia

I am have enamel hypoplasia on my teeth and it is very embarrassing. I try my best not to smile, but sometimes you just have to. I want to have a smile that I am not ashamed of. Do you know what are the best ways to treat this? I suspect with today’s cosmetic dentistry, there are solutions.

Pamela

Dear Pamela,

You are correct that there are some good solutions for this situation. An image with two examples of enamel hypoplasia

If you are reading this and wondering what in the world enamel hypoplasia is, it is when the enamel on teeth does not fully develop. This can happen because of a genetic defect, or because of an illness contracted during the formation of the the adult teeth. This is generally before age twelve.

Mild Enamel Hypoplasia

before and after dental bonding

Some cases of hypoplasia is mild, such as on the case on the left image, which gives a mottled appearance to the teeth. If this is your situation, dental bonding would be a good solution. This is done using a composite that is bonded directly to the tooth. It is often used to repair tooth gaps or chips in teeth, such as in the example above.

Severe Enamel Hypoplasia

porcelain veneer being placed

Some cases of hypoplasia are much more severe, such as with the image on the right. As you can see, the teeth are pitted and there is significant discoloration. Dental bonding will not work in this situation. Instead, I would look into having porcelain veneers done.

Both of these procedures are quite advanced and will require you go to an experienced and artistic cosmetic dentist. You may even want to look for an office that has an AACD accredited dentist. They are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

Once you have this work done, you will no longer be ashamed to smile. In fact, a beautifully done smile makeover can completely change your life because of the confidence that comes with it.

I hope this helps. Enjoy your new smile!

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Invisalign

Lumineers or Orthodontics?

My nephew is graduating and I promised to get him orthodontics as a gift. His parents are struggling and I know his teeth bother him. However, his dentist told him that he could get his teeth fixed much faster with Lumineers. I looked into it and they are a LOT more expensive. Would these really be a better option for him than straightening his teeth?

Angie

Dear Angie,

Invisalign aligner

I am glad you wrote before moving forward. If the only thing his teeth need is to be straightened, than orthodontics are the way to go. To do Lumineers simply to straighten teeth would be a bit of an overtreatment, and an expensive one at that as you have noticed.

At his age, instead of traditional metal braces, I would suggest you look into Invisalign. This would allow him to straighten his teeth without anyone even knowing because it uses clear aligners.

If there are other things wrong with his teeth, like their shape or size, and you are willing to invest in a total smile makeover, than porcelain veneers would be the way to go.

That being said, I would not recommend the Lumineers brand. This particular brand is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. Additionally, their lab, which they force dentists to use, is not known to produce beautiful results.

Instead, I would look for a dentist who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. They are the most skilled cosmetic dentists in the country and can give your nephew a stunning smile.

I hope this helps you with your decision.
This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Zoom Whitening

Getting White Teeth Fast

I had read on a dental blog similar to yours that over the counter Crest whitestrips actually works. I’ve been using them, but they seem to take forever. I want really white teeth, but need it faster because I have an event coming up. Is there a product for that?

Misty

Dear Misty,

Zoom Whitening Logo

While it is true that Crest Whitestrips really will whiten your teeth, the whitening gel concentration is pretty weak. That is why it is taking so long. It’s not Crest’s fault. Because they are over-the-counter, there are regulations on the strength they can use in order to protect patients.

If you are looking for something to get your teeth really white really fast, than I will suggest you see a dentist who offers Zoom Whitening. This is a procedure that you will do in-office and your teeth will be white in just one appointment. The gel is highly concentrated. Plus, there is a special light they use to activate the gel and kick the whitening process into gear. You’ll get remarkable results.

Make sure you ask for a take home tray so you can do upkeep and touchups in a year or so. That will save you money in the long run.

Getting a Complete Smile Makeover

single porcelain veneer being placed

Another option you have, if you’ve ever considered a total smile makeover is to get porcelain veneers. These use tiny wafers of porcelain that can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth simultaneosly. It is the go-to for Hollywood to get that celebrity smile they all seem to have.

It is quite an advanced procedure, though. You won’t want to let just any dentist do it. They need training, technical skill, and artistry. We have an AACD accredited dentist on our staff which means he is in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country. If you decide you want to go the complete makeover route, find one in your area. If you have to drive to a nearby city or state, it will be worth it.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Zoom Whitening

Fixing My Teeth Without Porcelain Veneers

I have some crooked teeth. All of my teeth are discolored from age. I want to improve my smile. My dentist is very keen on me getting porcelain veneers and even showed me his brag book. I hope it doesn’t sound ugly to say I was not impressed. I don’t want to hurt his feelings, so I am looking for alternatives.

Callie

Dear Callie,

Zoom Whitening

Don’t feel bad about having a high standard for your cosmetic work. These are expensive procedures that affect your appearance. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you.

If you do not want porcelain veneers, that is okay. There are options. The first thing I would suggest is to deal with the discoloration. Having brighter, whiter teeth can make you look years younger. One quick way to do that is with Zoom Whitening. It can deeply whiten your teeth in just one appointment.

side by side compairison of braces
Braces versus Invisalign

Then, to straighten them, you can either get braces or Invisalign. I recommend Invisalign for several reasons.

  • They are more comfortable
  • They are invisible even at a conversational distance
  • They work faster
  • They make it easy to keep up with your oral hygiene

Both of these procedures together are less expensive than porcelain veneers. While porcelain veneers require extensive post-doctoral training for a dentist to do them well, teeth whitening and Invisalign can be done by just about any dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Porcelain Veneers

My New Teeth Keep Popping Off

For our anniversary, my husband told me I could get a smile makeover. I’ve dreamt of one for several years. My teeth are chipped here and there, stained, and I have a few that are shorter than the others because of teeth grinding.

My dentist ground my natural teeth down to tiny yellow nubs and gave me temporary veneers. Then, my permanent ones came in. All totaled I have eight veneers. They look okay. Certainly at least whiter than my old teeth. The big problem I am facing is they keep popping off.

While she always puts them back on for me, I am living in constant fear of being humiliated in public. This week, two fell off while I was eating bread at a restaurant with a friend. I spent the entire rest of the day crying from the shame. It is always the veneers that have a slant on the back that seem to come off.

My dentist is blaming it on my teeth grinding, but I wear a nightguard for that, which I was told would protect both my natural teeth and my veneers. What do I do now? We’re a military family and about to get transferred to another base in the states. I’m afraid no dentist will want to deal with my freakish nub mouth. What do I do? I thought this would be a wonderful experience and it has turned out to be a nightmare.

Angie

Dear Angie,

This is a cosmetic denistry horror story for the books. I am so sorry that this was your experience. I believe this dentist has committed malpractice. First, I’ll tell you why and then we’ll go over what you can do about it.

The first thing you should know is that she did not give you porcelain veneers. What she provided was dental crowns and called them porcelain veneers. This is unethical. Here is how I know this.

Image of teeth prepared for porcelain veneers
Tooth preparation for porcelain veneers

When your teeth are prepared for porcelain veneers only a small layer on the front of the teeth is removed. Directly above I posted an image showing what this type of tooth preparation looks like. This is not what you described.

Image of tooth preparation for dental crowns
Tooth preparation for dental crowns.

Instead, I think your teeth look more like what you see in this picture– little nubs. This means she gave you porcelain crowns. Unfortunately, once that tooth structure is gone, there is no way to get it back. This weakens your teeth and makes them more susceptible to breaking later down the road.

Second, she hasn’t been able to bond your dental crowns on properly. While there are a number of dentists who would not know how to properly bond porcelain veneers, every dentist has been taught how to place and bond a dental crown. The fact that she can’t keep yours in shows a serious lack of basic skills. It also violates the basic standard of care.

Your dentist is legally liable for the damage done to your teeth. I don’t want you to just ask for a refund. Instead, I believe she needs to pay to have this repaired properly. I want you to find an expert cosmetic dentist in your new area and have them repair your smile makeover. When y ou get to your new base. Look up on mynewsmile.com to see which cosmetic dentists they recommend in your area.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Invisalign

Could A Dental Flipper Make My Teeth Look Straight

I feel at 42 years old I am too old for braces, but my teeth are crooked and I’m tired of it. I wondered if a dental flipper could make my teeth look straight?

Kelsey

Dear Kelsey,

Invisalign aligner

I think you may be confusing a dental flipper with Snap on Smile. A dental flipper is a temporary means of replacing a missing tooth. It fills in the open gap with a fake tooth.

Snap-on Smile, on the other hand, is a fake smile that will snap over your existing one. However, they are made of acrylic, so will not look as natural looking as porcelain. Plus, because they snap over your teeth they can make your smile look a bit bulky. It’s mostly used for something like a job interview or photoshoot when you need straight teeth fast, but only temporary.

You do have an option for straightening your teeth that does not include braces. These days you can get your teeth straightened using clear aligners. The top brand that provides that is Invisalign. These truly are invisible even at a conversational distance, allowing you to straighten your teeth without anyone even knowing.

If you are looking for an instant straight smile. You can look into porcelain veneers. These are used for complete smile makeovers and can give you a brand new smile in just two appointments. They won’t straighten your teeth per se but can make them look straight.

The only “catch” is that while any dentist who chooses to can provide you with Invisalign, you will need a dentist with expertise in cosmetic dentistry to provide a beautiful smile for you with porcelain veneers. This does take post-doctoral training.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Invisalign

Invisalign or Porcelain Veneers

I had been saving up to give myself a smile makeover. I’d planned on porcelain veneers. There is not anything major wrong with my smile, but I heard porcelain veneers were the procedure to do for a smile makeover. When I met with my dentist he suggested I do Invisalign first and then get the porcelain veneers. I was under the impression you do one or the other. I don’t have a major orthodontic case, just one crooked tooth. My dentist suggested Lumineers, which I was fine with, but that confused me more because their advertisement said they can make crooked teeth look straight. What am I not understanding?

Olivia

Dear Olivia,

Invisalign aligners
Invisalign Aligners

I can understand your confusion. In general, unless as you said there is a major orthodontic case, the porcelain veneers can make your teeth look straight if the dentist is skilled enough to do it right. I am concerned that your dentist is not and that is why he is suggesting Invisalign first. The fact that he wants to place Lumineers reinforces my fears. That particular brand of porcelain veneers is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists.

If you decide to go with porcelain veneers, you need to find a different dentist to do it. I would look for a practice that has an AACD Accredited Dentist on staff. That being said, I don’t think you actually need porcelain veneers.

Based on your description, it sounds like you are just wanting to whiten and brighten your teeth and change the appearance of that one crooked tooth. You could do that at a fraction of the cost of any brand of porcelain veneers using Invisalign.

Plus, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. Now, if there are other things about your smile you want to change, such as their shape or chips, then, yes, spend the extra money on porcelain veneers (though I do not recommend the Lumineers brand). Just make sure you get them done right with an expert cosmetic dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain Veneers Staining Around Edges

I had porcelain veneers done about one year ago. I’m almost 3/4 of the way through paying these off and they have started picking up stains around the edges. While I am a smoker, I was told these would be very stain resistant. Is something defective in them? Should I schedule an appointment with the dentist?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

If the staining is just at the edges, then it is likely an issue at the margins. There are a couple of things which could be causing this. First, it could be there is a gap between the porcelain veneers and the teeth. This can be a problem to fix and a rather difficult one.

However, it will be urgent to fix it because, in this case, the staining means there is debris and bacteria being caught between your teeth and the porcelain veneers. This will lead to decay. A gap in the margins is an error on the part of the dentist and as such he or she should take responsibility for fixing this.

A second possibility is it is the composite bonding that is picking up stains. This is normal and easy to fix. Your dentist polished these up when you first got your veneers and I would consider it a normal part of their maintenance. In this case, you should expect to pay it but it will not be very much at all.

It does require special strips to do so. Don’t go to your family dentist, but rather the dentist who did your smile makeover to begin with. They will have the means and knowledge to polish these up.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.