Tag Archives: Smile Makeover

Invisalign

Can Invisalign Straighten My Gums?

I’ve never been happy with my smile. My front teeth are a little crooked and my gums are uneven. I was thinking of getting Invisalign but wondered if it would work for my gums too. I’m a little embarrassed to ask my dentist in case it’s a stupid question.

Bethany

Dear Bethany,

A woman placing in her Invisalign aligners

When it comes to the health of your gums and teeth, there are no stupid questions so never be afraid to ask your dentist anything. He should be happy to answer. If he’s not, you need a different dentist. Invisalign is a great option for straightening teeth without anyone else knowing. They’re invisible even at a conversational distance. If you’re a good candidate then it will do a great job with your crooked front teeth. What it won’t do is straighten your gums. But, that doesn’t mean they can’t be straightened.

For that, your dentist can do a couple of things. If you’re referring to unevenness from one tooth to the next, then he’d do what’s called a gingivectomy. That simply means he’d remove some tissue from the gums that stand out more. It’s a simple procedure.

If the shape of your gums doesn’t look quite right or they’re bulky, then your dentist will perform a gingivoplasty. That’s just a big word for reshaping. This is also a simple procedure. Both are done in-office in one visit. I’d recommend taking care of the gums first and then getting your Invisalign done.

An Alternative to Invisalign

If there’s more than just the crookedness of the front teeth which bother you, there’s another option. Porcelain veneers can give you a complete smile makeover. Veneers can change everything about your smile—the shape, the size, the color, even the character.

Unlike Invisalign, which can be done by just about any dentist, a complete smile makeover will require an expert cosmetic dentist. Otherwise, you could end up with very disappointing results. Look on aacd.com to find an accredited dentist in your area.

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

Porcelain Veneers

Can porcelain veneers fix a tooth gap?

If I have a tooth gap between my center top front teeth, can porcelain veneers close the gap?

Lucy P – North Dakota

Lucy,

Yes, porcelain veneers can close a tooth gap. However, unless there are other things about your teeth you’d like to change, there is a less expensive fix.

Dental bonding is a simple way to close a tooth gap. It uses composite resin. Your dentist will manually shape it to your teeth, blending it to look naturally with your front teeth.

Porcleian veneers are better for a total smile makeover.  They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth. They can completely remake your smile.

However, they do cost more than bonding. Which procedure you should get will be determined by your goals and desires for your smile.

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.

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.

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.

Invisalign

Fixing protruded teeth

I have protruded teeth. I am wanting a cosmetic option to fix it, but don’t want braces. What are my best options?

Alina M. – Montreal

Alina,

Both the options I am about to share with you will repair protruded teeth. However, neither will work if your teeth are extremely protruded. My most important advice is to make sure you go to an expert cosmetic dentist. We’ll talk more about this in a minute. I’ll give you the options first.

Your first option is Invisalign. These are different than braces, which I can understand you not wanting.  They will repair your teeth, straightening them like braces, but there are no uncomfortable wires and brackets, plus they are no visible to other people, even at at conversational distance. No one will even know you are wearing them. If you’re open to that, then Invisalign would be one of your options. A good one too, because your teeth will be straight.

A second option is to get porcelain veneers. These will not actually straighten your teeth, but they will make them appear straight. Even though these don’t actually straighten your teeth, they do have a different kind of advantage. These can also change the shape and color of your teeth.  So, if there is more than just straightening your teeth you had in mind, these may be a better option.

That being said, if you ever get cosmetic work done of any kind, it is extraordinarily important that you use a highly skilled cosmetic dentist. Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. Therefore, any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. The skills necessary to do a beautiful smile makeover are not taught in dental school. It takes a considerable amount of post-graduate training to develop the skill and technique necessary. Plus, you want a dentist with an artistic eye.

So, how do you make sure you’re getting a qualified cosmetic dentist? My recomendation would be to find a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Only the top cosmetic dentist reach accreditation level.

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

 

Uncategorized

My friend is a dental student. What about going to him for my smile makeover?

We saw a blog post where the person was asking about getting a smile makeover from a dental student. The dental student is her friend, and I think it appealed to this person because of the prospect of saving a lot of money.

Click here to read the post.

The blogger answered the question well, we thought. A lot of people don’t understand that cosmetic dentistry is art, and the culture in dental school is actually, unfortunately, often anti-creativity. And that’s probably how it should be. The first task of a dentist is to learn the technique and in doing so they need to learn standard procedures. They could get into all kinds of trouble by encouraging creativity.

This blog is sponsored by Lafayette dentist Dr. Michael Malone.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain Veneers when pregnant

Can you get porcelain veneers when you’re pregnant? I’m five months along.

Alissa M.- Birmingham, AL

Alissa,

Congratulations on your baby! Yes, it is perfectly safe to get porcelain veneers when you are pregnant. The procedure doesn’t require any anesthesia. Even if you needed novocaine, that is a safe drug that has been teste for use during pregnancy (one of the few ones).

I’d get the veneers sooner rather than later, because you don’t want to be in the late, uncomfortable stage of pregnancy, while sitting in the dental chair.

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

Porcelain Veneers

Choosing between Lumineers and porcelain veneers

I’ve been thinking about getting my teeth fixed for a long time, and have started looking into what that will involve. My top middle teeth are poorly shaped, with one being really thin and almost triangular, and one that looks as if it had a big chip out of it, though it hasn’t. My other top teeth are not as noticeably weird, though I think if I get the middle ones done, they will look really bad in comparison.

I haven’t talked to my dentist about this yet, and have just started trying to look stuff up on the internet. There is so much information! I am having a hard time even figuring out what to look for.

As far as I can tell, probably Lumineers or porcelain veneers would work for me. But I read a lot of criticism about Lumineers, and wonder if I should maybe chose porcelain veneers. What would you suggest?

Philip in Louisville, KY

Dear Philip,

For best results, you’ll want to change your thinking a little bit. First, Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers, so it is kind of like asking if you should buy a Dell or a laptop. There are many brands of porcelain veneers, and trying to figure out what would work best for you would be both time-consuming and ultimately a little pointless. Rather than focusing on the materials you want for your smile makeover, concentrate your energy on choosing the right dentist.

Cosmetic dentistry is not a legally recognized sub-specialty, so anyone can say they do cosmetic dentistry procedures, regardless of training. Check references and credential carefully, and look for evidence of specialized training beyond dental school in the procedure that you wish to investigate. Look for before and after pictures on the dentist’s website.

Though we do want you to focus on choosing the dentist and letting the dentist choose the materials, we do have a word of caution about Lumineers. Many cosmetic dentists refuse to use them, because they can appear pasty and opaque, and the no-prep technique can result in a bulky look and feel. That being said, some dentists have used them to create really beautiful smile makeovers. The choice will be up to your dentist.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain crowns for a smile makeover?

This may seem like it is coming after the fact, but I am curious about something. I recently had a smile makeover done. I thought I was going to have all porcelain veneers placed, but when I look at the backs of my teeth, it looks like the porcelain goes all the way around. Is it normal to place porcelain crowns instead of porcelain veneers for purely cosmetic reasons? I thought crowns were just for teeth that were damaged. I guess the reason this concerns me is that maybe my teeth were in worse shape than I though, if they needed crowns.

I’ve since seen my general dentist, and she seemed very impressed with the work, so I am not concerned about the quality of the workmanship. Is this standard, to have crowns instead of veneers for a cosmetic smile makeover?

Thanks for your insight,

Ben in Oregon

Dear Ben,

Porcelain crowns and veneers differ only in degree–there really is no specific line of demarcation where a veneer becomes a crown. The fee for a porcelain veneer is usually the same or nearly the same as that for a porcelain crown, because the effort to place each type of restoration is about the same.

It is actually quite common to see porcelain crowns used on the front teeth for cosmetic reasons rather than protective ones. If your teeth were not weakened or damaged, your dentist might have decided to go with crowns to control your bite.

It is surprising that the dentist did not discuss this in detail with you during the course of your treatment. Typically, smile makeovers involve a great deal of give and take between the dentist and the patient, because the dentist will want to make absolutely sure he or she knows exactly what the patient wants.

The simplest solution is simply to ask your cosmetic dentist why he decided to go with porcelain crowns rather than veneers. Crowns are the more aggressive form of treatment, and require more reduction of the natural tooth structure. Veneers require only a little bit of shaving on the front of the tooth. For that reason alone, I would expect your dentist to have a sound reasoning for choosing the crowns. Most dentists will always pursue the least aggressive form of treatment and strive to preserve as much of the natural tooth structure as possible.