Tag Archives: Teeth Whitening

Invisalign

Do I Need Porcelain Veneers, Teeth Whitening AND Invisalign?

I am a bit confused. I thought that porcelain veneers could make teeth look straight and white. When I went to see my dentist about getting a smile makeover with porcelain veneers, he said I would need to get my teeth whitened first, next Invisalign, THEN I can get porcelain veneers. I really don’t understand why three procedures. The only thing crooked on my teeth is a slight overlap of my front teeth. I truly thought the porcelain veneers would take care of that. Do I need all three procedures?

Samantha

Dear Samantha,

Invisalign aligner

No, you should not need all three procedures. Two makes sense. The third does not. Which two you get will depend on your goals. If you are wanting your teeth to simply be whiter and straighter, then you would save a LOT of money by having teeth whitening and Invisalign. In fact, you could do both of these procedures at the same time. This is because the Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays.

If, however, you were wanting to change the shape or size of your teeth, then your best option is to get teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. You may be wondering why both? Most people’s smile is eight to ten teeth wide. If you cannot get that many porcelain veneers, you will want to whiten your teeth before getting the porcelain veneers so that the teeth can blend together more naturally. Most people do not place veneers on their bottom teeth unless they feel the need to change their appearance. In most cases, the will just whiten the bottom arch. You will not need the Invisalign in this case because a skilled cosmetic dentist can make those front teeth look perfectly straight.

So why is your dentist suggesting all three? The most logical reason is that he or she is not skilled enough to make the teeth look straight. If you want porcelain veneers, you will want to have an expert cosmetic dentist to do the procedure. If you decide to do Invisalign and teeth whitening, just about any dentist who does Invisalign can do both procedures.

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

Invisalign

Can Invisalign Work With Missing Teeth

I never got to have braces when I was younger. Since then, I lost a couple of teeth. I am too embarrassed to smile. I have a job and they recently hinted that they want to promote me. However, because it is an upfront position, I would need to get my smile fixed up. The job description does include a professional appearance. I was thinking I should straighten them because I have some crooked teeth, too. Do you know if Invisalign would work with missing teeth? Do I have to replace the teeth or can the gaps just be closed?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

Invisalign aligner

Congratulations on your possible promotion. It is obvious they value your work. Invisalign can work with missing teeth. Depending on which teeth are missing, you may or may not need to replace them. One thing to be aware of is that different dentists have varying degrees of confidence when it comes to cases such as yours. I would feel better if you got about three opinions from different Invisalign dentists so you have a bigger picture in your mind.

If you do need to replace your teeth, I suggest you replace them with dental implants. They are more expensive, but they are the most like having natural tooth structure. More importantly, they’re the only solution that will protect you from bone loss in the area, which will impact your smile.

As you are trying to get the most professional appearance possible, using Invisalign will also allow you to whiten your teeth and straighten them at the same time for a fraction of the cost. This is because the aligners will double as teeth whitening trays. All you’ll need to purchase from your dentist to whiten your teeth is the professional strength gel. You won’t need the custom-fitted trays because you can use the aligners.

Best of luck on your promotion!
This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Sedation Dentist

How Can I Get the Most Dental Work at Once?

I need a LOT of dental work done. I’ve neglected my dental care over the last few years because of finances. I have dental insurance with my new job and am hoping to really to catch up with my work as quickly as possible. Is there a best practice way of getting the most work done at once, such a fillings one day, crowns another? Or is it better to mix them?

Brooke

Dear Brooke,

An image of a woman resting in a dental chair with dental sedation to relax her

I’m sorry you have had such a hard time the last few years, but congratulations on the new job! Hopefully, this is the start of many blessings for you.

How much work you have done in one sitting has more to do with the dentist and your level of tolerance. Each dentist is a bit different on the amount of work they are willing to do per appointment.

I have found that the ones willing to do the most work are those who use dental sedation. I would especially recommend oral conscious sedation. Though it is administered by a pill, it is extraordinarily effective. In fact, many patients call it sleep dentistry because of how strong it is. If you want to, you could sleep through your entire appointment.

If you decide to use oral conscious sedation, you will need someone to drive you to and from your dental appointment as well as stay with you for a few hours after your appointment until you are lucid and steady on your feet.

You did not mention root canal treatments, but if you need more than one and they are on molars, I recommend using an endodontist for those. A general dentist can do them, but an endodontist would be faster.

I hope this helps you and I’m glad you are in a position now to get your teeth where you want them.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.
Click here to learn about teeth whitening.

Sedation Dentist

Dental Treatment While in Addiction Recovery

I have been dealing with an opiate addiction. I am on the path to recovery and am in a methadone program to help with that. I go to counseling regularly and have a full time job now. I’m even working toward going back to school. the problem I’m having is my teeth. Due to my addiction, I really neglected them and now need a ton of work done. I do have a bit of dental anxiety and am having trouble finding a dentist willing to provide me with any dental sedation, let alone pain medication after the procedure. I’ve offered to give each of them the number of the clinic that provides my methadone and even will sign a waiver to let them have access to my records there. Still no one is willing to help me. If you have any suggestions or advice for me I would be quite grateful.

Once I get my teeth healthy, I’m hoping to spruce up how they look, but I think just getting them in shape will cost most of my savings.

Damien

Dear Damien,

An image of a woman resting in a dental chair with dental sedation to relax her
Sedation Dentist is sometimes dubbed sleep dentistry because you are so relaxed.

You are in a tough position. In case nobody has said it to you recently, you are doing amazing things getting your life back on track. It is hard picking yourself up like that and you seem to be crushing it! That is something to be proud of.

Though you are probably feeling judged, what is more likely happening is that the dentists are afraid of the D.E.A.. There have been stories circulating about dentists getting in trouble just for being compassionate and prescribing extra pain meds.

I think you will be able to find someone who is willing to help you. Start by calling dentists whose website says they offer dental sedation. Just keep calling. You will find someone.

As for sprucing them up. An inexpensive way to make a huge difference in the appearance of your smile is to have teeth whitening done. That one simple procedure will take years off their appearance.

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

Zoom Whitening

Zoom Whitening After Spots from Braces?

My daughter had gotten her braces off several weeks ago and there were white spots on her teeth. Our orthodontist told me to see our dentist who would know how to fix the white spots. Our dentist suggested we whiten her teeth. Because we were in such a hurry to get her teeth looking normal and attractive, she suggested Zoom Whitening, which is a new procedure she had started doing. We did it but it made the spots a lot worse. Did she do something wrong? She did tell me we’d be one of the first patients to use the procedure.

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

A patient under a Zoom Whitening Light
Zoom Whitening

I am sorry your daughter has been getting such poor care. I think your dentist is well intentioned but doesn’t understand the principles of teeth whitening very well.

When teeth are whitened, they are whitened uniformly. That means the white spots will get whiter along with the remainder of your daughter’s teeth. Zoom whitening is very effective, which meant it just whitened the teeth uniformly faster.

The Cause of White Spots on Teeth

When there are white spots on teeth after braces, it is because of decalcification. This happens when the teeth are not adequately cleaned during the time they are wearing braces. It can be hard to get around all those metal wires and brackets.

There is a tooth mousse that could help with the decalcification, however it does not usually help with the esthetics. One way that will deal with both issues is dental bonding.

However, dental bonding is a very advanced cosmetic dental procedure. As your dentist did not have a grasp of the principles of teeth whitening, which is the simplest cosmetic procedure, she will not be able to do the dental bonding well.

My suggestion is that you take your daughter to an expert cosmetic dentist to have the dental bonding done.

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

Invisalign

Ways to Straighten a Crooked Tooth

I have two crooked teeth and a couple of small gaps. I went to my dentist to discuss braces. I heard there are clear braces these days. My dentist is suggesting porcelain veneers because my teeth are yellow and these can straighten my teeth and make them whiter. I am a bit concerned on how expensive porcelain veneers are. Are there better options?

Enid

Dear Enid,

Invisalign aligner

Let’s start with the porcelain veneers. They can make your teeth look straight, but they will not actually straighten your teeth. These are more useful if you are looking for a complete smile makeover, but not a great use of your money if you are just wanting to straighten and whiten your teeth.

In all honesty, there is a much less expensive option for you. If you get Invisalign, which use clear aligners. These can both straighten and whiten your teeth simultaneously. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays so all you will need is to get some professional strength gel from your dentist.

This will straighten and whiten your teeth at a fraction of the cost of porcelain veneers.

Of course, if there are other things that you would like to change about your teeth, such as their shape or size, then porcelain veneers will be a great option. Just make certain that you go to an expert cosmetic dentist to have the work done. Otherwise, you could end up with a smile that is less attractive than your natural smile.

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

Zoom Whitening

Will Zoom Whitening Refresh My Porcelain Veneers?

I have had my porcelain veneers for a little over seven months. Everything was fine, but recently I have noticed that they have begun taking on stains. I tried over-the-counter teeth whitening strips, but they do not seem to be helping. My dentist does zoom whitening. Would that help?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

a porcelain veneer being held up to a tooth

The glaze on porcelain veneers are very stain resistant. In fact, they are more stain resistant than your natural teeth. If they are picking up stains then something has damaged the glazing that protects them.

You mentioned that you have had them for a bit over seven months. This is enough time for you to go in for a check up and cleaning.  It is possible that the hygienist was unaware that using a power prophy jet or acidulated fluoride could damage the glazing.

My suggestion is you ask your hygienist what he or she used during your appointment. If they damaged the veneers then they should be the ones to repair them.

Unfortunately, Zoom Whitening will not help. Teeth whitening only works on natural tooth structure, not dental work. This is also why the over the counter strips didn’t work.

The good news is that there is a way to repair the glazing. If your dentist does not know how, have him cover the expense of having an expert cosmetic dentist do that for you.

Once they are repaired, I recommend you use Supersmile Toothpaste. It is specifically designed to keep dental work in top shape. It can even remove coffee stains without any damage to your porcelain veneers.

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

Invisalign

Retainer After Invisalign Treatment

I am on my last pair of aligners for Invisalign. An opportunity I cannot pass up has been offered to me, but it will require me moving in the next week to another state. As you can imagine, I have a LOT to take care of between now and then. Fortunately, my new company is paying for my move and a temporary home until I find something. However, I still have to figure out what to do about my Invisalign. I don’t know if I will need to find another Invisalign dentist when I move or not. My dentist mentioned that I will need to wear a retainer after my treatment is done. I don’t know if that is like a regular retainer or if Invisalign does something different. Can you give me some guidance here?

Belinda

Dear Belinda,

Invisalign aligner

 

Congratulations on the new job! It sounds like you have exciting things ahead of you. If you were in the middle of your Invisalign treatment, I would say that you would need to find another Invisalign certified dentist to continue your treatment.

You are on your last pair of aligners, so unless there have been some complicating factors  that you have not mentioned, then I see no need for you to have to find another Invisalign dentist.

Retainers are something just about any dentist can do. Plus, your current dentist is ethically obligated to send them all of your diagnostics and treatment records, including his notes.

Using Your Invisalign Aligner as a Retainer

You may not even need to do that, though. It sounds like you are going to be very busy so I want you to focus on getting your new life and home set up and not have to squeeze getting fit for a retainer in for that. You can actually use your final aligners as your retainer. Here is how:

  1. Start by wearing them all the time for a month.
  2. Then wear them only at night for one to two months.
  3. Try every other night, testing for movement.

Here is how you test for movement:

If you find it a bit more challenging to put the aligner in after you went to the next stage, that means that the teeth shifted some. Go back to the previous stage for another month or two and then test it again.

4. If every other night works, do that for a couple of months.
5. Try every 3 nights. After each new stage, test for movement.
6. Go to once per week.
7. Try not wearing them at all.

Keep your aligners around even after this for two reasons. First, you can periodically check for shifting of your teeth and use them as needed. Second, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. If your dentist offers teeth whitening, they can provide you with the whitening gel and you can wear them without having to have custom trays made, which will save you money.

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

Invisalign

Am I Too Old for Invisalign?

I have never had a straight smile. When I was little, my parents could not afford dental care, let alone braces. In adulthood, I had one tragedy after another, which also kept me from getting braces. Now, I am 57. I know it sounds vain, but I am in a situation where I can finally do something about this. I know the teenagers are mostly using Invisalign to straighten their teeth. Am I too old for that way of straightening my teeth? I was hoping to do it without a mouth full of metal.

Althea

Dear Althea,

Invisalign aligner

First, let me say there is absolutely no vanity in wanting straight teeth no matter what your age. Not only is it just taking the best care of your teeth that you can, but when your teeth are not straight, it can contribute to jaw pain and even migraine headaches.  That means that straightening your teeth is also taking care of your health.

Second, you are definitely not too old to have Invisalign. While you may know about it from teenagers, it was actually made first and foremost for adults. Invisalign Teen didn’t come into play until several years later.

I personally know of an 80 something year old woman who used Invisalign and was quite pleased with it! You’ve got quite a few years to catch up with her. In fact, you’re practically a pup!

I’ll let you in on a little secret too. If you were also interested in whitening your teeth, you could do it simultaneously with your Invisalign treatment. The aligners you would use for your orthodontic treatment can double as teeth whitening trays. Then, your dentist would only need to provide you with the whitening gel.

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

Zoom Whitening

Zoom Whitening Left One Tooth Lighter than Others

Two days ago I had Zoom whitening done. It all went pretty well, and I had very little pain or sensitivity after. It didn’t burn my gums or anything like that. I was surprised because a friend of mine did experience those things, but she does have extra sensitive teeth.

But now I can’t help but notice my right front tooth, the one next to the eye tooth, is lighter than all the others! At first, I thought I was imagining things, but I’ve looked at it under different lights and it’s definitely lighter than its neighbors. I asked my wife and she can see it too.

Why would this happen? What should I do?

Thanks,
Eric

Dear Eric,

Zoom whitening patient under the light

 

For those who are unfamiliar with this procedure, Zoom Whitening works by having a professional place a hydrogen peroxide based gel on the teeth, which is then activated by shining a specific type of light upon it. It will whiten any natural tooth structure, but will not whiten dental work, such as tooth-colored fillings or crowns, whether porcelain fused to metal, zirconia, or veneers.

The light activation allows you to get your teeth completely whitened in just one appointment.

What Would Cause One Tooth To Be Lighter Than The Others?

There are a few reasons this might happen. If the neighboring teeth have more filling material than this tooth, it could appear lighter due to the higher presence of natural tooth structure that is responding to the whitening agent. If this tooth happens to have an already-light crown or veneer, this may occur.

Sometimes it may be due to differences in the application of the gel, if it had been applied unevenly. Other times it may simply be caused by the original shade of the tooth itself, compared to the others. These shade differences occur naturally at times, and a tooth that was slightly lighter to begin with may end up lighter at the finish.

 

What Can Be Done?

Call your dentist; they should be able to get you in for an evaluation. If this was not due to an existing filling, crown or veneer, the doctor may choose to do a touch-up, where additional Zoom whitening treatment is given to the neighboring teeth to see if they can be lifted to match the shade of the lighter tooth. This may take a few appointments. Barring that, you may consider bonding or a porcelain veneer to attain the shade match desired. Many options exist, but they all begin by calling the office.

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