Best Lexington Cosmetic Dentist Archives

Best Dentist for a Recovering Bulimic?

Posted on December 14, 2022 by writeradmin.

I am bulimic but am in therapy for it. I am doing a bit better and am slowly getting my life back together. One of the things that really bothers me is the consequences my teeth have faced because of my actions. My therapist suggested a full smile makeover and I have some money that has been donated to me for the process, so money will not be a problem. What would be the best dentist for me? A cosmetic dentist? A crown specialist? Are there dentists who specialize in teeth damaged from my situation? I’m not sure which way to go and I want to do it right.

CeeCee

Dear CeeCee,

Congratulations on your progressing recovery. It sounds like you are doing well if your therapist is suggesting you get your teeth worked on. It is also exciting that you have someone who donated the funding for your procedure. I’m thrilled for you. While there is not a dentist who specializes in eating disorders, there are highly qualified cosmetic dentists that can give you a beautiful smile.

The one thing you need to be careful about is the dentist you choose. Most patients do not know that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist regardless of the amount of training they’ve received. Smile makeovers are not taught in dental school, so the dentist would have to invest in post-doctoral training.

In your place, I would look for a dentist who has been accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. In order to be AACD accredited a dentist has to pass stringent exams as well as demonstrate their artistry and technical ability on a large number of cases. They are hands down the best cosmetic dentists in the country.

Because of your bulimia, you will probably need a combination of porcelain veneers and crowns. But, be assured, you will be in good hands.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Dentist Destroyed My Smile

Posted on August 15, 2021 by writeradmin.

I had some composite bonding done on my front teeth after an accident that caused several of them cosmetic damage. The bonding is starting to stain and show its age and I wanted to get it fixed. The dentist who did my bonding passed away and his partner is the only dentist working at the practice. He told me that bonding cannot be redone and he’d need to do dental crowns on those teeth. I figured he knew what he was talking about and agreed. I have so many regrets. First, I only had bonding on three teeth but he said he’d need to do six teeth to get them all to match. I was not too crazy about that idea but didn’t really see an option. Second, the two front teeth are gray compared to the rest of the teeth.

Melanie

Dear Melanie,

You have probably figured this out by now, but your new dentist has absolutely no idea what he is doing. It is a shame because this situation could have been so much simpler for you. In fact, I’m going to add this to my collection of cosmetic dentistry horror stories.

The first thing you should know is that your dental bonding could have been replaced. Unless you had a bunch of new decay, which you never mentioned, then the bonding replacement would have been a breeze for a qualified dentist. He is obviously not a trained cosmetic dentist. Another thing that gives this away is his need to do dental crowns instead of the less invasive treatments. Even if you could not do bonding again (which we’ve already established was possible) then porcelain veneers would have been the next, less invasive procedure. After that, dental crowns would be the next option, but he should only need to have placed crowns on the affected teeth and not ground down the structure of healthy, intact teeth in order to match them.

Even with all those crutches, he still blew it. Your two front teeth don’t match the remainder of your teeth. That’s because it takes an expert cosmetic dentist to match front teeth. they are the most exposed to the light. My hope is your dentist cares enough about his work and patient satisfaction to be willing to re-do his poorly done work.

However, if he does, you need to insist that he use a temporary try in paste so you can make sure the new crowns match. It’s possible he does not even have a temporary try-in paste as it is obvious he does not do enough cosmetic dentistry. If that is the case, tell him a clear glycerin will work just fine. It must be clear or else you won’t get a true representation of the color.

If he doesn’t want to do that, you are better off going to a completely different dentist to have these two front teeth re-done. In that case, I would look for a dentist who has reached accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. That is pretty much a guarantee you will have stunning work done. These are the best cosmetic dentists in the world.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

A Costly Smile Makeover Disaster

Posted on May 9, 2021 by writeradmin.

I just spent close to $30,000 on something I now feel was entirely unnecessary. I have a small mouth and my two front teeth turned in just a bit. Not a lot, but a bit. I also had three missing back teeth. My dentist capped four of my front teeth and put mini implants in for the back teeth. However, the caps are so big that I cannot even close my mouth all the way. It’s caused horrible dry mouth and some pain in my jaw. My smile used to be attractive and now it looks like some kind of caricature. Is there anything I can do to fix this?

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

I am very sorry for what you are going through, and you will not feel better when I tell you that this was done incorrectly. If I understand you correctly your two front teeth were just turned a bit inward. That could have been solved with just two porcelain veneers. Now, it is too late for that. Once that tooth structure has been removed for the porcelain crowns, then there is no way to get it back.

However, inexperienced cosmetic dentists tend to lean on doing dental crowns, which they are more comfortable with. Doing four of them does not surprise me at all. He or she probably thought that was the only way to match the crowns to the adjacent teeth. That is another flaw of inexperienced cosmetic dentists. They have trouble matching things.

Another concern is the use of mini-dental implants. I am hoping your dentist did not put dental crowns on each of them. Mini-implants are really only strong enough to support a denture, not a dental crown. You would need full-sized dental implants for that.

Not being able to close your mouth is particularly disconcerting. That dry mouth you are experiencing is quite detrimental to your oral health. Your saliva carries important minerals that help fight against decay. Without the saliva, you will begin to see a great increase in decay and possibly gum disease. Additionally, the pain to your jaw, if left untreated can lead to TMJ disorder.

Though all of that may sound frightening, I think you will find the seriousness of the issues will work out for you in the long run. It will enable you to get the refund you need to get this done right. I don’t think having your dentist try again will work out any better. Instead, I am going to suggest after you get the refund, you find an expert cosmetic dentist. The best cosmetic dentists are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Get a consultation with an AACD accredited dentist. These are the best cosmetic dentists in the country.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.