finding a cosmetic dentist Archives

How Much Dental Work Can Be Done in One Sitting?

Posted on June 11, 2023 by writeradmin.

I need a significant amount of dental work done and am finally in a position to do something about it. At last check, I needed three root canal treatments, several cavities filled, my teeth whitened, as well as some cosmetic work done about some chips and a snaggletooth. I’d like to get this done as quickly as possible. How much dental work can be done in one sitting? I am ready to get that beautiful smile I have always wanted but couldn’t afford.

Stacey

Dear Stacey,

I am glad that you are able to get the work you have always wanted done. How much you can have done in one setting will really depend on the dentist. Each dentist is different in the amount of work they are willing to do during an appointment. You will find that sedation dentists will be willing to do more at a time than other general dentists. This is especially true if you use oral conscious sedation. You are so relaxed with this type of sedation that you will sleep through the appointment. This makes it easier for you to tolerate more dental work at a time.

You’ll want to get the general work done before you start in on the cosmetic work. The exception to that would be the teeth whitening. If you are going to need dental crowns, you will want your teeth the color you want them before you have the crowns made. The whitening will not work on dental crowns, only natural tooth structure.

Be Careful Who Does Your Cosmetic Work

While teeth whitening can be done by just about any dentist, the work for the chips and the snaggletooth will require cosmetic expertise. When you do get those procedures done, you will want to see a dentist who has both technical skill and artistry. You will have the most success with a dentist who has been accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. You can feel confident that any one of them can provide you with stunning results. You’ll have a smile you will be proud to show for many years.

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

Dental Bonding Doesn’t Match

Posted on September 25, 2021 by writeradmin.

I just repaired a chipped tooth with some dental bonding, but the color is so off that you can tell right where the bonding ends and the tooth begins. Is it okay to ask my dentist to re-do this? Will I have to pay again?

Ebony

Dear Ebony,

You can definitely ask your dentist to re-do this dental bonding procedure. It is a reasonable expectation that your bonding should match the rest of the tooth. And, no, you should not have to pay for this again. Be aware, however, if the color is that far off and he was happy to let you walk out the door like that, he may not have the cosmetic skills to do this repair correctly.

Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. Because of that, any general dentist can do cosmetic work. To make matters worse, doing these types of procedures are not adequately taught in dental school. It is completely up to a dentist how much training they invest in. Unless a dentist does a significant amount of cosmetic work, they will only have the generic composite color and materials available. To do a bonding case well takes a great deal more. Additionally, because it is done freehand, the dentist needs an artistic eye as well.

All that being said, you may be better off to just ask for a refund and then go to a more advanced cosmetic dentist to have this done. I suggest you look for an AACD accredited dentist. That is different than just being a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Accredited dentists are the top cosmetic dentists in the world. You are pretty much guaranteed a beautiful result.

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

AACD Accredited Cosmetic Dentists

Posted on November 20, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m a little confused about cosmetic dentistry. Some say they are AACD accredited and some just say they’re cosmetic dentists. Is there a difference? Is one better than the other? I’d like to get a smile makeover but want to do it right.

Paisley

Dear Paisley,

This is a very important question. There are countless cosmetic dentistry horror stories that have resulted from patents not knowing how to find the right cosmetic dentist. One thing which is important to know upfront is cosmetic dentistry is unregulated. There isn’t a recognized specialty so any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist regardless of the amount (or lack of) additional training they received. Smile makeovers are not taught in dental school. Therefore, it is up to the dentist to invest in the skills and artistry required to create beautiful smiles.

With an AACD accredited dentist, you can know they’ve received the training and have the artistry to create beautiful smiles. In order to become accredited they have to pass technical exams, as well as demonstrate artistry on a large number of specified cases. They are in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country.

I don’t want to give the impression they are the only great cosmetic dentists. Some excellent dentists choose not to get accredited. Some are on their way to accreditation, which takes a long time, but already have the skills.

What to Know Getting a Smile Makeover

The first thing I’d do is look for an accredited dentist in your area. However, not every location will have one. If yours doesn’t, then you have two choices. The first is to travel for your smile makeover where there is an accredited dentist. Many people do that. In fact, some accredited dentists have patients who fly in from other countries to have their work done. The second option is to look for another local dentist who is equally qualified.

One way you can do that is by checking the mynewsmile.com website. Dentists cannot pay to be listed there. Instead, they have to show they have the requisite technical training and artistry. They can also give you a gorgeous smile. There are always three precautions to take though. One is to look at their smile gallery. If you want a smile makeover, porcelain veneers are the way to go. See what the before and after photos of porcelain veneers they’ve done look like. Don’t let them show you stock photos. It needs to be their cases. If you’re not blown away, move on to a different dentist.

After you’ve looked at their results, check their reviews. You want to be certain patients are happy with the dentist, the staff, and their results. Finally, make sure they have some type of beautiful smile guarantee. That essentially means you get to see the porcelain veneers on your teeth with a temporary try-in paste. If you don’t love them, they go back to the lab until the dentist gets the smile just the way you want it.

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

DURAthin or Lumineers

Posted on October 29, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’ve been looking specifically into two different brands of ultra-thin veneers. I like the pictures of the DURAthin veneers better but I didn’t know how big the price difference is between the two of them. Can you give me some guidance here?

Bensen

Dear Bensen,

I think I can help you here but it will require changing the way you are thinking about this. The cost of any brand of porcelain veneers varies substantially from dentist to dentist. That’s because the cost of the porcelain is the smallest factor in the outcome of the veneers. As an example, if the porcelain would cost $10, the ceramist will increase that cost based on their skill level. So, let’s say somewhere between $100 – $300. That is the cost of the dentist. Then, the dentist will add their increase, also based on their skill level.

You had an interesting insight when you mentioned you liked the pictures of DURAthin better than Lumineers. The reason for that is the restrictions Lumineers puts on dentists. They require dentists to use their lab and ceramists, which isn’t known for creating beautiful results. Does this mean you should go with DURAthin? Not necessarily.

Instead of looking at brands, you need to be looking at cosmetic dentists. Two different dentists can work on your smile makeover using the exact same brand and end up with completely different results. That’s because of the differences in their training and artistry.

Finding the Right Cosemtic Dentist

There isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. This leaves it up to the dentist what and how much training they invest in doing beautiful smile makeovers. The best cosmetic dentists are AACD accredited. In order to become AACD accredited, they had to pass stringent exams as well as demonstrate their artistry in order to reach accreditation.

One thing to be aware of is once they’re accredited, they’re accredited. There isn’t currently anything which requires them to continue to demonstrate their artistry. As a precaution, I’d ask to see examples of their most current smile makeovers.

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

Knocked out Permanent Tooth

Posted on August 17, 2018 by writeradmin.

So…let’s say I’m a clutz and I knocked out a permanent tooth. I’ve already called my dentist and am on my way to try and save it. But, if he can’t, what do I do? I’d rather ask a cosmetic dentist because that seems like a cosmetic issue to me.

Tanya

Dear Tanya,

Knocked out a tooth? See an emergency denitst.

Wait? Are you saying you don’t want to look like a hockey player with a bad dental plan? I can’t imagine why not.

First, let me congratulate you on going to your dentist immediately. Time is of the essence when it comes to saving a permanent tooth which has been knocked out. Ideally, you’ll want to get to the emergency dentist within thirty minutes. Plus, be sure to keep the tooth moist and only hold it by the crown. Never mess with the root.

If the Emergency Dentist Can’t Save Your Tooth

The absolute best replacement would be to get a dental implant. It uses a prosthetic root to stand in for the lost tooth root and then has a porcelain crown attached to it to mimic the lost tooth. They’re permanent and function just like your natural teeth. You can eat what you want and brush as you normally would.

However, it is an advanced procedure which requires some post-doctoral training on the part of the dentist. So, be certain to ask them about their training and experience.

I also want to congratulate you for realizing you’ll need an experienced cosmetic dentist to give you a beautiful result. If you’re talking about replacing a single front tooth, then it’s even more imperative. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you.

Ideally, you’d want to see an AACD accredited dentist. Those dentists who’ve reached accreditation level are the top cosmetic dentists in the world. They can recreate your tooth exactly.

If you desire, they can even custom design a complete smile makeover for you with porcelain veneers to match your new tooth. These can recreate anything you’d like to about your smile. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth all in one fell swoop.

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

Emergency Dentist Refuses to Fix My Crown

Posted on November 18, 2017 by writeradmin.

I’m not sure what to do at this point. I’ve had a crown for just a few months. It’s been nothing but trouble from the beginning. My dentist adjusted it several times because it’s been so painful. But, a piece broke off. I’ve been tired of dealing with this dentist so I decided to go to an emergency dentist. He did get me in fairly quickly which was nice, but then said he wouldn’t repair the crown. He is, however, willing to replace it. How lovely. He’s willing for me to spend a ton of money I’ve already spent. Is this legit?

Alice M.

Dear Alice,

It’s hard to say with certainty if the crown needs replacing or not without examining it. However, you mentioned it broke. Sometimes that can be repaired and sometimes it cannot. If you’re concerned the emergency dentist is taking advantage of you it may be worth it to get a second opinion. Some dentists will even give you a free second opinion.

I’m sorry you’ve had so many problems with the dentists you’ve been to visit. That’s not typical. One bad apple, maybe, but two in a row would be unusual. If it does need to be replaced, you’d be within your rights to ask for a refund. You haven’t had the crown long enough to even justify a minimum of usage.

You’re not bound to either dentist. I’m not sure why your first dentist had so much trouble with your crown.

If you’re in need of finding a new dentist, look on the mynewsmile.com website. They list out dentists by area. Additionally, the dentists are highly skilled. They can’t just pay to be listed on the site. Instead, they have to demonstrate both technical skill and artistry. So, they’d make fantastic cosmetic dentists as well.

I always recommend when patients are looking for a new dentist to determine what type of services they’re looking for in the long run. If you just need general dentistry services, any nice family dentist will do who does good work and has a pleasant chairside manner.

However, if you’re interested in other more specialized skills, such as a smile makeover with porcelain veneers, then choosing a dentist with incredible cosmetic skills is a must. In that case, look for a dentist who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.