smile makeovers Archives

Can I Whiten My Teeth with Bleach?

Posted on November 6, 2024 by writeradmin.

I would love to whiten my teeth but am big on DIY. Is there a way to just use my household bleach in order to whiten my teeth? If not, is there an alternative?

Katie

Dear Katie,

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I am so glad you wrote. I love when people are independent and try to find solutions they can do on their own. While it sounds logical that bleach would whiten your teeth, after all we call it tooth bleaching, bleach is not actually what is used to whiten your teeth. This is because bleach is a base, like Lye. If you watch any crime shows or mysteries on television, you may be familiar with the use of Lye as a means of getting rid of a body. Like Lye, bleach can do serious damage to organic tissue. In fact, dentists often use household bleach to help remove dead organic debris inside a tooth after a root canal treatment.

If you were to use bleach inside your mouth to whiten your teeth, then you risk damaging all of that tissue inside your mouth, including your cheeks and gums. You certainly would not want to accidentally swallow any of it.

If you are looking for a DIY, there isn’t something you could use from at home materials. However, there is an over-the-counter option. Crest Whitestrips do whiten teeth. They do have some downsides. First, they are very weak. It would take a LOT of boxes to get the same level of whitening you would through your dentist. Second, they only cover your first six teeth. Most smiles are eight to ten teeth wide, which means you’d have to wear multiple strips each time to get matching teeth. That will mean you will have to buy even MORE kits.

You would be much better served getting professional teeth whitening done through your dentist. The whitening gel is exponentially stronger, which means you’ll get results much faster. Plus, he or she will make custom fitted trays for your bite which will protect the gel from reaching your gums. By the time you bought all the over the counter kits you’d need to get the same results, it would end up costing your more than what your dentist is likely to charge.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.
Click here to learn about a complete smile makeover with porcelain veneers.

Can I Get Porcelain Veneers If I Have Two Dental Implants?

Posted on August 21, 2024 by writeradmin.

I hate the way my smile looks, and really want a smile makeover. A friend who had one, that turned out gorgeous, said they used porcelain veneers. I have two teeth that have been replaced with dental implants. Am I able to get porcelain veneers with that? Will they put the veneers over the crowns or will those teeth have to stay the same?

Andrea

Dear Andrea,

You can always get a smile makeover! Porcelain veneers, when done well, are the best way to get that gorgeous Hollywood smile. You don’t want the dentist to put the porcelain veneers over the crowns, though. The Lumineers company used to advertise something like this telling people it was a way to save their old, ugly crowns, but it was a bad idea for three reasons.

First, it takes just as much work to place veneers over crowns as it does to just remake the crowns. Second, veneers do not bond to porcelain nearly as well as they do to natural teeth. Third, you double your risk of failure because now both the underlying crown can fail as well as the insecure bond between veneer and crown.

What you want to do instead, is have porcelain veneers placed on all of the teeth you want veneered EXCEPT for the ones with dental implants. Then, have the implant crowns replaced to match the porcelain veneers.

Who Should Do My Smile Makeover?

You need to be very careful who you have do this for you. Smile makeovers are an advanced procedure which is not adequately taught in dental school. Your case is even more complicated because you are having to match crowns and veneers together.

What you need is an expert cosmetic dentist. A challenge you will face with this is that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, dental school isn’t enough to get really skilled in cosmetic procedures. In order to develop the artistry and expertise necessary, a dentist would have to invest significant time and money in post-doctoral training. Few do this.

So, how can you find the ones who have? One of the easiest ways to do this is to go to the website for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD.com). They have an accreditation program. In order for a dentist to get AACD accredited, they have to pass stringent exams that shows their technical expertise. Additionally, they have to demonstrate their artistry before a board of examiners on a large number of cosmetic cases. Very few dentists get through this. In fact, I would say those that do are in the top 1-3% of cosmetic dentists in the world.

If I were in your place I would look for an AACD accredited dentist. On the AACD website is a find a dentist link. Just make sure that you check the box that shows you’re looking for someone who is accredited.

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

Will Medicaid Cover Porcelain Veneers?

Posted on July 10, 2024 by writeradmin.

I have been bulimic since I was 15 years old, which has left my smile in very bad shape. I would like to fix it but I’m hoping to not spend more money than is necessary. Is there a chance that Medicaid will cover them because it is a medical condition?

Selena

Dear Selena,

I am sorry you are going through this. There are a couple of problems with the Medicaid. First, you will need to get them to agree that the problem is medical. Even if you do that, and that is a big if, Medicaid will only pay for the cheapest solution to the problem. In your case, when it comes to fixing your teeth, they are very likely to say that the solution they will pay for is to extract all your teeth and give you dentures. You do NOT want that. Even if you found someone to give you the most beautiful dentures in the world, in ten years or so, you’ll be dealing with facial collapse.

The effects of facial collapse on a person’s appearance

Facial collapse happens because when your teeth are removed, your body instantly recognizes that. It interprets that as you no longer needing the jawbone that was there to support your tooth roots. Because of that, it begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body where they will be of more use. This has the unfortunate side effect of shrinking your jawbone until there is not even enough left to support your dentures, leaving you completely without teeth.

The way to prevent facial collapse would be to get dentures that were supported by dental implants. The implants are surgically placed into your jawbone, signaling to your body that there are still teeth there, which means it will leave the minerals in place. However, this is super expensive and Medicaid will not cover it.

It will be much more cost effective for you to save your natural teeth. But, the cosmetic part will not be covered by Medicaid. It will be out of pocket. While porcelain veneers are the standard for a smile makeover, you will want to find out how much damage there is to the back of your teeth. With bulimia, the backs of your teeth are what receive the bulk of the damage. You did not mention if your bulimia was under control or something that you are still battling. As long as that is still happening, you will continue to damage your teeth. If you are still struggling, one thing that can help, but not eliminate the damage is for you to immediately rinse out your mouth thoroughly with water in order to neutralize the acid.

Getting the cosmetic work done on your teeth may take you some time. It is important that you don’t just try to find the cheapest dentist to do this. Unfortunately, cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. That means that any general dentist is allowed to do it regardless of the amount of post-doctoral training they’ve received in the procedure. There is no one that has verified their skill or artistry in this. Usually, the cheapest dentists have the least amount of training. There are countless cosmetic dentistry horror stories.

My advice to you would be to get a consultation with an expert cosmetic dentist. The best way to find them is to look for someone who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Dentists who are AACD accredited are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. This is different than membership. Any dentist can be a member. In order to become accredited, a dentist has to pass stringent exams as well as provide visual documentation on a large number of cases they’ve done to prove they have artistry and can provide patients with a stunning result. This dentist can give you the best advice on what procedure will give you the smile of your dreams. Then, find out how much it would cost and save up for it.

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

These Weren’t Really da Vinci Porcelain Veneers

Posted on May 16, 2024 by writeradmin.

I wonder if you can help me. I wanted a smile makeover and my dentist said he would get me da Vinci porcelain veneers. I live in the deep south and it took a while for them to get in because they are out in California. The day they came in I was so excited and went to the office right away. Unfortunately, the office said that they didn’t like some of the results. Almost immediately, a man showed up to take them and work on them. This has me puzzled. how would he show up immediately from California like that when they just got in. This is making me wonder if these were not really da Vinci veneers. I’m worried about that because I have never had a good experience with a cosmetic dentist in the south. I only agreed to these veneers because my dentist assured me he was using da Vinci. What do I do if I don’t like them?

David

Dear David,

I agree with you that something hinky is going on here. You are correct that he would not fly out there immediately, as well as get there so fast. While there is a slight (highly unlikely) possibility that they had the original work done by the da Vinci labs and then hired a local guy to do the repairs, I have real reasons for doubting that. This is because da Vinci would have to fix it for free, while someone local would have charged them. The more likely scenario is that they never used da Vinci to begin with.

No matter how good a lab is, it will not make up for any lack of skill on the part of the dentist. Plus, in a large lab like da Vinci, only their top cosmetic dentists get the best ceramists. Others will get those with less skill.

So, how can you protect yourself here? My big suggestion is that you make sure they are first placed with a temporary try-in paste. This will enable you to get a good look at them in several different type of lighting in order to determine if you are thrilled with the results. If you are not, do NOT let him bond them on. They should go back to the laboratory to make any changes you deem necessary. Whatever you do, do not let him bond them in.

If he refuses to do that, then get a refund and go to an expert cosmetic dentist to have your porcelain veneers done.

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

Do No-Prep Veneers Require a Certain Smile?

Posted on August 22, 2023 by writeradmin.

I want to get a smile makeover and have been looking at no prep veneers. My concern is that there seem to be very mixed results. I’ve wondered if the results had to do with the size of the teeth. One of the pictures where there are good results showed that the girl had very small teeth to begin with. Would I need tiny teeth in order to have a pretty result?

Janice

Dear Janice,

I am glad you wrote. It is good that you noticed there is a difference in the results when it comes to smile makeovers. Believe it or not, the biggest difference is not the type of smile the patient starts with or even the materials used (with one exception), but the artistry and technical skill of the dentist.

Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. This means any general dentist can do cosmetic procedures regardless of the amount of training they’ve received in those procedures. In order to become technically skilled, a detnist needs to invest in post-doctoral training. Additionally, there is the needed X factor of artistry. You can have two dentists work on the exact same type of smile, with the exact same type of materials and the results will turn out completely different. This is because, like painting or sculpting, smile makeovers are an art form and much of how it turns out depends on the artist.

Are All No-Prep Veneers the Same?

There are several brands of no-prep veneers. Remember when I said that the materials don’t matter that much? There is one slight exception to that. I would be wary of a dentist wanting to do Lumineers. These are heavily marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. However, the bigger problem with them is the company that makes Lumineers require dentists to use their lab. Unfortunately, this lab is not known for producing beautiful results. Most expert cosmetic dentists have their own lab and master ceramist they prefer to work with— one they know will give the results they expect.

Finding a Dentist for Your Smile Makeover

Focus on finding the right dentist. Then he or she will be able to tell you whether or not no-prep veneers would be a good option for you. Even if it is not, the amount of tooth structure that would be removed for traditional porcelain veneers is about the depth of a fingernail. It is not anything like the grinding that has to be done for dental crowns.

So, where do you find this elusive expert cosmetic dentist? The easiest way is to go to the the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and use their “find a dentist” link. Make sure you click that you want an accredited dentist. That is important. Any dentist can be a member. AACD accredited dentists had to pass stringent exams as well as demonstrate their technical skill and artistry on a large number of cases. They are in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country. You will be in good hands.

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

My New Smile Makeover is Turning Yellow

Posted on August 10, 2023 by writeradmin.

Can you help me? I feel like every time I get over one gut punch with this smile makeover another one hits me. I had six porcelain crowns placed. First, I was disappointed with the results. I asked for them to be really white. When they came back they had what looked like some discoloration on them. He told me that was so they looked like natural teeth and not fake. By then, he had already bonded them on so there was nothing I could do about that. At first, I cried all the time. I mean, if I’d have wanted stained teeth, I could have just left my own as they were. Now, after just over six months, they second punch comes and the crowns are turning yellow. I do drink coffee, but I did that before I had the crowns placed. My dentist never mentioned that would be a problem. Is there anything I can do to get these whitish again.

Eden

Dear Eden,

I’m sorry this happened to you. It sounds like your dentist is more of a general dentist than a cosmetic dentist. I am curious why he provided you with dental crowns instead of porcelain veneers, which is the standard for a smile makeover. You didn’t mention needing dental crowns for a clinical reason. Sometimes dentists who do not know how to do porcelain veneers will steer their patients toward porcelain crowns instead, which they are familiar with.

The staining he ordered is also an indication that he is not a true cosmetic dentist. People get smile makeovers because they want their teeth to look phenomenal, not just like everyone elses. He should have addressed your concerns.

Why Are They Staining?

As to why they are staining, they shouldn’t be. Porcelain is actually more stain resistant than natural tooth structure. The timing of these stains are enlightening to me. You said it had been a little over six months. This is enough time for you to have gotten your next dental cleaning.

As I already suspect that your dentist does not know much about cosmetic work, it is likely he or she has not taught the hygienists about the precautions to take in their cleanings. If they used anything like a Power Prophy Jet or acidulated fluoride during your appointment, it would remove the glazing from the crowns. That glaze is what is makes it so stain resistant. Without that, your crowns have no protection and will quickly begin to pick up stains.

I recommend you get a second opinion from an expert cosmetic dentist and have them verify what happened to the crowns. If your glaze is missing, your dentist needs to take responsibility for this and repair or replace your crowns.

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

Too Much Shine on My Porcelain Veneers

Posted on March 30, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have seen so many before and after porcelain veneers pictures at my dentist’s office and they all look better than mine. For some reason, mine look way too shiny and flat. It gives them the effect of looking like pieces of chicklet gum stuck in my mouth. Are the pictures photoshopped?

Ariana

Dear Ariana,

I think I know what is going on with your porcelain veneers, but let’s address the before and after images first. I don’t know your dentist but I doubt they were photoshopped. If the photos are significantly better than the results you got, it is probably because your dentist is using stock photos instead of his own work. This is a practice I don’t encourage but it does happen, especially with inexperienced cosmetic dentists. I always recommend two important things when it comes to getting cosmetic dental work done.

The first is to make sure the dentist has post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry. Most people do not know that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. In addition, smile makeovers are not taught in dental school. It truly is up to the dentist how much training they invest in before doing cosmetic procedures on their patients.

The second thing is to make sure the dentist only uses a temporary try-in paste when their porcelain veneers arrive. You should get to look at them carefully in several different lightings before they are bonded on. Only allow the dentist to permanently bond them on if you are thrilled with the results. If you are not, tell the dentist what you don’t like and ask him to fix that.

What Went Wrong With Your Porcelain Veneers?

If you look at the image I have at the top of this post, you will notice that the teeth are not flat. Instead, they are textured. If your dentist did not know how to do that and they are flatter on the surface, they are going to have too much shine, as you described.

A second issue is the chicklet appearance you mentioned. Again, you may notice on this image above that the teeth are not uniform in color from top to bottom either. Some parts are more opaque than others. If you keep them completely the same, then that fake look will result.

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

Solution for a Chipped Tooth

Posted on November 30, 2019 by writeradmin.

I chipped my teeth in a stupid fall. My dentist is suggesting putting two Lumineers on the front teeth. I asked him why two instead of just the chipped tooth, mostly because those puppies are so freaking expensive. He said you have to do two on front teeth in order for them to match perfectly. I guess I can fork out the money. I don’t want to go around with a damaged front tooth, but thought I’d just check and see if there are other options.

Patricia

Dear Patricia,

I’m glad you wrote. In general, if all you want to do is fix a chipped tooth getting porcelain veneers is a massive overtreatment. Porcelain veneers are used for complete smile makeovers. If there are other things you want to change about your smile, this is a good investment. It can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth simultaneously.

You said all you were interested in is the chip. In that case, there is a more appropriate treatment. I would go to an expert cosmetic dentist who does dental bonding. There is a picture above showing how well this can blend when done well. I wouldn’t let your current dentist do this. He’s not a skilled cosmetic dentist. There are a couple of reasons for me feeling confident in that statement.

First, he said you would have to do two Lumineers to get the front teeth to match. This is a dead giveaway he is not a skilled cosmetic dentist. What he should say is, you need two veneers for HIM to get them to match. Second, he’s suggesting Lumineers. This is a brand of porcelain veneers that is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. They say that because you can place them without any tooth preparation. While true, in most cases they end up looking bulky that way.

Dental bonding is even trickier because it requires the dentist to create the shape of the tooth freehand. It takes serious artistry. This may be why your dentist didn’t suggest it. He may not even know how to do the procedure.

Finding a Great Cosmetic Dentist

You have three different ways you can find a great, artistic cosmetic dentist. The first is to check a bunch of dentist’s websites to see if they do dental bonding, then look at their smile gallery to make sure they do beautiful, natural-looking work. This is a tad time consuming, but will work. Just make sure the work they’re showing is their own work and not stock photos.

Second, you can hit the easy button and just go to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s website and do a search for an accredited or accredited fellow dentist. AACD accredited dentists are the top cosmetic dentists in the world. They will give you beautiful, natural-looking results.

Finally, you can try mynewsmile.com. Sometimes it is hard to find an accredited dentist within a reasonable distance. There are incredible dentists who are in the process of being accredited but haven’t officially passed yet. That is not because they don’t have the skills, but rather because it takes years to get officially accredited. The mynewsmile website fills in the gap. They screen every cosmetic dentist who wants to be listed for both technical training as well as their artistry. They cannot pay to be listed. Their website lists both accredited and non-accredited dentists who have the skills.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Cosmetic 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.

Teeth Whitening and Porcelain Veneers

Posted on September 18, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m wanting to upgrade my smile. I’ve got enough for a teeth whitening right now and thought I had enough for porcelain veneers too. I priced the dentist I wanted and he’s quite a bit more than I was expecting. My family dentist will do the porcelain veneers for half of what the other dentist is charging. Should I go with the dentist I can afford or is it worth it to wait?

Brandon

Dear Brandon,

A lot of that depends on the two dentists. Price isn’t necessarily the best factor in judging the skill of the cosmetic dentist. Some excellent cosmetic dentists have average prices. Some have high prices. Some terrible cosmetic dentists have average prices. Some have high prices.

So, how does one determine the skill of the dentist? Unfortunately, cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty, nor are smile makeovers taught in dental school. If a dentist is interested in doing cosmetic dentistry, they have to invest time and money in post-doctoral studies at reputable institutions.

It also takes some artistic abilities, which don’t come naturally to everyone. Think about it like commissioning a painting. If I hired two artists to do my portrait, both with the same exact materials, it is very likely one will be better than the other because of their artistic abilities.

Finding a Great Artistic Cosmetic Dentist

There are two great resources to know whether or not a dentist is skilled enough to give you a beautiful smile with porcelain veneers. The first is to see if they are AACD accredited. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the world. The second is to see if they are listed on the mynewsmile.com website. Many of these dentists are also either accredited or on their way to accreditation. All of them are highly skilled and artistic.

If your family dentist is listed as an accredited or a mynewsmile dentist, you will be safe to move forward. If he’s not, get the teeth whitening done, which can be done by any dentist. Then, save up your money for a dentist who can give you the stunning smile you’ll want.

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