Archives for January 2018

Are Porcelain Veneers and Press-on Veneers Comparable?

January 26, 2018 by admin

I have stained teeth and the two front teeth have a small gap. I’ve been thinking about porcelain veneers, but I’m still paying off student loans so I’m not sure if more debt is what I need. However, at this point in the game, I worry that the condition of my teeth keeps me from advancing at work. It may just be my sensitivity about my teeth, but I feel like everyone who gets a promotion has a gorgeous smile. We have a business that is quite interactive with our clientele. I recently heard about something that is called press-on veneers. They are still costly but not quite as much the porcelain veneers. Are they comparable?

Amanda W.

Dear Amanda,

A Smile Makeover Done by Dr. Newkirk with Porcelain Veneers

It depends on what you’re going for. If you’re looking for a permanent smile makeover that looks beautiful and natural, then I would go with porcelain veneers or other alternatives, which we’ll discuss momentarily. The press-on veneers will not accomplish that. What they could be useful for is a photo shoot you have to do or something similar.

They’re too bulky looking to look natural at a conversational distance and many patients find them difficult to talk with them in. Plus, they’re not permanent they’re removable. Rather than compare them to porcelain veneers, I’d say they’re much more like Snap-On Smile.

Even the website for the press-on veneers will tell you they’re bulky. I noticed when I looked at their models in their photos, which would be their best, you could see a gap between the top of their press-ons and the gums above them. That will allow things to get trapped between them leading to decay, not to mention it’s unsightly.

Alternatives to Porcelain Veneers

Because you’re mostly worried about staining and a gap, there’s a much more affordable solution which will give you a beautiful, natural smile. The first, obvious thing is teeth whitening. That alone makes a huge difference in someone’s smile.

For the gap, you have two options. First, you can get Invisalign. It’s a type of Invisible braces. This would make more sense if there were other portions of your teeth that also need to be repositioned. However, unless the gap is very large, it would be a bit of an overtreatment.

If everything else is perfect and you just have a small gap, I’d suggest getting dental bonding done to close the gap. You would want to do the whitening first to ensure your bonding will perfectly match the new white color of your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. David Newkirk.

Teeth Whitening Store Has Me in Agony.

January 10, 2018 by admin

I’m in complete agony and am too embarrassed to call my dentist. I’ve wanted to whiten my teeth for a while, but am a broke college student. So, as you can imagine, what my dentist quoted wasn’t feasible for me. I was at the mall and saw a teeth whitening store. I was curious if they’re the same price so I wandered in. The girl seemed super helpful and knowledgeable. They were half the cost of my dentist and she was even a certified teeth whitening specialist, so I felt safe doing it. I went back the next day and they used this gel and lamp. I was (and still am) in complete agony. My gums are on fire and my teeth look dark everywhere I have a filling. I feel like I need to go to the doctor about my gums, but what do I do about the fillings?

Corra

Dear Corra,

Beautiful White Teeth

Wow! Corra, what a disaster. I want to start with the pain you’re in. It sounds like they didn’t put a protective covering on your gums and it came into contact with both the whitening gel and the light. That’s a huge mistake they made. Essentially, what you have is equivalent to a sunburn on your gums. I don’t think a doctor will be able to do much. Saltwater rinses might speed the healing. Also, don’t hesitate to take some pain reliever.

You should know two things: 1. There is no such thing as a certified teeth whitening specialist. That’s likely just an in-house term they use after they teach their employees the procedure to make them sound qualified, but as you can tell they aren’t. 2. Never be embarrassed to talk to your dentist, even when you feel you’ve done something stupid. Though, in this case, it wasn’t you being stupid as much as misled. Dentists have heard it all and need to be aware of places putting patients at risk, which this mall company did with you.

Teeth Whitening and Dental Work

Another mistake this company did is not warn you about your fillings. Teeth whitening only works on natural tooth structure. That goes for whitening done with your dentist as well, though he would have informed you.

When you have visible dental work, such as porcelain crowns or fillings, etc., the surrounding tooth structures will whiten but the other work will not. Most patients go ahead with the whitening and then have their dental work replaced to match it.

After your gums have had time to heal from the trauma they’ve undergone, contact your dentist. He or she can replace your fillings with beautiful white fillings that will match the new color of your teeth. It wouldn’t hurt for you to have him look at your gums and make sure no permanent burn damage has been done.

Also, make a note to the Better Business Bureau about this place and leave a review, so other unsuspecting people aren’t injured.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. David Newkirk.

Dentist Pushing Me to Get Implant

January 9, 2018 by admin

I recently lost a tooth and my dentist is pressuring me to replace it with a dental implant. You have to understand I have a very hard time recovering from surgeries and the idea of doing one electively seems absolutely insane to me. I am currently wearing a dental flipper while I make a decision. Am I insane for looking at alternatives? If not, what do you recommend in my particular case?

Cathy

Ilustration of a dental implant crown being placed in three stages

Dear Cathy,

Let me say up front, you are never insane for looking at alternatives. Instead, I would say you are wise. I also don’t like it when patients feel pressured by their dentist. It creates a feeling of insecurity and wariness when it comes to confiding in them their true feelings. Eventually, that leads to mistrust.

In your case, you have two great options.

Dental Implants
Dental Bridge

Dental Implants

As you noted earlier, dental implants require a prosthetic tooth root to be surgically implanted into your jawbone. Then, after a healing period, a crown is placed on top of the implant to replace your tooth. With a single tooth, the advantages include the following:

No other tooth structure is affected. The only thing you have to worry about is the space where the new tooth will be placed.
It is the closest thing to having a healthy natural tooth again.

Dental Bridge

With a dental bridge, you will have a false tooth suspended between two dental crowns. This requires the two adjacent teeth to received crowns. If those teeth already need work, no problem.

However, if they are healthy you will be grinding down healthy tooth structure. This doesn’t mean you are wrong if you choose this option. It is just something to be aware of.

Dental Implants and Tooth Color

While your implant crown can be made to match any shade of tooth color, once it is made, the color is permanent. That means if you have the porcelain crown made to match your current tooth color then later decide to whiten your teeth, your natural teeth will whiten but your crown will stay the same color.

Obviously, this only matters if it is visible when you smile. If it is, you’ll have to replace the crown. An easy way to prevent this is to consider ahead of time if you plan on whitening your teeth any time in the near future.

If you are, it will save you money to take care of that before you move ahead with your your tooth replacement. This way you won’t have to replace it sooner than would otherwise be necessary.

This blog is brought to you by Naperville Dentist Dr. David Newkirk.