Numbness from Dental Implant

I had multiple dental implants placed in my lower left side three days ago. The whole procedure was a nightmare. The dentist was running behind and it took him almost an hour to get to me. When he came in, he was in an obvious hurry. He normally puts gel on my gums and lets it sit for a while before he tries to numb me, but this time, he […]

Is It Safe to Remove Mercury Fillings?

I have a mercury filling I want to get rid of. When I spoke with my dentist about it, he said it was less safe to remove them than to just leave them in. Is that true? Addy – Wisconsin Addy, Removing amalgam fillings does release mercury vapors. That would be quite bad for you. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get your mercury fillings removed. You’ll just need to […]

Dececember 2008 Lumineers case-of-the-month after photo

Have a Lisp Since Getting Lumineers

I received a promotion. I’m stoked because it is my dream job. I’ll be speaking at our big annual conference this year and decided to go all out and get a smile makeover. I like how they look, but seem to have developed a lisp. I don’t know what to do. Is this normal? Deidre – Maryland Deidre, First, things first…congrats on the promotion. There’s nothing like really loving your […]

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

Used Whitestrips on My Porcelain Veneers

I’ve had porcelain veneers for quite a few years. They’ve always held up and looked just like the day I had them placed. I switched dentists because of a move and now, suddenly, they’ve lost their shine and started picking up stains. I didn’t know what to do, so I used whitestrips to try to brighten them up. I think that was a mistake, because now my porcelain veneers are […]

Whitening A False Tooth

I have a missing front tooth. The adult tooth never came in when I was younger, so I’ve always had a fake tooth there since my pre-teen years. I’m older now and am thinking about getting a dental implant placed. But, first I’ll want my teeth whiter. When I get my teeth whitened, will it also whiten my false tooth? Nancy B. – Idaho Nancy, It sounds like you have […]

If I had my dentures re-done, would they look better?

I had dentures done. A full set. I had a disaster for a mouth and I’m the first to agree my smile was pretty ugly. I know I should be happy with the dentures, but to me they’re obviously fake looking. My dentist keeps telling me that I should be happy, they’re much nicer than my old teeth. And he’s right. But, each of these teeth look completely uniform and […]

Ilustration of a dental implant crown being placed in three stages

Can Dental Implants Make You Numb?

I think I caught my dentist on a bad day and it has caused some problems. Normally, he’s very patient and gentle, but the day I came in for my dental implant, he came bursting through the door in a rush and obviously upset. He didn’t take time to numb me much before my injection, which normally he does because he knows I get anxious. He just jabbed me. It […]

What Kind of Dentist Does a Toothache Need?

If I have a toothache, that’s not on the tooth, but in the gums, what is the best dentist to go to a regular dentist or a root canal dentist? Morgan Morgan, At this point, the best dentist for you to see would be a general dentist (also known as a family dentist). Your dentist will do some diagnositic tests to determine what is really going on. Sometimes injury or […]

Can a Child See an Adult Dentist to Avoid Mercury?

I’m very careful what I put in my son’s body. He’s in need of a filling. I’ve been taking him to a pediatric dentist, but they want to do a silver filling, which is loaded with mercury. My dentist is a mercury-free. Would it be OK to take my son to an adult dentist in order to avoid mercury? Brenda M. – MIchigan Hi Brenda, We always want the best […]

Help! Lumineers Gave Me Horse Teeth

I got Lumineers. My dentist suggested that brand so I wouldn’t have to grind my teeth down. But, now that they’re done, they’re so bulky that I feel like I have horse teeth. Can this be fixed or should I move to England? Miranda H. – Oregon Miranda, I have some friends from Great Britain who would be simultaneously offended and ammused by your question. Don’t pack your bags for […]