Author: writeradmin

Makeover candidate

I’ve always been unhappy with my smile, but figured it was the one I was given and should “deal with it”. I think my teeth are too short. However, in the last three months I have chipped four teeth. (I’m not usually this clutzy). Anyway, now I feel like I have a “right” to do something about fixing my teeth. I was wondering, I know there is a way to fix the chips, but is there a way to fix my short teeth too? Would I be a smile makeover candidate? Does dental insurance cover any cosmetic stuff?

Jennifer S.- Idaho

Jennifer,

It sounds like you would make a fantastic makeover candidate. I’d specifically look into porcelain veneers. They are able to lengthen and even change the shape of your teeth.

Dental insurance tends to care more about function than form. As a result you will find that insurance is willing to get your teeth working again, but doesn’t really care how beautiful they are. Those services you generally have to cover. There are ways to do that affordably. One of the things I would not do to save money, though, is look for the cheapest cosmetic dentist. This is one of those areas where you literally get what you pay for. Two patients can get the same exact type of porcelain veneers and on one woman they’ll look stunning and on the other they look totally fake. The difference? The dentist.

It takes real artistry to make a smile look natural and stunning. I would specifically look for a dentist in your area who is AACD accredited, like Dr. Hurley is. They won’t be the cheapest, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the most expensive either. Plus, there are smart ways to save money. For instance. Let’s say all your chips are on your top teeth. If that is the case, there isn’t a huge reason to get veneers placed on your top and bottom teeth. Instead, I’d do veneers on the top teeth and just do teeth whitening on the bottom arch of teeth. That will save you quite a bit of money right there. That is just one example. Talk to your dentist about the kind of budget you have and what you’d like done. Many dentists can find ways to help you get there.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

My crowns don’t look the same

I had two crowns done. One of them looks darker than the other. It is the tooth that had a root canal done on it and had turned darker. I spoke with my dentist about my concern with a color difference. He said not to worry about it he’d take care of it. He even took a picture of the teeth to show his lab the color difference. However, they still ended up different colors. Is there anything to be done about it or do I just have to live with it?

Sylvia S.- Sheridan, AR

Sylvia,

It sounds like your dentist doesn’t have the necessary cosmetic skill and experience to deal with your situation. It can be handled, but it needs to be done by a highly trained cosmetic dentist. There is something called an opaquer that can cover the darkness of your tooth. However, you still want the porcelain crown to look bright and translucent, which takes some skill when there is an opaquer underneath.

You have two options. Anyone who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) will be skilled enough to handle your case. If you can’t find an AACD accredited dentist (and there aren’t many of them because of the stringent requirements) you can also find highly skilled cosmetic dentists on the mynewsmile.com website. They recommend artistic cosmetic dentists by state. They also have high requirements, so you’re safe with any dentist there as well.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Two dark teeth

I’m hoping you can help me. I have two teeth darker than my other teeth. One has bonding on it and the other one a dental crown. How can I get them whiter?

Sarah D. - Idaho Falls

Sarah,

There are two very important things to know about tooth whitening: First, it whitens evenly. That means if your teeth were uneven in color before you whitened them, they will be equally and more noticeably uneven afterward. Secondly, no dental materials, such as crowns, veneers, or bonding can be whitened. What color they are when they are placed is the color they will remain.

You do have options though. If it is only those two teeth you are worried about, and are otherwise satisfied with the color of your teeth, you could just have your dental bonding and your crown re-done. I recommend getting an all porcelain crown. They’ll be much more aesthetically pleasing.

If, however, you’d like all your teeth whitened, I would do the teeth whitening on all your teeth first, then get the new bonding and crown done to match the whiter color.

Good luck to you!

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

 

Gap between my teeth

I’ve got braces, but they’re almost done and I’m noticing some gaps between my teeth. Is there a way to “fill in” these gaps?

Catherine J. from Biloxi

Catherine,

There are two ways to fix gaps: dental bonding and porcelain veneers. With dental bonding a composite material is applied directly to your teeth to make them appear wider. This method works best with small gaps. It is done free-hand, so you’ll want to make sure you use an expert cosmetic dentist. Don’t just use your average family dentist who calls himself a cosmetic dentist, or you’ll be dissatisfied with the results. The second method is for larger gaps, or if you are interested in changing more about your smile than just your gaps. Porcelain Veneers can change the color, shape, and even the length of your teeth. Again, as with the bonding, you’ll want to go to an expert cosmetic dentist.

One way to locate one is to do a search on mynewsmile.com. On that site, they recommend cosmetic dentists in each state. A dentist can’t just request to be listed or merely pay to advertise on that site. Dr. Hurley is a recommended dentist for New Jersey. To do that she had to send in a list of her qualifications as well as samples of her work to validate her artistry.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

White spot lesions after braces

I had braces and I guess I didn’t brush very well because I have these white lesions. How do you recommend I treat them? I’m disappointed because I was looking forward to having straight teeth, but now I’m just embarrassed.

Amy S.- Bigelow, AR

Amy,

Having braces is challenging. It is recommended that you brush every time you eat, even if it is not a meal. If you don’t, food will stick to the brackets and before you know it you have ugly white or sometimes even brown lesions. Generally, you can fix those with dental bonding. However, if the lesions are extensive bonding won’t be enough and you’ll need to get porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Will insurance cover white fillings?

I was told my dental insurance doesn’t cover white fillings. I really don’t want the mercury in my mouth from the silver fillings. Is there anyway around that with my dental insurance?

Kathleen J. from Idaho

Kathleen,

If you have dental insurance, you won’t have to pay the entire fee. How much you pay will depend on where you need the filling. If you need it on a front tooth, then your insurance will probably cover it. They consider composite fillings (white fillings) on a visible front tooth a legitimate expense. However, if it is on a back tooth, then they may only cover the amount it would have cost to get an amalgam (silver) filling. You can still get the composite filling. You would just have to pay the difference.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Mercury-free dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Two chipped front teeth

Hi. I have two chipped front teeth. I had dental bonding on them, but now they chipped again, even a little further. My dentist is recommending four dental crowns. That seems like such an aggressive treatment to me for teeth that are otherwise healthy. What other options do you recommend, if any? Thanks for taking time out to answer my question.

Haley M. from Wyoming.

Haley,

I’m a little confused why your dentist is recommending four crowns instead of two. You said you only had two chipped teeth. Is there some other pertinent information I don’t have? If not, I’m questioning having this dentist do your treatment.

Assuming I have all the information I will say that I agree with you. Porcelain crowns are just too aggressive a treatment for healthy teeth. However, you’ve got the problem of dental bonding not working for you already. If you got more bonding on, chances are they wouldn’t last that long the second time around either. To me, it sounds like you are a great candidate for porcelain veneers. That will take off a very minimal amount of tooth structure, and they will last.

Let me give you a word of caution though. Make sure you go to an expert cosmetic dentist to have these done. With them being your front teeth, they will be a very visible part of your smile. You’ll want them to be as artistically done as possible.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

 

Is Dental Bonding Reversible?

I recently had some dental bonding done to close a small gap in my front teeth, but I’m not happy with the results. It doesn’t look nearly as natural as I expected. Can I get it reversed?

Debbie- Chicago

Debbie,

Yes, dental bonding can be reversed fairly simply. There is a special sandpaper that most dentists should have on hand, that is used to file the bonding off. The sandpaper will take it right down to the original enamel.

Your dental bonding can be done to look both beautiful and natural, however to get that kind of result you will need to go to an expert cosmetic dentist. Cosmetic dentistry is an unregulated field. Any general dentist can learn how to do a procedure or two and call themselves a cosmetic dentist. You want someone who has real artistry. Dental bonding has to be done free hand, so that takes an even greater skill. I would suggest after getting it sanded, to find one of the mynewsmile.com recommended dentists from Chicago and get the new bonding done by them. These dentists are screened for their credentials and artistry, so you’ll be safe with them.

This blog is sponsored by New Jersey Cosmetic dentist Dr. Hurley.

 

Veneers with Tetracycline Stains

I have Tetracycline stained teeth. Will I be able to get porcelain veneers to fix it?

Bethany H.- San Francisco

Bethany,

It is possible to do porcelain veneers with tetracycline teeth, but it is very tricky. You will need to go to an expert cosmetic dentist. There are several common errors with veneers for this kind of situation:

  • The dark stains show around the edges of the work.
  • The veneers aren’t opaque enough and the stains show through.
  • The veneers are too opaque and don’t look natural.

One way to find a dentist with enough training to avoid these errors, is to look for dentist recommended on mynewsmile.com. Dr. Hurley is a recommended dentist with them, and she had to submit her training credentials, along with samples of her work. Anyone on that site, should be able to handle your case.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Hurley.

Bleaching after Lumineers

I received Lumineers on six of my upper teeth. I didn’t do anything to my lower teeth and now I want to whiten them. Will that damage my Lumineers?

Thanks in advance.

Gena B.- Staten Island

Gena,

If you just want to do teeth whitening on your lower teeth, then there is no problem at all. What you bleach on your lower arch won’t affect the upper arch. Hopefully your dentist had you get your Lumineers to the level of whiteness you want all your teeth to be, because there is no way to change the color once they are bonded on. That will be your permanent color.

This blog is sponsored by New Jersey Cosmetic dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.