Archive for the ‘Porcelain Veneers’ Category

Is a “Snap-On Smile” a good choice for me?

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Hello,
I’ve heard of this kind of dental appliance that you can put over your teeth, and that it can temporarily make it look like you’ve got the perfect smile. I’ve got a class reunion coming up, and I really want to make an impression, but extensive dental work is not in my budget.

First question is, what is this appliance called? Where can I get one, or talk to someone about how much they cost, how they really look when they are done, and whether or not they have to do anything to my teeth for me to wear it? How long does it take to get one?

Thanks for your help,

Grady in Manchester, New Hampshire

Dear Grady,

You are talking about a Snap-On Smile, and it is manufactured by a dental lab in New York. Snap-On Smile appliances are a kind of temporary smile makeover. People use them sometimes as costume props for the theater, or for big events like weddings or reunions. This is not meant to be a permanent appliance.

Your dentist will have to send in a model of your teeth to the laboratory, and after that it takes about two weeks for your appliance to arrive. It should just snap right over your own teeth, with no alterations at all, and it should be fairly comfortable when in place. The Snap-On Smile will make your teeth seem larger and bulkier, so be prepared for that.

A word of caution—for best results, you should really consult with an experienced cosmetic dentist, and have them send in the model. When you get ready for a permanent solution, porcelain veneers might be an option for you.

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Question about using crowns instead of porcelain veneers in a smile makeover

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

I have a question about my recent smile makeover. I thought the dentist would use porcelain veneers, but the porcelain goes all the way around my teeth. Are these actually porcelain crowns? Is it normal to use crowns for a procedure done for purely cosmetic reasons? My teeth were discolored, but otherwise sound. Since the makeover, I’ve seen a couple of the dentists in the office where my kids get their routine care, and they say the use of crowns for this situation is normal, and seem very impressed with the work. What is your opinion?

Bruce in Newark

Dear Bruce,

There is not a rigid definition of when a veneer becomes a crown—the difference between a crown and a veneer is a matter of degree only. Both take about the same amount of work to place, and the fees are often the same or very close to it.

In terms of use in a smile makeover, it is not at all unusual to see crowns used in place of veneers on the front teeth. Your dentist may have had several different reasons for using crowns rather than veneers. You state that your teeth were sound, so it could have been done to control your bite.

I am a little surprised that your dentist did not explain his treatment plan to you before you had the work done. When you ask about this—and I do suggest that you ask, for your own peace of mind—I would expect there to be a good reason for going with a more aggressive form of treatment. Most cosmetic dentists will choose the most conservative treatment plan available to meet their ends, and porcelain veneers are definitely more conservative than crowns. For dental crowns, your natural teeth must be substantially reduced, while for veneers, only a thin shaving of the front surface of your teeth is necessary.

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I have Lumineers, and now I want to bleach my teeth.

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

A couple of years ago, I got Lumineers for my top teeth, but never did anything to fix my bottom teeth. Now I want to bleach my teeth, but what will that do to my Lumineers?

Stephen in Boise

Dear Stephen,

I have to start the answer to your question with a question—do you want to bleach just your bottom teeth, or both the top and the bottom?

If you want to bleach just the bottom teeth, you should be fine. But the Lumineers will never get any whiter than they are right now, so I really hope you got them the shade you wanted.

If you were beginning the process of getting porcelain veneers in our office, we would encourage you to pick the degree of whiteness that you want for the upper teeth rather than trying to match the shade to your lower teeth (unless, of course, your lower teeth were already the shade you wanted). If you are trying to pace your costs for treatment, you can get by with whiter upper teeth, and then go back later and bleach the lower teeth to match the shade of the upper teeth.

To read more about the process of bleaching your lower teeth, read our page on Zoom Whitening.

I hope everything turns out OK for you.

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Fastest way to straighten teeth?

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

I am getting married in a little over a year, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life being embarrassed by the pictures! My teeth are so crooked I rarely smile, and when I do, I look uncomfortable and self-conscious.

I talked to an orthodontist who told me it would take more than two years with braces to straighten my teeth. I asked him if there wasn’t a faster way, and he kind of avoided answering. I did not feel like he was comfortable talking to me about anything except the regular braces.

Do I have any other alternatives?

Thanks,

Jordan from Kalkaska

Dear Jordan,

If the orthodontist you consulted was only comfortable talking about traditional braces, then you are smart to seek help elsewhere. Rather than consulting with a different orthodontist, you should seek the help of an accredited and experienced cosmetic dentist that can offer you some great alternatives to traditional wire-and-bracket braces.

If your teeth are crowded and crooked, two different kinds of treatment could give you a stunning smile in just a few months. Invisalign braces can straighten your teeth in as little as six to nine months, depending on how crooked they are. Even if they are very crooked, treatment with Invisalign rarely exceeds a year.

Even if your Invisalign treatment is not complete in time for your wedding, your teeth would certainly look much straighter, and the aligners could be removed for your wedding day pictures or other festivities.

The fastest solution would be porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers do not straighten your teeth, but make them appear to be in perfect alignment. This may be a great solution for you if your teeth are also stained or discolored.

A word of caution regarding veneers, though: be very, very careful when selecting your dentist! Many dentists think they can place porcelain veneers, but they lack the artistry and aesthetic sense to create a truly beautiful, natural smile makeover. Just because a dentist advertises that they do cosmetic dentistry does not mean you won’t be paying to have the whole thing redone down the road. Make sure they have received the specialized training, and have the artistic sense to do beautiful work.

The smartest thing you could do would be to talk to an expert cosmetic dentist who does porcelain veneers AND Invisalign braces. Only a dentist who is skilled in both treatments can give you a truthful, educated opinion on which procedure will work best in your individual situation.

I hope this helps!

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