Archives for May 2024

Did the UltraSonic Scaler Damage My Porcelain Veneers

Posted on by .

I had four porcelain veneers placed on my front teeth. I just had a cleaning where a magnetostrictive ultrasonic cleaner. Within two days, a couple of them were fractured. Was that the cause of the fractures or is something else going on? Is this a common problem? How do I get my veneers back to the way they were?

Ellen

Dear Ellen,

porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

There are two types of ultrasonic scalers.

  • piezoelectric
  • magnetostrictive

While the magnetorestrictive scaler is more gentle than the piezoelectric, there is a greater chance of damaging the tooth if it is not done with the proper technique. In the hands of a skilled dental hygienist this will cause no damage. However if it is done incorrectly, then, yes, there will be damage to your porcelain veneers.

In order to get a crack or fracture on your veneers, the dentists would have had to hold the tip of the scaler on the surface of your veneer. This is a huge NO. I’m not sure why your hygienist would have done that.

They should bear the responsibility of replacing the veneers that they damaged. Then, in your position, I would not stay in a dental office that does not know how to care for your cosmetic dental work. I’m also a bit concerned that they only did four porcelain veneers.

Most smiles are eight to ten teeth wide. This would mean that you have natural tooth structure that is visible next to your porcelain veneers when you smile. My hope is they at least used teeth whitening on them before placing your veneers. If not, your smile will look weird. It’s not too late to get this done if it wasn’t.

If you are not confident that they can properly replace the damaged veneers, then you can get a refund and go to a more experienced cosmetic dentist of your choice to get it done.

This blog is brought to you by Marietta Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Fixing a Tooth Gap

Posted on by .

I have the same dentist I have used since I was a child. He really is past retirement age and I’m worried he’s not keeping up with advances. I went to him because I’ve always had a tooth gap that I wanted to fix, but was not in a financial position to do anything about it. Now I am. My dentist is suggesting I see an orthodontist for braces. I don’t really want a mouth full of metal for a couple of years especially because I’m in a professional position. I’m hoping there is another option. I suspect there is, because my dentist doesn’t even do teeth whitening. Any direction you can point me would be greatly appreciated.

Kate

Dear Kate,

You were wise to write. If the only thing you have is a tooth gap, there are much better options. The three that come to mind immediately are Invisalign, dental bonding, or porcelain veneers.

Orthodontics: Invisalign

Image of Invisalign Aligners

If you want to actually close the gap, then I would go with Invisalign. These are the modern take on braces for adults. Instead of using metal wires and brackets, they use clear aligners to close your teeth. No one will even know you are wearing them. Even at a conversational distance they are invisible. These will close the gap for you in no time at.

Cosmetic Dentistry: Dental Bonding or Porcelain Veneers

Dental Bonding

A side by side image of teeth before and after dental bonding

Dental bonding uses composite material to fill in the gap. It has to be done freehand, so I would only want an expert cosmetic dentist to do this procedure. When done well, it will blend in with your natural tooth structure perfectly, as pictured above. This used dental bonding to repair a chipped tooth. Once the bonding is on, the color can’t be changed, so if you were wanting to whiten your teeth at any point in the near future, I would get the teeth whitening done before the bonding.

Porcelain Veneers

I would only recommend porcelain veneers if there was more than just a tooth gap that you were wanting to fix. This is typically used for a complete smile makeover. It’s what celebrities use to get that Hollywood smile. Veneers can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth. Like bonding, it requires an expert cosmetic dentist. It also won’t actually close the gap, but will cover it. This is the most expensive option, so I would only use this if you wanted a full-smile makeover.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Dental Implants While Using Fosamax

Posted on by .

I had to have a lateral incisor removed. I wanted to get a dental implant, but my oral surgeon said that I might want to consider something else like a dental bridge because I am on Fosamax. Do you know if I should get something like an Encore Bridge or a Maryland Bridge. I don’t know if I can have a normal bridge with the anchor tooth being a front tooth. Are you aware of situations like this? I will admit that I am disappointed about the dental implant. But, what can’t be helped, can’t be helped. I need to figure something out, though, because I am using a dental flipper right now and hate it.

Percy

Dear Percy,

An image of both titanium and zirconia dental implants

I have some good news for you. If you really want a dental implant, it is possible with some precautions taken and an understanding of the risks. First, the risks. There is a slightly increased risk of bone problems when you have oral surgery while on Fosamax. While I said a slightly enhanced risk, don’t discount the risk because if they happen, they will be serious. A way to get around this is to temporarily suspend taking the Fosamax for the surgery and then resume it at the appropriate time. It would take coordination between your dental implant dentist and the oral surgeon. Also, make sure it is your dentist who plans the dental implant placement and not the oral surgeon.

If you decide you do not want to take the risk with the dental implant or suspend the Fosamax, then a dental bridge is your next best option. I would let your dentist choose which type of bridge, though. This is because you want him or her doing the type of bridge that they are the most comfortable with. That way you know they are skilled at doing it. You can get a regular bridge. A front tooth has been used as an anchor tooth many times. Though, obviously, the dental implant is the better option.

One other consideration. If you are unhappy with the color of your teeth, the time to get teeth whitening done would be before you get either the dental implant or the bridge. This is because the color of your dental crown cannot be updated once it is completed. This way the crowns can be made to match the updated color of your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.