Zoom Whitening for Uneven Color?

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My daughter recently had her braces removed and there were white spots on her teeth. Our dentist suggested we do Zoom Whitening, which is supposed to be very strong but it didn’t really work for us. Is there another option?

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Braces side by side with Invisalign

The one thing your dentist was right about is that Zoom Whitening is very strong. It will get your teeth very white in a short period of time. However, it is not the right treatment for uneven colored teeth. Your daughter’s dentist may be a fine general dentist, but she has a profound misunderstanding of cosmetic procedures. No matter what type of teeth whitening you do, it will whiten your teeth evenly. This means the uneven color, in your daughter’s case the white spots, will still be there.

White Spots After Braces

The white spots your daughter has are likely decalcification spots, which are a precursor to tooth decay. These are common after braces because it is so hard to brush adequately to get around all those metal wires and brackets. It takes tenacity and dedication to brushing to keep your teeth healthy while wearing traditional braces.

This is one of the reasons we often recommend Invisalign to adults and teenagers responsible enough to keep up with them and keep them in. Because these are removable, it makes it so much easier to brush and floss your teeth adequately while straightening your teeth.

The Solution to White Spots

My recommendation for your daughter would be to have dental bonding done on the teeth with the spots. The decalcified enamel can be gently removed and then dental bonding can be placed over it, seamlessly blending with your natural tooth structure. That being said, I do not recommend you use your family dentist for this. It is an advanced cosmetic dentistry procedure that requires post-doctoral training. Your dentist didn’t even understand teeth whitening, which is the simplest procedure.

Look for a dentist with experience in dental bonding and then ask to see before and after images of cases they have done. This will tell you whether or not you’ll be pleased with the results.

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

Full Mouth Reconstruction for White Teeth

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I have one dental crown and 3 porcelain veneers. The tooth with the crown had a root canal treatment, so it was already there. The gumline by this crown is showing a black/gray line. The veneers are starting to show their age as well. I asked my dentist about replacing these. He wants to do crowns on all my teeth because they’re not very white and this will take care of both issues at once. My concern is the choice. Why crowns instead of porcelain veneers?

Patty

Dear Patty,

tooth bleaching trays

I just want to make sure I’m understanding you correctly. Your dentist wants to crown all your teeth because they aren’t very white? Really? I have so many concerns about this. First, the solution for teeth that aren’t very white is to do teeth whitening. Not only does that preserve all of your tooth structure, but it is also significantly less expensive.

You brought up one of my second concerns. Why crowns instead of porcelain veneers? I can tell you why. Dentists who aren’t comfortable doing porcelain veneers, will steer their patients toward dental crowns. Here is the problem with that. Smile makeovers are not taught in dental school. Porcelain veneers should be a basic skill for any cosmetic dentist. However, there are plenty of cosmetic dentists who do them, but do them badly. You don’t want that either.

When you have a dentist already letting you know he can’t do porcelain veneers, run away from that dentist doing any cosmetic work on your teeth.

Crowning all your teeth is known as a full mouth reconstruction. This is one of the most advanced procedures a dentist will have to do. Not only is there the cosmetic aspect of it, which your dentist has already hinted he’s not qualified to do, but getting the proper occlusion of your teeth also takes significant post-doctoral training, which I doubt he has. If it is done wrong, you could end up with TMJ Disorder and a lifetime of pain and migraines.

My suggestion is you let him do the teeth whitening and then find a cosmetic dentist to replace the crown and veneers. Look at their smile gallery to see what type of results they get in order to get an idea of their skill level. Though, make sure it is their own work and not just stock photos. If they don’t have a smile gallery, they are not a cosmetic dentist at all.

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

Tanda Pearl Ionic Teeth Whitening

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I have professional teeth whitening trays that my dentist said to wear for an hour a day to get optimum whitening. That has been aggravating my TMJ. I recently read an ad for Tanda Pearl Ionic Teeth Whitening. This one says you only have to wear it for 5 minutes twice a day. That appeals to me and I think it would be easier on my jaw. Are you familiar with this system? Would you say it works and, equally important, is safe?

Cyndy

Dear Cyndy,

Tanda Pearl Ionic System

The Concept

The Tanda Pearl system works using the same process that you’d get with the teeth whitening your dentist offers, though milder. The gel goes in a tray that you wear.

The Tray

There is a big difference in the Tanda tray and the tray you get at your dentist. With a professional tray, your dentist custom fits it to your bite, with a separate tray for each arch. This should be the type of tray you have. With the Tanda system, there is only one tray that you hold in by biting down on it. You could not sleep with it and certainly wouldn’t want to be seen with it in public, unless you enjoy weird stares. Plus, holding the tray in place will aggravate your TMJ Disorder significantly more.

The Time

My guess is they only have you wear it for 5 minutes because any longer than that would be painful. There is no magic to either that amount of time or the time your dentist prescribed. The longer you wear them the more the gel has time to work. If one hour a day is too hard for your jaw, then wear the trays for less time. I’d also talk to your dentist to make certain your trays are properly fitted to your bite. It shouldn’t be uncomfortable. In fact, usually, all a patient has to worry about with extended wear is the sensitivity of their teeth.

The Safety

As to whether or not it is safe, I would say yes. I don’t see anything that would make it unsafe. It has a mild teeth whitening strength, that combined with the short amount of time you wear it, there is little chance of sensitivity.

However, I think you’d still get better results just sticking with the teeth whitening you’ve already paid for with your dentist. I would lower the amount of time you are wearing the trays to minimize the aching in your jaw. I’d also make sure your TMJ problems are being addressed and not just diagnosed.

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

Whitening Brown Spots

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My dentist has been trying to help me whiten the brown spots on my teeth because she knows they are a source of embarrassment for me. They’ve been there since my adult teeth came in when I was much younger. We started with over the counter whitening and that didn’t work. It actually made the spots worse. Now she is offering to grind off the brown spots, but she isn’t sure how much surface will have to come off. If that does work, would the next step be dental crowns or would professional teeth whitening be more effective than what I used over the counter, which honestly was about every brand out there. I’m not sure what to do.

Malorie

Dear Malorie,

A woman placing teeth whitening trays on her teeth

Your dentist certainly seems well-intentioned, but she has no idea what she is doing with this. In fact, she’s experimenting on you without the knowledge she needs in cosmetic work, including teeth whitening which is one of the most basic procedures in that aspect of dental care.

Any teeth whitening, including professional teeth whitening, will not work for your situation. Instead, because it whitens your teeth evenly, it will make the brown spots more obvious.

The type of treatment you need for the situation you are in will be either dental bonding or porcelain veneers. Both of these are advanced cosmetic procedures that will require a dentist with advanced training. Porcelain veneers and more expensive than dental bonding but will last significantly longer and can do more. They are the go-to procedure for complete smile makeovers.

Where do You Find a Dentist who is Qualified to do Advanced Cosmetic Work?

Because there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry, it is difficult for patients to know who is qualified. Sadly, they do not teach how to do smile makeovers in dental school. For a dentist to learn how to do these procedures they have to invest in post-doctoral training. You want a dentist who has made this investment. But how do you find one?

My suggestion is to look for a dentist who has attained accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). AACD accredited dentists have passed stringent exams as well as had to prove their artistry with before and after photos of a large and specific number of cases they have performed.

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

Did Teeth Whitening Hurt My Baby?

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I didn’t realize I was pregnant until today and I just finished three weeks of teeth whitening. Did I hurt my baby? I honestly didn’t know. I read this morning they don’t recommend teeth whitening for pregnant women. I’m trying not to panic.

Hannah

Dear Hannah,

A woman placing teeth whitening trays on her teeth

First, congratulations. It is an exciting time in your life. Second, take a deep breath. Your baby is likely perfectly fine. The reason they have a notice that teeth whitening isn’t recommended for pregnant women is because we don’t have studies on the effects of teeth whitening on pre-born children. As you can well imagine, there aren’t expectant moms lining up to have their baby be used as the guinea pig.

The teeth whitening gel contains peroxide. The atomic structure of water is H2O. The atomic structure of hydrogen peroxide is H2O2. Essentially, it is water with an extra oxygen molecule. As oxygen is not harmful to you, it is likely the extra molecule isn’t going to do any harm. That doesn’t mean run out and have more whitening done. That would be an unnecessary risk. I just don’t think you’ll have much to be worried about if you are already finished with the whitening.

Start Planning Now for Your Babies Oral Health

Instead of worrying about the whitening, I would redirect your thoughts on something much more proactive. This is a good time to start researching pediatric dentists and to learn about how to help your child have the best experience and training in brushing and flossing their teeth.

The earlier you start the better. For instance, did you know there are apps to help children brush for the full amount of time and in the right locations? When should your child first visit the dentist? Do you know which teeth usually come in first? Notice I said usually. Don’t panic if your child’s make their arrival in at a different order.

These are much more useful and joyful things to spend your time thinking about.

Again, congratulations. Now go to the store and start buying diapers.
This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Lumineers to Whiten Teeth?

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I wanted to get my teeth whitened and talked to my dentist about it. He told me he was just certified in Lumineers and that could whiten my teeth while fixing a tiny chip I have on one of my teeth. The chip has never really bothered me until he brought it up. For some reason, it never occurred to me people will notice the chip. Now suddenly it worries me. However, the price of Lumineers is pretty high. Is there another option?

Beth

Dear Beth,

Teeth Whitening Trays

You definitely don’t want to move forward with your dentist’s plans. Not only is it a massive overtreatment, but you are likely to end up with a smile that is worse than what you started with. Lumineers is a brand of porcelain veneers that is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. While they don’t necessarily require tooth preparation the way other brands do, that doesn’t mean the dentist will know how to create a beautiful smile. While he is Lumineers certified, all that means is he attended a seminar. That doesn’t actually provide any training in doing smile makeovers.

Fortunately, I don’t think that is at all necessary for you. If your teeth need whitening, the logical procedure would be teeth whitening. Duh. This is significantly less expensive. As for the chipped tooth. It may not be as noticeable as you think. Your dentist is in your mouth up close. He is supposed to notice every little detail. If it didn’t bother you before I wouldn’t let the dentist’s comment change that.

before and after dental bonding

That being said, I realize sometimes once something gets our attention, it is hard to let go. The simplest and most affordable solution if you decide something has to be done is to have tooth bonding done to it. This is where a cosmetic dentist will hand sculpt composite resin onto the tooth to fill in the missing part. The image directly above shows what this can look like. However, you should be aware this procedure requires a skilled cosmetic dentist. Before I let anyone try it, I’d ask them to show you some before and after pictures of cases they’ve done to make sure they are up to the task.

If a dentist offers an option for a virtual smile consult, that can help you find out what they can do for you.

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

Fast Fix to My Smile

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I feel like I need a complete top to bottom makeover after all of this Coronavirus Quarantine. I feel frumpy.  I’m going to get my hair colored and get a new wardrobe. What’s a quick fix for my teeth that won’t cost a fortune?

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

Everyone has a different definition of a fortune. I don’t want to limit your options by making assumptions, so I’ll give you both fast options. You can consult with your dentist and budget to decide which one works best for you.

Option One: The Complete Smile Makeover

a porcelain veneer being placed

If you want to change everything about your smile, porcelain veneers are the way to go. This is the go-to for celebrities because it can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth simultaneously. However, not every dentist can do a great job with this. You’ll want one with an artistic eye. I highly suggest you check the dentist’s smile gallery to see what type of results they get. If they don’t have a smile gallery, they aren’t serious about cosmetic dentistry and you should move on. If they do have a smile gallery, just verify that it is the dentist’s actual work and not stock photos.

This procedure uses tiny wafers of porcelain your dentist will design to give you the smile of your dreams. Of the two procedures I’m listing, this is the most expensive.

Option Two: Teeth Whitening

teeth whitening trays

The least expensive way to quickly remake your smile would be teeth whitening. This simple procedure can take years off your smile and can be done by just about any dentist. There are two types of professional teeth whitening available. The first is at-home whitening with trays (pictured above). This allows you to control the level of whitening you want. Once you reach your brightness goal, you simply stop whitening. Though, I always recommend keeping the trays in case a few years from then you want a touch-up.

Another type of teeth whitening is done in one appointment, called Zoom Whitening. Not every dentist offers this because it requires special equipment. This will get your teeth their whitest.

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

Inexpensive Way to Cover Tetracycline Stains

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I’m 65 years old and retiring. I have some savings but not a ton. All my life, I’ve been embarrassed by my smile, which is marred by tetracycline stains. I know people say to get porcelain veneers for these, which are a bit out of my budget. Do you think if I had them done at a dental school, they would be more affordable?

Elaine

Dear Elaine,

woman covering her mouth with her hand

I don’t recommend you have a dental school do your porcelain veneers. The art of smile makeovers isn’t really taught at dental school. General dentistry is more of an engineering mindset and doesn’t bother with what they consider mere cosmetic electives. Any student who did your veneers would likely be doing their first case. Not only that, but it could very well be the instructor’s first case as well. Whatever they did would not give you the results you want. Plus, tetracycline stains are some of the toughest stains to do. The type of dentist you need would charge $1000-%1200 minimum per tooth. That’s not the inexpensive solution you’re looking for.

In most cases, teeth whitening doesn’t work on tetracycline stains because they’re so dark and deep. However, there is one brand that has had more success than other’s because it has a unique way of delivering the gel that gives it some more potency. Ask your dentist to use Kör whitening. It may not get rid of the stains completely, but it will certainly lighten them. Worst case scenario this gives you some time to save up to have any porcelain veneers done by the right dentist.

When selecting one, don’t just go by their price, even though I quoted one as a guide. Ask them how many tetracycline cases they’ve done. You don’t want someone new at it. Then ask to see the before and after pictures that show their results. It won’t matter if they’ve done 100 cases if they did them all badly.

If you would like to know what our office could do for you, just ask us for a remote smile consult. Send us a couple of selfies and we’ll send you back a video that will explain your options.

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

Teeth Whitening with Peroxide

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I’ve done some reading and learned that the main whitening ingredient in teeth whitening is peroxide. If that is the case, can I just rinse with peroxide to whiten my teeth?

Kurt

Dear Kurt,

teeth whitening trays

You ask a good question. It seems like it would make sense, right? Rinsing with peroxide may have some extremely mild whitening benefits, but I don’t think it will be anything near what you are hoping for. One of the biggest obstacles you’ll face is the fact that the whitening agent has to soak into your teeth. That will need to happen for a minimum of 15 minutes to have any decent use. I don’t know if you’re willing to rinse with peroxide for that long.

With the teeth whitening you get at a dentist’s office, your dentist will make custom-fitted trays that fit your bite exactly. You’ll wear them, for a minimum of 20 minutes, at a time convenient to you with the whitening gel inside. Many patients prefer to sleep with the trays on.

A second issue is its strength. The peroxide you get for home use is 3% peroxide. Crest Whitestrips has a strength of between 5-6%. These are significantly less strong than the whitening you get with your dentist. Professional strength teeth whitening will be between 15-43% peroxide.

It would take many years for you to get the same effect you would from a visit to your dentist. By the time you purchased all that peroxide, you will have spent almost as much. You just dragged it out over years.

In all honesty, you’re better off seeing your dentist for teeth whitening. You can do at-home whitening with the trays or in-office whitening with Zoom Whitening which allows you to whiten your teeth completely in just one appointment.

Plus, you have the added benefit, because you will be under the care of a dentist, of having someone there in case complications develop, such as gum sensitivity.

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

Cosmetic Dental Work and Teeth Whitening

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When it comes to cosmetic dental work, you really need to go to a dentist who has invested time in the requisite training to create beautiful smiles. There isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry where you are officially now a cosmetic dentist. Any general dentist can do cosmetic work. This is where most of those smile makeover horror stories come in.

Let me illustrate with a proper understanding of teeth whitening. Most people understand that bleaching your teeth can get rid of years of stains, such as the pigments picked up from staining foods and beverages. However, it will also whiten the natural pigment of your teeth.

Unfortunately, many family dentists who dabble in cosmetic work don’t understand this either. Dentists traditionally used the shade guide seen directly below.

Classic shade guide

This matches the natural pigment of teeth and darker with various levels of staining. However, when people started whitening their teeth, that changed the rules. The lightest shade was now too dark to match to the new colors now being seen on teeth. The problem comes when a dentist inexperienced in cosmetic work doesn’t understand this.

A patient comes in for a smile makeover and decides on porcelain veneers. They tell their dentist they want a very white smile. The dentist picks the lightest shade on the guide thinking he’s safe. When the veneers are placed, they are much darker than the patient’s natural teeth. Why? Because he or she has done teeth whitening.

Getting Your Smile Done Right

So how does a dentist get the right color? A true cosmetic dentist will invest in the updated shade guide, seen directly below.

updated shade guide

This allows the cosmetic dentist to get a better match. This, of course, isn’t enough to give you a beautiful smile, but it’s the bare minimum for a match. Before seeing any cosmetic dentist, make sure you look at their smile gallery first. Just make sure they posted actual cases the dentist has done and not just stock photos. If the before and after pictures don’t blow you away, don’t waste your time.

If you do like the photos, then its time to check their reviews. This one way to find out what type of chairside manner the dentist has and how good they are at listening to their patient’s desires for their new smile.

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