Tag Archives: Plano cosmetic dentist

Teeth whitening

Dentist Wants to Replace Bonding with Crowns? 3 Reasons to Run

About 7 years ago my dentist put bonding on my six center upper teeth to cover stains. The bonding chipped on several teeth. I live in TX now and my new dentist said that my teeth are stained on the inside. She recommended internal teeth bleaching or porcelain crowns. I was expecting more dental bonding but not crowns on six teeth. My anxiety is going off the charts with the thought of needing crowns. I need nitrous oxide to get dental bonding. Is there any way I can avoid crowns even if I have to switch dentists?   Thanks – Leanne

Leanne,

We’re glad that you mentioned switching dentists. It’s our suggestion that you find an experienced cosmetic dentist and ask for a second opinion.

Your description is stains on your teeth that were concealed with dental bonding. If you don’t have root canal treatments on your teeth, we are unsure of why our dentist would recommend internal bleaching or crowns.

Each tooth needs to be ground down for a crown to fit over it. A trained cosmetic dentist treats teeth conservatively with a focus on saving healthy tooth structure. It sounds as if your dentist doesn’t know much about cosmetic dentistry.

Three Alternatives to Dental Crowns

A skilled cosmetic dentist will examine your teeth, take some digital x-rays to ensure they are internally healthy, and recommend treatment. You can make a quick getaway from your current dentist because there are alternatives to grinding down your teeth to place crowns. Treatment recommendations might include one or more of the following:

  • Teeth bleaching – Before any cosmetic work is completed on your teeth, if you want to brighten your smile, bleaching will be completed first. The dentist will match the cosmetic bonding or other treatment to match your whitened natural teeth.
  • Dental bonding – A cosmetic dentist can skillfully remove the old dental bonding and replace it.
  • Porcelain veneers – If there is damage to teeth that bonding won’t conceal, your cosmetic dentist might recommend porcelain veneers for one or more teeth.
Photo of female patient sitting and relaxing in a dental chair, for information on sedation dentistry from Plano female dentist, Dr. Miranda Lacy.
Ask your new cosmetic dentist about sedation options

Schedule consultations with at least two cosmetic dentists in your area. Don’t mention your current dentist’s recommendation. Just let the dentists examine your teeth and offer treatment recommendations. During your consultation, you can ask the dentist about his or her options for sedation and helping you relax throughout treatment.

Plano, TX female dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy sponsors this post.

Affordable Dentistry

Chipped Your Tooth? A Natural Looking—and Cheaper—Alternative to a Porcelain Veneer

Yesterday I fell and chipped the outer corner of my front left tooth, and I’m afraid that I cannot afford to have a dentist correct it. The chip is so large that there is a dark space, like a sideways triangle, in my smile.

I’ve been frantically looking online to find what type of treatment a dentist might recommend. Most of the search results come up with porcelain veneers. Based on what I read, my concerns are that I cannot afford to spend $1000 + on a porcelain veneer. I’m paying my way through medical school, so fixing my smile is essential. But I am afraid that anything cheaper than a veneer won’t look natural. – Thanks. Anika

Anika,

A cosmetic dentist can affordably repair a chipped tooth with chairside dental bonding—made with silica or quartz that is bound with dental resin. Experienced cosmetic dentists stock a variety of composites to replicate the variations in shade and translucence of your natural teeth.

But a general or family dentist who doesn’t have an artistic eye or advanced training in aesthetics won’t be able to produce lifelike results. That’s why most general dentists recommend a porcelain veneer or a crown to restore a chipped tooth.

Before-and-after photos of a chipped tooth repaired with dental bonding.
Dental bonding can repair a chipped tooth more affordably than a porcelain veneer

Although Dental Bonding Is Affordable, It Requires Skill

Dentists apply composite freehand, while you’re sitting in the dental chair.  What’s the process? What will your cosmetic dentist do to restore your tooth?

  • Select shades of dental composite to replicate the characteristics of your tooth enamel
  • Roughen your chipped tooth
  • Apply, shape, and sculpt the composite
  • Polish it to match the gloss of your natural teeth

Carefully a select cosmetic dentist. You can look at several dentists’ websites to find information about their advanced training and experience in cosmetic dentistry.

Miranda Lacy, DDS of Plano, TX sponsors this post.

Affordable Dentistry

Porcelain veneers from affordable dentist are affecting my speech!

Porcelain veneers shouldn’t look or feel bulky

After spending 2 weeks looking for an affordable dentist for porcelain veneers, I am so disappointed. I am not sure why my speech is affected by the veneers. My dentist allowed me to wear the temporary veneers for over a week. They didn’t give me any problems at all. Now that I have my permanent veneers, my speech is slurred. It’s not every word. Any word that begins with ‘tr’ is a problem. Probably more accurate that slurred is this weird whistling sound and I feel like the veneers hit my upper lip. My confidence in this dentist has gone way down. Am I going to need new veneers? Zayana

Zayana,

We’re sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience with porcelain veneers.

Caution When Seeking an Affordable Dentist

When we hear from patients about their bad experiences with an affordable dentist, we often learn that “affordable” for them often meant the cheapest option. While you want dental care that fits your budget, avoid looking for the cheapest cost of any dental treatment. Cheap dental work usually doesn’t last.

When Porcelain Veneers Affect Your Speech

  • Although you lack confidence in your current dentist, you can speak with him or her about the problem you are having with the veneers. Your dentist may immediately know what is causing the problem and offer to have your veneers remade.
  • Not every dentist has the extensive training required to provide porcelain veneers that fit look natural and fit well.
  • Another option is to find an experienced cosmetic dentist to examine your veneers and try to identify the source of the problem. If you decide to switch dentists, your current dentist may be willing to assist with the cost of receiving veneers from a new dentist. Your dental records will be transferred accordingly.

A true cosmetic dentist will make dental treatment affordable by working with your budget, completing the work in phases, or offering payment plans or financing. Quality will not be sacrificed.

Getting a second opinion may help you make a final decision on which dentist you want to provide you with veneers that fit correctly.

This post is sponsored by affordable Plano, TX dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Teeth whitening or veneers for a celebrity smile?

I want to improve my smile. It doesn’t look horrible but I want it to look like a celebrity smile. I am slowly getting into modeling and local TV commercials. I think that the best smile possible will move things along a little faster so that I can get jobs in more places. The shape of my teeth is not the best and they are not the whitest. Will teeth whitening do what I want or will I have to get veneers? Thanks Kyle

Kyle – A cosmetic dentist needs to examine your teeth to answer your questions about which treatment will give you the best smile.

Teeth whitening from a dentist can give you the brilliantly white smile that you want. If the shape of your teeth is inconsistent, dental contouring, or shaping, may be all that is needed to give them a uniform appearance. Contouring is a painless procedure that can be completed in one or two visits, depending on how much shaping is needed.

If there is too much space between your teeth, porcelain veneers may be the answer, or dental bonding might be sufficient.

An examination by an experienced cosmetic dentist is needed to correctly assess your needs and give you the celebrity smile you want.

This post is sponsored by Plano, TX cosmetic dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Bridge

Dental bridge doesn’t fit and it’s getting worse

My dental bridge hasn’t fit right since I got it, and now it is pulling more and more away from my gums. It is getting to be increasingly noticeable. It is really uncomfortable, too. I got the bridge in 2011. Can it be fixed or will I need a new one? Thanks for your help. Mariama

Mariama – Your dental bridge needs to be examined by a cosmetic dentist. At times, the teeth that support the bridge can be worked on to give the bridge a better fit. Often, the dental bridge needs to be replaced.

We cannot stress enough how important it is for you to see an experienced cosmetic dentist. Cosmetic dentists have an artistic eye for giving you appealing restorations for your teeth that look completely natural. A cosmetic dentist won’t just provide you with a new bridge. He or she will listen to your concerns about your smile and use his or her talent to give you a bridge that fits well, matches your natural teeth, and enhances your smile.

Your corrected or new dental bridge will be carefully checked and adjusted before it is cemented. You will also have the opportunity to approve the look and feel of the bridge before it is permanently placed.

You may consider having a consultation with a few different cosmetic dentists before you decide who you want to restore your teeth.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Ceramic Crowns

Nervous about getting crown on front tooth

2 years ago I injured my front left tooth in an accident. The tooth didn’t appear to be damaged, but it is slowly turning darker. My dentist has made several attempts to whiten the tooth and do a root canal treatment but the color is off and it’s becoming increasingly noticeable. He told me that I can get a crown for the tooth but that scares me. One of my best friends has two crowns on her front teeth and they look horrible. Are there any other options that I should consider? Thanks. Doris

Doris – The look of a dental crown on any tooth depends on the skill and artistic talent of the dentist who provides it.

A cosmetic dentist who has skill in restoring teeth, along with an artistic approach, will ensure that your crown looks completely natural in every way. The crown will match the color and characteristics of your natural teeth so that people won’t be able to distinguish it from your natural teeth.

Find a few cosmetic dentists in your area. Ask to see pictures of completed work, including crowns. You can also ask questions about your concerns to help build your confidence in the dentist that you select for your crown. When you select an experienced cosmetic dentist, the results will be beautiful.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Teeth whitening, Tooth-Colored Fillings

Will teeth whitening help my old fillings?

I not floss my teeth so I had to fillings in between my front teeth. They are the composite white ones but I’ve had them for about 8 yrs. They are now yellowing and you can see where the tooth where the dentist took out cleared out the teeth to put in the filling. I want to fix this look. Will teeth whitening lighten up the filling? – Carlise

Carlise – Teeth whitening will whiten your teeth, but it will not change the color of your old composite filling.

See an experienced cosmetic dentist. He or she will whiten your teeth first. After your teeth are the shade of white you want, the cosmetic dentist will mix composite to match the color of your natural teeth. The new fillings will blend in and won’t be noticeable.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Dental Implant

Dental implants for children?

My 11 year old daughter is missing 4 teeth. They aren’t going to come in. It’s genetic. I took her to an ortho and she said my daughter’s other teeth are crowded and she has an overbite and she will need braces. What does it cost for implants? Would she need to go back as she gets older to have it done again? – Brittany

 

Brittany – Your daughter’s orthodontic work should be completed first, and her jawbone growth should be completed before she receives dental implants.

Dental implants don’t move, so if teeth need to be repositioned with orthodontics, that treatment must be completed first. Otherwise, the dental implants can interfere with the orthodontic treatment and interfere with the growth of your daughter’s teeth.

Dental implants are placed when jawbone growth is complete. If they are placed prematurely, the growth of other teeth may be affected. As your daughter ages, her natural teeth would likely grow higher than the dental implants, and the implants would not look natural.

When your daughter reaches her late teens and her growth has stopped, you can find out if she is a candidate for dental implants. Until then, a cosmetic dentist will be able to provide her with a natural-looking tooth replacement for the missing teeth.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Cosmetic Dentistry, Tooth-Colored Fillings

My dentist put a silver filling back in my tooth but I wanted white

I went to the dentist for a filling. I wanted an old silver filling removed and replaced with a white filling. When I got home, I saw they put a silver filling back in my tooth. I don’t know why I didn’t look in a mirror before I left or ask to look in their mirror. This is a side tooth and it shows the dark filling when I smile. It looks like a cavity. That’s why I asked to have it replaced. Now I have to go back and have it drilled out so it can be replaced with a white filling. What should I do to make sure the dentist gets it right this time? – Morena

Morena – You should definitely tell your dentist about your concern. Consider asking your dentist if he or she uses white composite fillings at all. It could be that your dentist doesn’t use them, or prefers amalgam fillings. You might also ask if filling your tooth with amalgam was intentional.

Depending on the answer you receive, you may need to find a dentist who doesn’t use amalgam fillings. Dentist’s websites often advertise white fillings, tooth-colored fillings, composite fillings, or mercury-free fillings. A cosmetic dentist will ensure that you receive a natural-looking filling that blends in with your tooth.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

 

Porcelain Crowns, Porcelain Veneers

How can my dark front tooth be lightened?

I had trauma to a front tooth in 2010 and a root canal on the same tooth. The tooth got dark. My dentist bleached it but it is still grayish. Is there anything I can do to whiten the tooth? My mom said I can get veneer for it. Is that the right solution? – Thank you! – Addison

Addison – Depending on the condition of a tooth, a porcelain veneer or a porcelain crown can be used.

A porcelain veneer only covers the front of your tooth. It won’t help to preserve the tooth if it is damaged.Porcelain veneers often require that the natural tooth is lightly shaved to prevent the veneer from making it look bulky.

If the tooth is at all weak—and it may be since it was traumatized and needed a root canal treatment–a porcelain crown will protect it and have a color that matches your natural teeth. A cosmetic dentist will ensure that it perfectly matches.

Have your tooth examined by a cosmetic dentist. He or she will let you know your options.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Miranda Lacy.