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Advanced cosmetic and general dentistry

Do the teeth whitening kits featured on Groupon really work?

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I keep seeing Groupons for teeth whitening kits. $39 is much cheaper than having my teeth whitened by my dentist. But do these kits really work? Thanks! Chantele R.

Chantele – Whether or not the teeth whitening kit works depends on the agent used in the whitening gel, as well as the strength of the whitening agent. But there are several reasons that you might want to have your teeth professionally whitened by your dentist.

Over-the-counter whitening strips and gels will only remove surface stains, if they help at all. The same is true for whitening toothpaste. The whitening gel that you receive from your dentist will penetrate your teeth and remove embedded stains.

Teeth bleaching  isn’t right for everyone. Depending on the cause of the stains, whitening your teeth will make the stains even more noticeable. Your dentist will exam your teeth, determine the cause of the stains, and recommend the appropriate treatment for them—which may not be teeth bleaching. In some cases, porcelain veneers are the only way to conceal stains or discoloration in teeth.

Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth so that customized teeth bleaching trays can be made for you. Ready-to-use kits have one-size-fits-all trays, which often do not fit correctly. The results of the whitening gel will not be as efficient as it would with customized trays. If the ready-made trays are too large, gel will likely be wasted.

Talk with your dentist about your interest in teeth whitening. He or she will be able to give you a beautifully white smile. Some dentists offer teeth whitening specials from time to time, too.

This blog post is courtesy of Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Can chipped teeth on my dental bridge be fixed?

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I had a bad accident 5 months ago and 2 of the teeth in my upper bridge got chipped. The teeth haven’t been priority because I had more serious injuries but now I am wondering if the bridge can be fixed. Thanks T.J.

T.J.

It is good to know that you are recovering from your accident. An expert cosmetic will be able to repair your porcelain bridge. The special techniques required are the same as those used to repair porcelain crowns.

Not only are special techniques required, but specialized materials and equipment are needed to professionally restore the bridge.

The chipped porcelain needs to be cleaned, rinsed, and etched. If the bridge has a metal foundation, the metal must also be etched. Care must be taken to only etch the part of the bridge that needs repair. A saline coupling agent is used to prime the porcelain, after which it is coated with bonding resin. Any exposed metal in the bridge will be treated with a metal bonding agent and an opaquer. Quality composite bonding resins will be used to match the color and translucency of the original porcelain. The composite then be polished.

Be aware that smoking, drinking, and excessive alcohol drinking can wear on the bonding or stain it, affecting how long the repair lasts.

This blog post is sponsored by Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Are the wrinkles in my mouth oral cancer?

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I am a dipping tobacco user. Where the tobacco sits on the gums, I see creases or wrinkles. It’s hard to describe exactly what it looks like. Could this be a sign of cancer? I’m really not interested in what you think of my habit. I know what I need to do.  But I thank you in advance for your response. – Patrick

Patrick – Smokeless tobacco irritates tissue—gum tissue, as well as your mouth, tongue and lips can all be affected. It is known to cause white, chalky wrinkles in your mouth. Internal organs, including your bladder, colon, pancreas, and esophagus can be affected.

A biopsy has to be performed to diagnose oral cancer. Some of the symptoms of oral cancer are loose teeth, a white or red patch inside your mouth, painful or difficult swallowing, painful or difficult chewing, tongue pain, and sore throat. This is not a complete list of symptoms. If possible, allow time for the irritation in your mouth to heal by avoiding tobacco use, at least temporarily.

Don’t delay making an appointment with your doctor or dentist for an examination and biopsy.

This post is sponsored by Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Can a broken tooth in my bridge be fixed?

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My eight upper front teeth have a bridge. I am trying not to get overly anxious about this, but I just moved from Maine and I don’t have a dentist yet. The second from my left front tooth chipped. Can it be fixed without having to re-do the entire bridge?

The same techniques that repair a porcelain crown can be used to repair the broken tooth in your bridge.

The chipped porcelain must be cleaned and prepared for bonding. If the bridge is porcelain fused to metal, it will then be rinsed and carefully etched with hydrofluoric acid or with a microetcher that is used to blast fine aluminum oxide particles.

The porcelain will be primed with a silane coupling agent and coated with bonding resin. A metal bonding agent and an opaquer will be used to treat any exposed metal. Composite resins that are translucent and that can be highly polished will be layered to match the properties of the porcelain.

You will need to take care of the composite repair. Extensive alcohol consumption softens composite, and smoking and extensive coffee drinking tend to stain it.

We recommend that you find an expert cosmetic dentist to repair the tooth. He or she will have the necessary material and equipment to properly repair and bridge. You won’t be able to tell that the tooth was broken.

The blog post is sponsored by Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

My permanent teeth are too small

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My permanent teeth are embarrassingly small. I am 38 years old, but my teeth are the size of a 7 year old child’s teeth. I am a corporate banking professional, and I am frequently giving presentations at our branches. I feel very self conscious when I smile. What can be done to make my teeth look the size of adult teeth? Thanks in advance for your help. – Michaela T.

Michaela – Your concern about the size of your permanent teeth and the embarrassment that your teeth causes is understandable. Genetics or the environment can cause teeth to develop incorrectly.

There are two permanent procedures for which you might be a candidate—porcelain crowns and porcelain veneers.

A porcelain crown requires the natural tooth to be shaved down. The crown is placed over the natural tooth and it completely covers the tooth. A cosmetic dentist will make crowns that look like your natural teeth.

Porcelain veneers cover only the front of the teeth. Usually, teeth are lightly shaved before the veneers are placed. Veneers from a cosmetic dentist will have the color and translucency of natural teeth. They will give you a beautiful smile makeover.

You can schedule a consultation with a cosmetic dentist to find out your options and to get the best results. Cosmetic dentists are dental artists. Find one who has been specifically trained in cosmetic dentistry. You also can check the dentist’s credentials and his or her smile gallery for pictures of smile makeovers that the dentist has completed.

The blog post is courtesy of Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.