Porcelain veneers Archives - Lowell Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

Are Veneers My Only Option for Tetracycline-Stained Teeth?

May 19, 2022 by AllSmiles

I am increasingly self-conscious about tetracycline stains on my teeth. It is embarrassing to try to explain it to people who seem distracted by my teeth and unable to concentrate on our conversation. Last month, I had a consultation with a cosmetic dentist who recommended porcelain veneers. The cost of $20,000 – $30,000 would heavily impact my savings. My teeth and self-esteem are worth it, but I am interested in knowing whether I have other options. – Thank you. Aaron from Georgia

Aaron,

Thank you for your question.

The cost quoted to you is reasonable for premier porcelain veneers from a skilled dentist. We will explain more about the treatment for tetracycline stains.

Do Porcelain Veneers Work for Tetracycline Stains?

Porcelain veneer

Concealing tetracycline stains with porcelain veneers takes advanced training, skill, and artistry from a cosmetic dentist. If you find a dentist with low fees who claims to be able to hide the stains, you can count on getting inferior results. The stains may show through the veneers, or the veneers may look opaque or pasty, making it evident that you had dental work. But an advanced cosmetic dentist and adept ceramist can produce incredible results with veneers.

Will Bonding or Teeth Whitening Help Tetracycline Stains?

Whether dental bonding or teeth whitening will help tetracycline stains depends on the severity of stains and a dentist’s skill and experience.

Dental bonding – The skill and precision it takes a cosmetic dentist to blend composites and apply them to your teeth to hide tetracycline stains can be more costly than porcelain veneers.
Teeth whitening – A skilled cosmetic dentist may recommend a high-strength whitening system to improve tetracycline stains, but the results will not be as effective as porcelain veneers. Bleaching treatment is a tiny fraction of the cost of porcelain veneers.

Request Another Consultation for Tetracycline Stains

Comparing your options can help you understand whether you are making the right decision regarding cosmetic dentistry. We recommend scheduling another consultation with an accredited cosmetic dentist to examine your x-rays and teeth. The second opinion can clarify which treatment will give you results that help you feel good about your smile.

Best wishes.

Dr. Michael Szarek, an accredited cosmetic dentist in Lowell, Massachusetts, sponsors this post.

Can Dental Crowns Be Replaced by or Covered with Veneers?

February 24, 2022 by AllSmiles

If I have crowns on my two front teeth, will a dentist need to remove them for me to get porcelain veneers? I’m not sure how it will work, and I would like some ideas before I go to a dentist who wants to take off the crowns when it might not be necessary. I’m narrowing my list of dentists down to three, and I hope to meet with two of them within the next few weeks. Stacie from Boston

Stacie,

Thanks for your question.

Porcelain veneer

Porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns are made of the same material. But they differ in how much of the tooth they cover.

Porcelain crown – A dentist shaves the entire circumference of a tooth before placing a crown over it. You can’t leave the altered tooth uncovered, and you can’t use a porcelain veneer on it.
Porcelain veneer – It covers the front and sides of a tooth. Your dentist will lightly shave the fronts of your teeth to ensure the veneers fit well at your gumline and look natural, not bulky.

What About Covering a Dental Crown with a Veneer?

Some dentists will shave a dental crown and put a veneer over it. There are disadvantages of placing a veneer over a crown:

The veneer will be vulnerable and might fail, but a crown will last longer.
It doesn’t look as aesthetically pleasing as a new crown.
It takes the same amount of work as replacing the crown, and it doesn’t save money.

Select an Advanced Cosmetic Dentist

An advanced cosmetic dentist is concerned about aesthetics and your oral health. They will replace your two crowns, place veneers on your remaining teeth, and ensure they all match perfectly.

Select a dentist who is skilled in cosmetic dentistry and has training in the art—beyond dental school. Look for a smile gallery of patient photos on the dentist’s website. And read the dentist’s bio and look for indications of post-graduate training in dental aesthetics.

Should I Get Invisalign or Porcelain Veneers for a Gap?

January 25, 2022 by AllSmiles

I’ll be 17 yrs old in June. What are the chances that a gap between my two front will close when my wisdom teeth come in? My dad can’t really afford Invisalign, so I hope I don’t need it. Can a gap close on its own? Also, do those rubber bands I see on YouTube close a gap? My friend said I would wait until I get a job and get veneers. What do you suggest? Thank you. Dixon from AL

Dixon – A gap or space between your teeth is called a diastema.

Will Invisalign Work for a Gap?

Several factors determine whether the gap will close after your wisdom teeth erupt. If not, Invisalign or another form of orthodontic treatment can help.

One factor is the size of the space between your teeth. If the gap is small, and your wisdom teeth can erupt completely, the space may close. But many people don’t have enough room in their mouth for wisdom teeth to fully erupt, so a gap needs to be closed by orthodontic treatment or cosmetic dentistry.

At times, tissue between the teeth—labial frenum—stretches from the upper lip to the gums and prevents the gap from closing. If the frenum prevents the gap from closing, a dentist or specialist must remove the tissue. Braces or Invisalign can close the gap.

What About Rubber Bands for a Tooth Gap?

Closing a gap between your teeth is not something you should try on your own. Do-it-yourself orthodontics, such as rubber bands, can incorrectly move your teeth, causing them to twist or leave spaces between your teeth that didn’t exist before.

Porcelain Veneers for a Tooth Gap

After your permanent teeth fully develop, a dentist can place porcelain veneers on front teeth to hide the gap between them. You can receive veneers in a few weeks, but it will take months—up to a year for braces to close a gap.

Look for an advanced cosmetic dentist to get high-quality veneers and results that look so professional that no one can tell you had dental work.

Lowell, Massachusetts, accredited cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek sponsors this post.

Root Canal After Veneers

November 23, 2021 by AllSmiles

I need a root canal after wearing veneers for 12 years. My left upper incisor is infected, so my dentist referred me to an endodontist. A root canal is my only option. My veneers look new, so I am concerned about my tooth turning dark after the root canal or losing the veneer altogether. Also, I got the veneers when I lived in Texas, but now I live in NJ. Although my dentist takes good care of my veneers, I haven’t seen any of her veneers’ cases, so I don’t know if I have confidence in her if I need a new veneer. Am I at risk of losing it? – Thank you. Linda from New Haven, CT

Linda,

It is unusual to need root canal treatment for a porcelain veneer tooth. But if a dentist aggressively prepared your tooth veneers and removed the enamel, the tooth is at greater risk for stress and decay.

How to Prevent a Root Canal from Darkening Your Veneer

Root canal after veneers can darken a tooth. But during treatment, your dentist can minimize the effects. After your endodontist performs your root canal treatment, they can preserve your tooth color with these steps:

Clean out root canal filling material from the portion of your tooth above the gumline
Place a flexible fiberglass post into the tooth root
Fill the space with a light shade of dental composite

Since leftover filling and cement darkening after root canal treatment usually causes darkening, the above steps will help. Cleaning out your crown can prevent your tooth from darkening for five to ten years. And your porcelain veneer can prolong the good results.

Will Root Canal Treatment Ruin Your Veneer?

A securely bonded veneer should stay intact during root canal treatment

Root canal treatment should not ruin your veneer. A dentist will access your tooth from the biting surface—not the front of a tooth where your veneer is located. If the dentist who placed your veneers bonded them securely, your veneer would stay in place during root canal treatment.

Michael Szarek, DMD sponsors this post. Dr. Szarek is an accredited cosmetic dentist in Lowell, Massachusetts.

How much longer will my composite veneers last?

September 30, 2021 by AllSmiles

I’ve been using Supersmile toothpaste for years on my composite veneers. I’ve heard that they only last a few years, but I’ve had mine for nine years. How much longer will they last? I want to plan to find a cosmetic dentist who will do them as well as my dentist in NJ. – Thank you. Amanda from Erie, PA

Amanda,

Thank you for your question. The longevity of your composite veneers shows how well you have taken care of them and that you received high-quality veneers.

How Long Do Composite Veneers Last?

Although the average lifespan of composite veneers is about five years, they can begin to attract stains within a year or two. You can extend their life by taking care of them with a non-abrasive toothpaste and non-abrasive dental cleaning. Composite veneers require more maintenance than porcelain veneers. But they require less tooth enamel removal than porcelain veneers. And, they cost less than veneers.

How Long Do Porcelain Veneers Last?

Porcelain veneers have an average lifespan of eight years but can last ten to twenty years. Porcelain is stain resistant.

When it is time to replace your composite veneers, whether you choose composite again or porcelain—only get them cleaned by a trained dental hygienist. Hygienists who understand how to care for porcelain and composite will not use chemicals or polishes that damage the surface.

Look for an Advanced Cosmetic Dentist

Skilled cosmetic dentists mix dental resins and apply and harden layers on your teeth. They sculpt the composite to match the characteristics of your natural teeth. After refining tooth shape, your cosmetic dentist will polish your teeth to a natural-looking gloss.

Michael Szarek, DMD sponsors this post. Dr. Szarek is an accredited cosmetic dentist in Lowell, MA.

Before-and-afte composite bonding photos from Lowell, MA dentist Dr. Szarek

Dr. Szarek beautifully restores teeth with composite bonding