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Advanced cosmetic and general dentistry

Are Veneers My Only Option for Tetracycline-Stained Teeth?

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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?

Photo of dental forceps holding a single porcelain veneers, from the office of accredited cosmetic dentist Dr. Szarek of Lowell, MA.

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 I Trust My Dentist for a New Implant Crown and Dental Bonding?

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I agreed to extraction and a dental implant after three failed root canals on my top left first molar tooth. But I also have brown fluoride stains on my teeth. Although, I have never done anything about the stains. I do not want a blotchy brown implant crown to match my stained teeth. In 2018, my dentist bleached my stained teeth and applied dental bonding, but both look bad. Now that I need an implant, I am afraid of how my smile might look. My dentist asked me what I wanted to do about the fluoride stains, but I don’t think I want him doing anything. Neither do I want to see two dentists – my current one for an implant and another to lighten the stains. How can I handle this situation? Thank you. Daniel from Ithaca, NY

 

Thank you for your question, Daniel

Bleaching or Dental Bonding for Brown Fluoride Stains?

Bleaching your teeth does not help with fluoride stains. But neither does direct dental bonding if your dentist doesn’t have advanced training. Dentists apply dental bonding by hand, so you will not get good results unless a dentist has cosmetic dentistry training and an artistic eye to make the bonding look natural.

However, you can find a cosmetic dentist to replace your old dental bonding and hide your stains without making your teeth look pasty or opaque.

Dental Implant Crown to Match Bonding

Dental implant diagram of component, implant fixture in bone, and crown placement

A cosmetic dentist can match dental bonding and implant crowns

If you want your dental implant crown to match your new bonding, it is best to let one skilled cosmetic dentist do all the work. Crown matching requires specific instructions from the dentist to a ceramist. Together, they can ensure your bonding and implant crown match.

Unfortunately, your current dentist has not proven his ability with dental bonding. So, it is unlikely that you would get results if you allowed him to place your implant crown.

Look for accredited or advanced cosmetic dentists in your area. Schedule consultations with two skilled cosmetic dentists to discuss your options. The consultations will increase your comfort in switching dentists for a natural-looking smile that you can feel confident about.

 

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

Will porcelain veneers help an adult’s primary adult teeth look larger?

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Two of my upper left permanent teeth grew behind my baby teeth. I’m wondering if two porcelain veneers will work to make the baby teeth look larger. I’m 26 years old and more conscious about my smile than when I was younger. Are porcelain veneers or some other type of cosmetic dentistry best for making my teeth look larger? Thank you. Zenoah from PA

Zenoah,

Thank you for your question. Dr. Szarek would need to exam your teeth for a complete diagnosis and treatment options. But we will explain how dentists, in general, handle permanent teeth that grow behind primary teeth.

What Can You Do About Primary Teeth that Grown Behind Permanent Teeth?

When primary teeth grow behind permanent teeth, a dentist can correct the issue with orthodontics if the permanent teeth have erupted. Brackets attached to your permanent teeth will help move them to the correct position.

  • Remove primary teeth – Your dentist or orthodontist must remove the primary teeth to make room for the permanent ones and help them erupt in the correct position.
  • Possibly remove a few permanent teeth – If your teeth are crowded, your dentist might recommend removing some permanent teeth.

When Permanent Teeth Never Develop

When permanent teeth never develop due to disease, a medical condition, or genetics, a dentist or orthodontist can

  • Use braces to correctly position the tooth on either side of the missing one
  • Remove a permanent tooth to make room for replacing the missing tooth if necessary
  • After orthodontic treatment, replace the missing tooth with a dental implant and crown

Will Porcelain Veneers Help Primary Teeth Look Larger?

Photo of a porcelain veneer, which cannot be whitened, held against a natural tooth for Lowell, MA cosmetic dentist Dr. Szarek

At times, porcelain veneers are an option for helping small adult teeth look larger

Although a porcelain veneer can help a primary tooth look larger, it may not be the solution when a permanent tooth is behind the primary one. But at times, porcelain veneers can improve the appearance of primary teeth in adults. Read the March 2017 Operative Dentistry article, Ceramic Veneers for Esthetic Restoration of Retained Primary Teeth, for details.

Conclusion

Each patient’s case is unique, so you will need an exam for a dentist to determine which treatments will work for your case. We suggest scheduling a consultation with an accredited cosmetic dentist and an orthodontist to discuss your options.

Look for accreditation from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry or the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. Rather than tell either doctor that you want porcelain veneers, let them examine your teeth and explain your treatment options.

 

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

New dental crowns for a gap make my jaw and neck hurt

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I received a dental implant on a left incisor and crowns on all front six teeth. I received the other crowns to close a large gap between my front teeth. Now my speech is slurred and lispy, and I have neck and jaw pain, dry mouth, and numbness in my lips. I regret closing my gap. Are the crowns causing this problem? If so, I want them removed, and I will keep my gap. – Dahlia from CT

Dahlia,

Closing your gap is not the issue, but the quality of your crown placement is the problem. Correctly sized and seated crowns do not create the symptoms you described.

When Dental Crowns Cause Symptoms

When dental crowns cause symptoms, including pain, numbness, or dry mouth, it could be that the crowns are too thick, too long, or both.

  • Oversized crowns – Oversized crowns can prevent your lips from closing naturally and effortlessly.
  • Lip incompetence – When your bite is correct and you put your teeth together, your lips should close naturally without thinking about it or trying to close them. Your lip numbness and dry mouth suggest you have lip incompetence—the ability to close your gaps naturally.
  • Thick crowns – Too-thick crowns can disrupt your bite (the way your upper and lower teeth fit together) and cause jaw and neck pain. Speech problems can result, too.

What to Do About Faulty Crowns

When dental crowns cause pain and dry mouth, you must find a cosmetic dentist to correct the issue. A dry mouth and lack of saliva breeds bacteria and promotes rapid tooth decay. Saliva contains antibodies to help fight decay, so don’t let the problems linger.

Diagram of three phases of dental implants, for information on implants and diabetes from the office of Lowell, MA dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Get a second opinion to check your implant crown and crowns on your natural teeth

We recommend that you find an advanced cosmetic dentist—preferably accredited—for a second opinion. It is challenging for a dentist to place multiple crowns simultaneously and balance your bite correctly. But a trained cosmetic dentist who understands occlusion and bite (how your teeth fit together and come in contact when you bite) can evaluate your case.

The cosmetic dentist will do the following:

 

Unfortunately, you may need new crowns. But your oral health is essential to your well-being.

Best wishes.

 

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

My new porcelain veneers look old after 5 months

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In September, a well-known cosmetic dentist in a community about 50 miles away placed 8 porcelain veneers on my upper front teeth. I love my new smile because it looks natural and better than my teeth. Last week I noticed that my smile doesn’t look as glossy as when I first got the veneers. It looks like my veneers are beginning to have a matte finish. I’ve tried different toothpaste brands, but it’s not working. I’m afraid that I have done something wrong, although I was trying to be diligent about taking care of my veneers. My workload has increased since Covid, and due to the distance of the cosmetic dentist’s office, I’m unable to see her until mid-February. Can my dentist restore the luster of my veneers? Is there something I should do or avoid at home until my appointment? Thank you. Darren from CT

Darren,

You were fortunate to find a cosmetic dentist who gave you a natural-looking smile. Although Dr. Szarek would need to examine your veneers to determine why they are losing their luster, we’ll review two possible reasons.

Why Might New Porcelain Veneers Lose Their Gloss?

New porcelain veneers might lose their gloss or luster due to dental equipment that damages the glaze or because you received composite veneers instead of porcelain.

Damage to porcelain veneers

Although porcelain is denser than tooth enamel, a potent abrasive can damage the glaze and make your veneers look dull. Toothpaste alone would not make your veneers lose their gloss within five months.

  • Power polishing equipment – A hygienist must be trained to care for porcelain veneers. Otherwise, if they use power polishing equipment (e.g., Prophy Jet) on your veneers, it will blast away the glaze. Your veneers will look dull or look like they have a matte finish.
  • Acidulated fluoride – If a hygienist uses fluoride that contains hydrofluoric acid, it will etch the porcelain. Your veneers will look dull and more easily pick up stains.

Type of veneers you received

Although porcelain veneers are limited in how they can be damaged, composite veneers are not as durable. Composite is softer than tooth structure. Abrasive toothpaste, pumice polishing at the dentist, or alcohol-based mouthwash can cause composite veneers to lose their gloss or luster. If you received composite veneers, they will lose their gloss over time. And if you use the abrasive products mentioned, it will accelerate the loss of luster on composite.

Can Your Dentist Restore the Shine on Your Porcelain Veneers?

Yes, an advanced cosmetic dentist can restore the gloss on your porcelain veneers with these steps:

  • Polish your veneers with diamond polishing instruments and polishing paste
  • Finish with ultra-fine diamond polishing paste

Michael Szarek, DMD, an accredited cosmetic dentist in Lowell, MA, sponsors this post. Dr. Szarek’s office is convenient to Dracut, Pelham, Andover, Wilmington, Burlington, and Windham.

Before-and-after porcelain veneers photos from Massachusetts accredited cosmetic dentist Michael Szarek, DMD

Before-and-after porcelain veneers photos from accredited cosmetic dentist Michael Szarek, DMD