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Advanced cosmetic and general dentistry

Why Do My Dental Implants Hurt When I Chew?

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In August 2020, my dentist finished my full-mouth reconstruction, including five implants, seven crowns, and veneers. Two of the crowns on my natural teeth fell off last week, and I have an infection around three of the five implants. My gums are swollen around the implants, and chewing hurts. My dentist relocated last December, and I cannot find a listing for his new dental office. I am anxious about finding a new dentist to reattach the crowns and worried that I would need to repeat the full-mouth reconstruction. Where do I begin? Thank you. Baldwin from CT

Baldwin,

Thank you for contacting Dr. Szarek’s office.

We are sorry to hear about your stressful experience. You can benefit from an exam and a 3-D CT scan to identify the cause of your discomfort. Also, a skilled restorative dentist can determine why your crowns have fallen off.

What Causes Dental Implants to Hurt When You Chew?

Model of a dental implant, including the crown, abutment, and artificial rootDental implants can hurt when you chew if you have an infection around the implants. Usually, the condition is a form of gum disease that can lead to dental implant failure. Signs and symptoms of infection include:

  • Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
  • Bleeding around the implants
  • Difficulty chewing
  • Loose implants
  • Pain, aches, or discomfort around the implant
  • Pus around the implants
  • Red or swollen gums
  • Visible implant threads

Treatment for Infection Around Dental Implants

Depending on the cause and extent of infection around dental implants and the quality of your dental implants, treatment options may include:

  • Antibiotics
  • Antimicrobial therapy
  • Laser therapy for your gums
  • Surgery
  • Implant removal, bone grafting, and implant replacement

Find a Skilled Implant Dentist

Look for dentists with advanced implant and cosmetic dentistry training. Dentists who restore implants but do not perform surgery partner with an oral surgeon or periodontist for implant surgery. Dentists with post-graduate cosmetic dentistry training are skilled at identifying the cause of faulty crowns and restoring dental implants.

We recommend scheduling consultations with two advanced cosmetic dentists to discuss your options.

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

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.

Chipped Tooth? What to Expect from a Porcelain Veneer or an Alternative

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Last week I was at a family pool party and had an accident that chipped my tooth. The chip isn’t large, but it’s on the inside of my right center tooth, so it’s noticeable. I have questions about porcelain veneers if you have a few minutes.

If I get a veneer, can it look like my original tooth shape? Will the color match my left front tooth? How much time will it take to get the tooth repaired?

Thanks. Tanya W.

Tanya,

The results depend on the dentist who does the work. If a family dentist restores your tooth, the results might not look natural. But an expert cosmetic dentist can perfectly match a veneer to your left center tooth.

An Alternative to Porcelain Veneers

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

It’s not necessary to cover the entire front of your tooth with a porcelain veneer to conceal a chip

If the only damage to your right front tooth is a chip, composite bonding is the best way to conceal it. The process is less invasive than a porcelain veneer, and a cosmetic dentist will complete it while you’re sitting in the dental chair:

  • Roughen the surface of your tooth where it’s chipped
  • Apply dental composite that matches your tooth shade
  • Shape the composite to mimic the characteristics of your teeth
  • Harden the composite and further shape and polish it

In contrast, a porcelain veneer requires the following steps:

  • Remove a small amount of tooth enamel to ensure the veneer fits well and looks natural
  • Take impressions and photos of your teeth
  • Place a temporary veneer over your tooth for you to try out
  • If you approve the look and feel of the temporary, a ceramist will make the final veneer
  • Send instructions, impressions, and photos to the lab and ceramist to make your porcelain
  • Bond the veneer to your tooth after you’re sure it’s beautiful

In either case, choose an expert cosmetic dentist—preferably accredited—to achieve natural-looking results that help you smile with confidence again. Cosmetic dentistry is an art. Only dentists with post-graduate training and artistic ability to achieve lifelike results. And there are only a few genuine cosmetic dentists.

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

If a Porcelain Veneer Falls Off, Should It Be Replaced with a Crown?

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Last December, my dentist placed 6 porcelain veneers on my front teeth. Two weeks after my dentist bonded the veneers, one of the incisor veneers fell off and broke while I was eating. The tooth was quite sensitive. My dentist said that he needed to adjust my bite. He shortened the opposite bottom tooth and the porcelain veneer. My dentist applied chemicals to my tooth that hurt so bad because it was already sensitive, despite his claims that the fix would be painless.

Last week, the same veneer fell off while I was eating. I feel the same sensitivity in my tooth. I called my dentist’s office to report the problem, and he returned my call and asked me to schedule an appointment for a porcelain crown because my bite must still be off. My dentist hasn’t looked at my tooth, and he wants me to get a crown. I’m suffering from sensitivity in the tooth, and I’m very skeptical about returning to my dentist. Is it normal for a cosmetic dentist to replace a veneer with a crown that keeps falling off?  – Omar from CT

Omar,

Two things aren’t normal about your situation. Porcelain veneers don’t commonly fall off, and it isn’t reasonable to grind down your tooth to replace the veneer with a dental crown.

Your dentist’s explanation about why your porcelain veneer is falling off doesn’t sound logical—especially since your dentist adjusted your bite, and the veneer fell off again. When a dentist properly bonds a porcelain veneer, it might chip or crack—but not fall off.

Why Do Porcelain Veneers Fall Off?

Improper bonding – Porcelain veneers require skill and proper bonding techniques. A dentist needs post-graduated cosmetic dentistry training to understand which tools and materials are needed for successful bonding. We are skeptical that your dentist has received the proper training to give you a long-lasting smile makeover.

Aggressive tooth preparation – If your dentist aggressively prepared your tooth and removed too much enamel, it would cause sensitivity in your tooth and make it a challenge for the veneer to stay in place.

Switch to an Advanced Cosmetic Dentist

If you take the veneer to an advanced cosmetic dentist—preferably accredited— he or she will ensure your tooth is prepared correctly and bond the veneer back in place. A cosmetic dentist who can save your tooth from a crown and ensure your veneer is secure.

Michael Szarek, DMD, an accredited cosmetic dentist in Lowell, MA, sponsors this post. Dr. Szarek’s office is conveniently located near Dracut, Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Billerica, Westford, Andover, Lawrence, Wilmington, Bedford, and Burlington.
Below are porcelain veneers photos of one of Dr. Szarek’s patients.