Tag Archives: Lafayette Porcelain Veneers

Why Is My Porcelain Veneer Staining My Tooth?

I don’t know what’s going on with my porcelain veneer. I had a large chip on a tooth on a front tooth. My dentist fixed it with a porcelain veneer a few years ago. For some reason it’s developed a black stain at the top near the gumline. What can I do to fix that? It’s a little embarrassing.

Wesley C.

Dear Wesley,

There are a couple of possibilities going on here. To determine which, we’ll need to be certain what you have is actually a porcelain veneer. A porcelain veneer is just placed on the front of your tooth. Very little is done to the actual tooth with the exception of some mild shaving. It’s possible your dentist placed a dental crown instead. For these, your teeth need to be ground down quite a bit, to a nub. Then a restoration is made that surrounds the entire tooth.

If you have a dental crown, based on what you’ve said your dentist likely gave you a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (PFM). Though, for the life of me I can’t fathom why any decent cosmetic dentist would place a metal-based crown on a front tooth. The appropriate crown for a front tooth would be an all-porcelain crown. The metal-based crowns eventually develop a gray line at the gumline. You’ve only had your restoration a few years. That seems a little soon for the gray line to develop unless you have gum disease or possibly if you brush too hard.

If you do have a porcelain veneer, this shouldn’t be happening at all. It’s a sign your dentist didn’t bond it correctly. It should sit flush with your tooth. If your dentist doesn’t properly smooth it out they’ll be a ledge which can trap bacteria. Another possibility is the bond is so week things are getting between the veneer and the tooth. Both of these will lead to staining and, eventually, decay.

The solution to either of these is it needs to be replaced. If the problem is a crown, you’ll want to replace it with an all-porcelain crown. If it’s a veneer, your dentist should replace it free of charge. The mistake was his.

You may have to get a second opinion from someone who isn’t your dentist to get an honest answer.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Can I Switch My Metal Crowns with Porcelain Veneers?

I’ve got four metal-based crowns. I’ve never been thrilled with them. They’ve always looked more cloudy than my natural teeth, but it was better than no teeth. Lately, though, there’s been this dark line at my gumline. It’s making it impossible for me to smile without feeling humiliated. I’ve started avoiding going out in public. Last night, I saw an article about porcelain veneers. The pictures were stunning. First, are they really that gorgeous or was that clever photoshopping? Second, can I switch out my metal-based crowns with porcelain veneers?

Millie M. – Indiana

Millie,

No one should be embarrassed to smile. With that said, I don’t want you to feel alone. There are many people (Americans especially) who are unhappy with some aspect of their smile. We want perfection. Cloudy teeth you can maybe get away with. It’s not ideal, but it’s not necessarily distracting or ugly. A gray line at your gumline is both distracting and ugly. I understand your desire to make a switch.

Porcelain veneers really can be that stunning. Whether they are or not depends on the skill of the cosmetic dentist. A skilled, artistic cosmetic dentist can give you a gorgeous smile. Toward that end, I have good news and bad news regarding switching out your crowns with veneers.

First, the bad news. You cannot. It doesn’t matter what type of crown it is. The reason is the structural difference between the two treatments. Porcelain veneers bond to the very front of the teeth. Hardly any tooth structure is removed to place them. Dental crowns, on the other hand, fit over the entirety of your teeth, which requires grinding down a large amount of tooth structure. Because of that, there’s not enough tooth left for the veneers to be bonded to.

Now for the good news. You can still replace these ugly crowns and get a gorgeous smile. Instead of replacing your metal-based crowns with porcelain veneers, you can replace them with all-porcelain crowns. These can be created just as beautifully as porcelain veneers. Unlike their metal-based relations, all-porcelain crowns will not look cloudy. It’s the base that makes which makes that necessary in order to hide the metal. Also, you’ll never have to worry about them developing that unsightly gray line.

The key will be the dentist. The get the best results, look for an AACD accredited dentist. Accreditation is different than membership. You can purchase membership. Accreditation is earned by demonstrating proficiency in both technical skill and artistry.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Is it True I Can’t Have Porcelain Veneers with a Tongue Piercing?

I want to get porcelain veneers before my wedding, but my dentist said I can’t have them because of my tongue ring?  Do I really have to get rid of my tongue ring? It’s important to me.

Liz E. – Michigan

Liz,

No, you won’t have to get rid of your tongue piercing. You will be able to find a dentist who will give you porcelain veneers even with it. However, I want you to be aware of the downside of your piercing and why your dentist is avoiding giving you veneers.

Often, patients with a tongue piercing end up with chipped teeth. They bang the piercing against their teeth either accidentally or out of habit.

Another issue is shifting teeth. If you suck on the piercing, you’ll pull your teeth in a certain direction. It will also open up the margins on your veneers and leave you exposed to decay.

Your dentist would make a lot of money if he just gave you the porcelain veneers. In fact, he’d likely have you as a constant customer because of repairs to chips and things. The fact that he isn’t giving them to you says he cares about his work and not just  a paycheck.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Having Pain With My Porcelain Veneers

I got porcelain veneers. When my dentist put in the temporaries they felt okay. But, now that the real ones are in they’re giving me some pain. My dentist looked at them and said the bite is off just a bit. He adjusted them a few times, but it’s still hurting when I bite down. Do I keep going back or have them removed?

Sandy – Georgia

Sandy,

I don’t think what you have is porcelain veneers. If you had temporaries, and your dentist has adjusted them, and he’s saying your bite is off, that sounds more like porcelain crowns.

Your dentist needs to fix this or it will cause severe problems, including TMJ. If adjusting them doesn’t improve things, you may have an infection and that is what is causing the pain.  Have the dentist do the x-ray.

I’m a little concerned that you thought you had porcelain veneers. Was that what your dentist told you? Maybe have another dentist look at your bill and the work you had done.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Why Didn’t My Porcelain Veneers Work?

I was very excited to get porcelain veneers. I was told they could make my smile taller and wider and make my gums look even.  That’s what my dentist and I discussed. Unfortunately, that isn’t what I ended up with. Don’t get me wrong. the veneers look good, but nothing has changed the size of my teeth or my gums, which you can still see when I smile. Why didn’t they work? Were my expectations too high?

Samantha B. – Washington

Samantha,

Your expectations of porcelain veneers weren’t too high. I’d say your expectations for your dentist were.  Porcelain veneers can widen your smile, as well as many other things. However, the solution for your issue would have included gum contouring.  Additionally, it would have had to have been done before the veneers were made, not after.

It’s likely your dentist is a great family dentist who dabbles in cosmetic work. He doesn’t have any real expertise. You could talk to him about re-doing them, but I’m not sure he’d really know what to do. It sounds like you’ll likely have to have them re-done by someone with more artistic and technical training.

If I were in your place, I’d look for someone who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

This blog is brought to  you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Can porcelain veneers fix a tooth gap?

If I have a tooth gap between my center top front teeth, can porcelain veneers close the gap?

Lucy P – North Dakota

Lucy,

Yes, porcelain veneers can close a tooth gap. However, unless there are other things about your teeth you’d like to change, there is a less expensive fix.

Dental bonding is a simple way to close a tooth gap. It uses composite resin. Your dentist will manually shape it to your teeth, blending it to look naturally with your front teeth.

Porcleian veneers are better for a total smile makeover.  They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth. They can completely remake your smile.

However, they do cost more than bonding. Which procedure you should get will be determined by your goals and desires for your smile.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Why can’t I floss my teeth?

I got porcelain veneers. I like them, but for some reason I’m no longer able to floss. Is that normal?

Hannah A. – Florida

Hannah,

No, it’s not normal. In fact, it’s bad for your teeth, including your porcelain veneers.

It’s possible your dentist skipped a step. As you’re dentist places each veneer, some bonding material squeezes out. Your dentist needed to go around those teeth carefully with dental floss.

To do that, your dentist would need two special curing tips. The first one very narrow (about 2mm). This one tacks the veneer into place so your dentist can floss it without the veneer popping off. After he flosses, he can use another curing tip (about 13mm) to cure it the rest of the way.

After all that, he should still go over it all again with fine polishing strips.  If your dentist didn’t take all those steps, it would explain why you can’t floss.

This blog is brought to you by Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Do I need to go out of town for a smile makeover?

I live in a small town. We do have a dentist and he said he could give me lumineers, but my sister is saying I’d be better off going to Atlanta for the makeover. That’s an hour and a half drive. Is it really worth that?

Amy D. – Georgia

Amy,

If I were in your place, I would drive to Atlanta. I know it is a drive, but you’d only have to do it twice. I assure you it will likely make a huge difference.

If your dentist is saying he could give you lumineers it has me concerned. Many artistic cosmetic dentists feel that will not give you the beautiful smile you’re looking for. They often prefer other brands of porcelain veneers. Many inexperienced dentists place them because they’re marketed as being easy to place, but they tend to be bulky and opaque.

What you really want is a dentist who has expertise and an artistic eye.  It’s ideal if you can go to a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

A dentist with that kind of skill will give you an absolutely stunning smile. If you’re ging to spend the money on a makeover, you want to make sure you get a gorgeous one.

This blog is brought to you by Lousiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Beware of bad cosmetic dentists

I recently read a story on a cosmetic dentistry blog, of a woman who spent a small fortune to get her smile made over, only to end up with an average looking smile.  Here is the picture she sent.

bad-makeoverI don’t have the before picture, so we don’t know what the teeth looked like befre.  It’s not a horrible smile, but it’s not great either.  The teeth are off center and the color is drab.  When you’re paying for a smile makeover, you want something better.

Compare that with a makever that Dr. Malone did with porcelain veneers. Here we have both before and after pictures.

anne-smile-before
Before
After
After

There isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry.  Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist.  But, as you can tell in the difference in the quality of work between the unnamed dentist at the top of this page and Dr. Malone’s directly above, there is a huge difference between calling yourself a cosmetic dentist and actually doing gorgeous work.

One way to assure you’ll get quality work is to use a dentist who has reached accreditation level with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

This blog is brought to you by Lousiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. MIke Malone.

 

Don’t listen to your dentist!

My dentist has recommended I get porcelain veneers to fix my teeth.  There is a large gap (about 10 mm). He thinks two veneers in the front should cover it.  I’m a little concerned, because the gap is so large and thought I should get a second opinion. What are your thoughts?

Brandon K. – Oklahoma

Brandon,

I’m exceedingly glad you wrote before you went forward with that treatment.  A 10mm gap is enough to fit in an entire new tooth.  Just placing two porcelain veners will look a little weird.  Plus, if you’re going to do porcelain veneers, you generally want to get all the visible teeth of your top arch done in a way that looks completely natural.

I would like you to see an AACD accredited dentist for a second opinion. These dentists are of the highest calibar of cosmetic dentists in the country.  They’ll be able to give you the most beautiful and natural solution to your situation.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.