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Wine for White Fillings?

March 31, 2017

Filed under: Cater to Cowards — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — okcitydentist @ 1:09 pm

I suffered from a bit of dental anxiety. And by a bit I mean a lot. I need a filling. I’m hoping to get a white filling, but I’m having trouble scheduling an appointment.  Would it be okay for me to drink some wine before I go to the dentist? It should relax me.

Breeanne P. – San Diego

Breeanne,

I’m glad you’re taking steps to go forward with a needed treatment, even though you’re fearful. Wine is one way of dealing with anxiety. However, it may keep the dentist from any necessary work. Don’t let that discourage you, though. There is a great solution.

There are dentists who specialize in helping patients with dental anxiety. You can usually find them with a simple internet search. Look for a “sedation dentist” or a “cater to cowards” dentist.  They can give you something which will relax you much better than wine.

Just be sure you keep moving forward. Your cavity will likely be a simple fix, but if you let it go too long, it could blow up into something more extensive, like needing a root canal treatment and dental crown.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.

Will Lumineers Look Fake?

December 3, 2016

Filed under: Lumineers — Tags: , , , , , , — okcitydentist @ 11:11 am

I want a smile makeover. I suggested Lumineers because you don’t have to remove any tooth structure. He told me it was a bad idea because everyone would know they were fake teeth. He said porcelain veneers were a problem and never look natural. Instead, he wants me to get dental crowns. He said they’ll look more natural. I don’t want an unnatural smile, but one of the reasons I suggested Lumineers was I didn’t want to remove healthy tooth structure. Dental Crowns remove even more tooth and my teeth are healthy. Is there another option?

Melissa – Michigan

Melissa,

The problem isn’t with porcelain veneers. The problem is your dentist. He is likely a very decent family dentist, but an absolutely horrible cosmetic dentist. He can work with crowns but has no real experience with porcelain veneers. So, instead of referring you to someone who can give you a gorgeous smile, he suggests a treatment he knows how to do. But, do you have any guarantee that it will be beautiful? I’d be willing to bet it won’t be. So, you’ll remove healthy tooth structure and end up with a subpar smile.

So, what do you do? I’d suggest you find a different dentist for your smile makeover. One who has a great deal of experience doing porcelain veneers. It doesn’t have to be Lumineers. In fact, you will likely get a more beautiful smile with a different brand. Ask to see before and after photos of their work. It would also help if they had some form of a beautiful smile guarantee.

I’m not suggesting you leave your dentist completely. Just don’t use him for cosmetic work.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don  Swearingen.

Lumineers or crowns?

June 22, 2016

Filed under: Lumineers — Tags: , , , , , — okcitydentist @ 1:38 pm

I have some front teeth that not only have a gap between them, but are also off to the right a little, which puts another gap to the left. My dentist wants to do crowns on them. I suggested Lumineers or another type of porcelain veneers. He said that veneers are problematic and he only does crowns. I keep hearing from other people that they’re a great option, but don’t want to push the issue if my dentist is right. Do you have a recommendation? Other than the gaps and positioning the teeth are healthy, so I didn’t want to grind them down if I didn’t need to.

Daisy F. – New Mexico

Daisy,

Porcelain veneers in themselves aren’t problematic, but they might be for your dentist. Based on what you said, he is strictly a general dentist and has no cosmetic skills.  You’re right that porcelain veneers would be less invasive than crowns. Most dentists would hate to take away healthy tooth structure.

In this case you have two choices.

  1. You can stick with your dentist and go with the crowns.  Make sure he can address the off-center issue. You don’t just want to fill in the gaps with the crowns and still have them off center. Dont’ push him into the veneers or it will end up a disaster. He’s just not qualified to do them.
  2. You can find and experienced cosmetic dentist and have them do either Lumineers or another brand of porcelain veneers. Let your cosmetic dentist decide which brand, because they all have different pros and cons and he or she will know which brand will work best for your smile.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.

Temporary crown fell off

December 19, 2012

Filed under: Porcelain Crowns — Tags: , , — okcitydentist @ 7:56 pm

My temporary crown fell off. Do I really need it back on? If so, how do I get it back on?

Dennis H.- Conway, AR

Dennis,

It is important you get your crown put on. If it is off even for a couple of days, your tooth could get damaged. But, even if it doesn’t, your teeth will begin to drift together, which will cause your new crown not to fit.  My recommendation is that you call your dentist. He or she should assume responsibility for getting this back on. If for some strange reason they don’t or they can’t get you in right away, you have some options. A denture adhesive will help, or sometimes you can find temporary dental cement at your local drug store. You may be interested in learning about porcelain crowns.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.