Archives for July 2022

My Replacement Porcelain Veneer Is Too Dark

Posted on July 31, 2022 by AllSmiles.

One porcelain veneer - available from Sugar Land cosmetic dentist Dr. Siny Thomas

A cosmetic dentist will match your veneers skillfully

Last month, I got a replacement veneer for one that broke and was too light. My dentist sent it back to the lab, and they baked on glaze to darken it. It looked good in the dental office, but after having the veneer on for two weeks, it is too dark and is not as shiny as the others. I am getting frustrated because my dentist bonded the veneer on. Is it too challenging to match a veneer to the others, or should my dentist be able to do this? – Thank you. Dawn from Austin, TX

Dawn,

Thank you for contacting Dr. Thomas’s office. We understand your concerns. Although Dr. Thomas would need to examine your veneers, we can provide general guidance.

What to Do When Your Porcelain Veneers Do Not Match

Your dentist should view your veneers in the correct lighting to achieve a color match. Many cosmetic dentists use color-correct fluorescent light in their offices to achieve a perfect match. Although some dentists may be able to polish away some of the tint to brighten your veneers, if your dentist is not skilled with this technique, it could worsen things.

If veneers return from the lab with the wrong color, an advanced cosmetic dentist may use this technique:

Send a photograph of the shade discrepancy back to the lab
Include a careful description of the color
Be willing to get several tries to get it perfect

Polishing Your Veneers

A skilled cosmetic dentist can polish your veneer with specific diamond polishing wheels and pastes. If your dentist does not have these tools in stock or is unwilling to use them, you may need to see an advanced cosmetic dentist for veneer polishing.

We recommend visiting an advanced cosmetic dentist to examine your veneers and determine if they can achieve a color match in the office. Otherwise, the dentist can work with a lab to create a new matching veneer. If you decide to switch dentists, ask your current dentist for a copy of your dental records, including the history of your veneers treatment.

Sugar Land, Texas, cosmetic dentist Dr. Siny Thomas sponsors this post.

My Porcelain Veneers Are Too White

Posted on July 29, 2022 by AllSmiles.

Before I got porcelain veneers, I wanted a super white smile. I spoke with 4 cosmetic dentists before choosing one. We spent a lot of time looking at different shades, and the one I picked is not the one I received. I told my dentist the veneers were too white, but she said that shades of white look different in different lighting, which I accepted. I even wore the veneers for a week to ensure they were perfect. I finally got them, and they are too white. I know it sounds like I must have missed something, but it probably was my fault for accepting them at the try-in.

Now that I’ve had the veneers for two months, I am sure they are too white regardless of the lighting. My dentist bonded them onto my teeth which makes it all even worse. I asked my dentist to darken the veneers, but she said it would not work. I think she doesn’t want to do it. How much does it cost to get my veneers darkened? I am willing to pay another dentist to get it done. Thanks. Melina – Springfield, IL

Melina,

Thank you for contacting Cornerstone Dentistry.

Can You Darken Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain is colorfast, so a dentist cannot darken or liken them. If you want a color change to your veneers, a dentist must make changes before finalizing them. Even if you tried on your porcelain veneers and did not like the color, your dentist would need to ask the lab to remake them. The lab could not change the color after making your smile makeover in porcelain. While you are wearing temporary veneers, that is the best time for your dentist to communicate with a dental ceramist to lighten or darken the color of the final veneers.

What Can You Do If Your Veneers Are Too White?

porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

Too-white veneers must be remade

Unfortunately, you and your dentist had some miscommunication. If your porcelain veneers are too white, the only way to correct the issue is to get new veneers. Your current dentist might be willing to provide you with a discount on new veneers. If you choose to visit a new dentist, you will likely incur some of the same fees that your dentist charged when you first received your veneers.

Consider Switching Dentists

Remember that a skilled cosmetic dentist genuinely concerned that you love your smile will never try to convince you to accept a shape or color of veneers you do not want. So, it may be best to look for a dentist with post-graduate cosmetic dentistry training who will respect your request for the veneer shade you want. You can have your dental records transferred to a new dentist. Your current dentist has a legal and ethical obligation to cooperate with your switch to a new dentist.

Sugar Land, Texas, cosmetic dentist Dr. Siny Thomas sponsors this post.

Will Insurance Cover All-on-4 Dental Implants?

Posted on July 24, 2022 by AllSmiles.

illustration of all-on-four dental implants

All-on-4 Dental Implants

All-on-4® dental implants can support a denture, improve comfort, and prevent it from moving around. Unlike a denture that snaps onto two implants, four implants add stability. The average cost of All-on-4 dental implants in the U.S. is $20,000. Your price may be lower or higher depending on your dentist’s location and average fees in the area, your dentist’s expertise, and your unique case. If you are considering getting All-on-4 dental implants, you may wonder if insurance will cover it.

Will Insurance Cover All-on-4 Dental Implants?

Although no insurance plan will cover the entire cost of All-on-4 dental implants, some plans pay a percentage of the price. For example, an insurance plan may pay 30 to 50 percent of the cost, but have an annual or lifetime maximum, which may be $5,000. Basic coverage dental insurance plans do not include dental implants. You will find coverage in higher-tiered or premier plans.

What Can You Expect with Insurance for All-on-4 Implants?

Even if you have a dental insurance plan that offers some coverage toward dental implants, it may have limitations, including:

Waiting periods before you can get implants
Annual maximums
Lifetime maximum
Deductibles
Pre-existing condition exclusions, such as missing teeth

Plan to Pay for Dental Implants

Check with your dental insurance company to ask about plan benefits for dental implants. Some dental offices offer in-house financing or payment plans or partner with health care credit card companies like CareCredit®. If you plan to switch insurance plans, consider all your needs—not just dental implants—and compare the pros and cons.

If you are interested in All-on-4 dental implants, schedule a consultation with a skilled implant dentist to determine whether you are a candidate. The dentist will explain payment options and ways to make care affordable.

Sugar Land, Texas, dentist Dr. Siny Thomas sponsors this post.

Why Does My Chipped Tooth Hurt?

Posted on July 21, 2022 by AllSmiles.

Two days ago, I chipped my left front tooth. The chip is noticeable, but it doesn’t look horrible. I feel slight pain in the tooth. I was not planning to go to the dentist for the chip, but I’m concerned now. Why does the tooth hurt if the crack is not large? Thank you. Xander from Nashville,

Xander,

Thank you for contacting Dr. Thomas’s office. Although a dentist would need to examine and x-ray your tooth to determine the cause of your pain, we will explain why it may hurt.

Why Does a Chipped Tooth Hurt?

A chipped tooth hurts if the damage affects the pulp or living tissue and nerves inside a tooth. Understanding tooth anatomy can help you discover the source of pain.

Enamel – The hard, thick protective covering around the crown of your tooth
Dentin – A slightly elastic living tissue beneath the enamel
Pulp – Tissue, blood vessels, and nerves inside the tooth, beneath the dentin
Cementum – The bone-like structure surrounding tooth roots that helps the roots attach to the bone

A chipped tooth can irritate tooth pulp, where the nerves signal sensitivity or pain. Also, trauma or impact to your face or teeth can irritate the pulp even if you do not see any external damage.

What Should You Do If Your Chipped Tooth Hurts?

If your chipped tooth hurts, schedule an appointment with a dentist for an exam and x-rays. Although a chip may seem minor, x-rays will reveal any internal damage. Root canal treatment removes damaged tooth pulp. The procedure is painless, and it helps preserve teeth.

Without prompt treatment, the tooth pulp will swell in your body’s attempt to fight infection. Eventually, the pulp will die, increasing the risk of losing your tooth.

Schedule an appointment with a dentist for your tooth chipped to determine the extent of the damage.

Dr. Siny Thomas, a Sugar Land, Texas dentist, sponsors this post. Dr. Thomas is a graduate of the surgical program of the Pikos Institute in Trinity, Florida.