Jeff B. from Ontario

Jeff,

We see superficial cracks in teeth all the time. Often they only affect the enamel. Unless it gets stained and begins to affect the appearance of your tooth, I see no need for Lumineers. Without an infection, I see no need to do a root canal treatment. So my advice is that unless the pain is significant and you know the cause of it, then just leave it alone.

The pain you’re feeling could be from a bite discrepancy, sinus problems, cold air, or a sensitive root. Give it time and see if it doesn’t go away on its own. If it doesn’t you can investigate further, but until you know they actual cause, don’t do anything to your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Candice from West Virginia

Candice,

Depending on what condition your filling is in, it may be necessary to replace the filling, but it will not disqualify you as a candidate for Lumineers.  It is not a problem to bond the veneers directly over your filling.

The exception to that would be if your filling took up 1/4 to 1/2 of your tooth surface. In those cases it is usually better to do porcelain crowns.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Cassie- Bismark

Cassie,

Yes, amalgam (or silver) fillings are made of about 50% mercury. There are varying reports on the health concerns this may raise. Some say there are no health affects, others say there are. Just go with what you are comfortable with. A great alternative to traditional fillings are white fillings (or composite fillings). They have many benefits aside from being mercury-free.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Kathy B.- Orlando, FL

Kathy,

It sounds like you have a fistula from an abscessed tooth. Sometimes people do not to realize they have an infected tooth because there can be little to no pain. If left untreated this can cause a lot of problems. You’ll need to be seen to verify you have an infection. If so, it is easily taken care of with a root canal treatment and a porcelain crown.

The blog is brought to you by Auburn family dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Candice-Oklahoma City

Candice,

Lumineers won’t solve this problem. What you really need to do is have your crowns replaced with all porcelain crowns. Because there is no metal foundation, these crowns will never develop that hideous dark line you’re experiencing. Just tell your dentist you want all porcelain crowns.

This blog is sponsored by Auburn dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Billy Gaye- Arkansas

Billy Gaye,

First, I will say that you don’t want to do any type of whitening with your bonding, over-the-counter or otherwise. You can get your teeth whitened, but make sure you do it before you get your bonding done, that way your dentist can match your bonding to your whitened teeth. If you whiten afterward, the natural part of your tooth will whiten, but the bonding will not.

I will also say that though over-the-counter whitening strips work, they only work temporarily by removing surface stains. You will have to use them over and over again in order to get the level of whiteness you’ll want, and it will only be temporary. If you were to get professional teeth whitening, the gel that is used is much more powerful. This will not only whiten your teeth much more quickly, but the stains are removed from the inside out, making it permanent.

You may also be interested in Lumineers.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Family Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Thanks in advance. Shelley-Michigan

Shelley,

You are correct. A Maryland bridge is only to be used for one missing tooth. For those who don’t know, a Maryland bridge is a false tooth that is attached to the adjacent teeth using metal wings that are bonded to the inside surfaces of adjacent teeth. Even with just one missing tooth, they sometimes come loose if they’re under a great deal of stress. Four is just too much stress for it. I sincerely doubt it would even last two weeks before coming loose. Don’t waste your time.

If your four missing teeth are in a row, I would suggest a porcelain bridge. Another option is to have dental implants placed. They are a permanent solution, and are the closest thing to your natural teeth. They are more expensive than a bridge, so you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Family dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Bailey-New Mexico

Bailey,

You won’t have to worry about a spreading infection if you have cold/air sensitivity. So that is good news. Even if there is an infection, it is slight and confined to the tooth. Without an x-ray we’ll just go with good vs. bad signs to look for. First the good signs: If the sensitivity is gradually getting better or staying the same, that is a good sign. If the sensitivity is only when the tooth is cold, and it feels better when it warms up, that is a good sign. Now the bad signs: If the sensitivity lingers after the cold stimulus that is a bad sign. If the tooth begins to hurt without any cold/air stimulus that is a bad sign that something is wrong that will not get better, and you may need a root canal.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Family Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Sunny M.- Little Rock

Sunny,

Zoom Whitening will whiten your teeth in just one appointment. It does fade a little bit, but that is because at first it will bleach your teeth more white than the color you were going for and then slightly fade to the actual color. They will still be amazingly white.

Your other option is  take home whitening. It could take several weeks to get to the level of whiteness you want, depending on their color now, but they will be whiter by the wedding if you start right away.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, Alabama Mercury free dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.