I just had a crown or filling placed, what should I expect?
It is not unusual to experience temperature sensitivity for a period of time. The deeper or larger the filling, the more sensitive it may be. That will also affect how long the sensitivity remains. Persistent pain to biting or sensitivity to hot may indicate further care requirements so please contact me.
Is amalgam (silver mercury fillings) filling material safe?
To date no legitimate research has proven any risk other than the rare allergy. Estimates as high as one trillion silver fillings placed in the last 120 years without any proven health consequences.
Tooth colored fillings certainly look better. I find that they seem to last about the same amount of time as silver fillings. Bonded fillings are bonded to the tooth and require less tooth structure to be removed for their placement. We seem to have less sensitivity with these bonded fillings. Bonded fillings cost more, and if insurance is an issue, it will generally only pay what it would have for a silver filling. We will certainly place whatever restorative material you would like.
Direct bonding is fine for improving the appearance of a couple teeth or to close some spaces between teeth. But for multiple teeth or more significant esthetic problems, porcelain veneers are more reliable. Bonding is a more conservative procedure but it can not accomplish as much as porcelain veneers.
Is office bleaching better than over-the-counter bleaching?
Yes, but over the counter bleaches are not terrible. The largest problem relates to the patient choosing to bleach his or her own teeth without consulting the dentist first. Not all teeth will bleach. Not all teeth will bleach evenly. Many times there will be splotches, other times restorations in the front of the mouth will not bleach and need to be replaced if one bleaches. The tray fabricated in our office fits your teeth perfectly. It is crafted precisely to keep the bleaching agent off the gums. Crest Whitestrips for instance go straight across the gums. I do not believe that is a good idea. There are also problems with keeping the strips on the lower teeth. While the initial cost of in office bleaching is higher than over the counter, the bleaching trays we make have often lasted for as long as ten years, and many are still going strong at that number. The retouches with in office bleaching may actually cost less than the Whitestrips.
Veneers are any covering over teeth. Generally we speak of veneers as some covering over the front of front teeth. Veneers can best be divided by direct and indirect. Direct generally involves bonding composite and it is placed on the front teeth to correct to correct minor problems. There is often very little if any tooth structure removed (there are exceptions) . We can close spaces between teeth, fix a discolored tooth and hide some size or alignment issues. Indirect veneers are generally some type of porcelain made at the lab from an impression of the reshaped teeth. These can correct many more significant problems. They are the most esthetic option we have. But this is a more invasive procedure and is entirely not reversible. Lumineers are a specific brand of veneers. They offer minimal to no preparation of tooth. They are a very conservative porcelain veneer material. I am certified by the parent company of Lumineers in their use.
