Archive for January, 2011

Bleaching teeth after getting Lumineers

Monday, January 31st, 2011

Three years ago I got eight porcelain veneers (the Lumineers brand) put on my top teeth. I didn’t have them do anything about my bottom teeth at that time. Now I am wondering if I can bleach my teeth or if that will damage my porcelain veneers. I’ve moved away from my dentist and don’t have a new one to ask this yet.

Helen in Orlando, FL

Dear Helen,

It is not clear from your question whether you are talking about bleaching just your bottom teeth or if you want to whiten your porcelain veneers, too. Porcelain veneers cannot be whitened with bleaching products, so I hope you are only talking about whitening your lower teeth. The only kind of whitening product we recommend for patients with porcelain veneers are Crest Whitestrips or similar products, where the strip of adhesive material holds the peroxide gel against the teeth.

The problem with Whitestrips and products like that is that they are really designed to fit comfortably on the top six front teeth. You can try to trim them down to fit better, but most products like this are not cheap, and that could get surprisingly expensive. It may be well worth the time and money to just visit a dentist for an in-office teeth whitening treatment. Some offices offer new patients free whitening treatments. For most dental treatments (cosmetic and otherwise) it is rarely a good idea to price shop, but teeth whitening is a simple procedure.

York PA cosmetic dentist Dr. Currie and his office provide this blog as a courtesy.

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My TMJ disorder is really complicated

Monday, January 17th, 2011

I really hope you can help me. My TMJ has been making my life miserable for years, and no one I turn to for help seems to be able to give me a long term solution.

Because of a severe teeth grinding habit, I had crowns put on all my teeth about ten years ago, when I was only 21 years old. They were not done right, and now the crowns are worn, and I have a lot of clicking and pain when I move my jaw. The new dentist I talked said my jaw is crooked, and that there is a slant on both the upper and lower jaws. I also have a lot of trouble with infections in my gums. And though this may not seem that important, they are just plain ugly! They don’t look real at all, and were never what I would call attractive. I am only 31 years old, and these things add at least a decade.

I went to a dentist who said he does “neuromuscular dentistry”, but it seems like I am worse rather than better! After two years of treatments, my crowns are wearing in different places, and now I have an open bite. I know I need some extensive work done, but I don’t know who to trust to do it! Should I go to a prosthodontist, or a cosmetic dentist? I learned my lesson with the neuromuscular guy - this time around I will be checking credentials and making sure they have TRAINING in what I want them to do!

I am worried that things are too screwed up to be fixed. Will a competent dentist be able to tell where my natural bite is supposed to be? And do I have to settle for these ugly kind of porcelain crowns because they are stronger? I just want this fixed. It is consuming my life!

Theresa in San Diego

Dear Theresa,

You’ve had a rough time of it! And chronic pain is awful to live with.

You were on the right track, looking for a neuromuscular dentist, and on the right track now in saying that you will be closely scrutinizing credentials and training.

You need to seek out a dentist who has both cosmetic dentistry training and experience and training in TMJ treatment. A dentist who is trained in neuromuscular dentistry could also be a good choice, but you are understandably leery in that arena. You are correct in stating that it will be difficult to determine where you natural bite should be, and you’ll need a top rate professional to help you do that. And never be afraid to closely examine the information they provide about their training and experience.

As to choosing between form and function, there is no need to. Porcelain crowns can be both beautiful and strong enough to last for many years, particularly if your misalignment issues are addressed and the grinding eases up.

Best of luck to you.

This blog provided courtesy of York PA dentist Dr. Currie.

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