6745 Sugarloaf Parkway
Suite 200
Duluth, GA 30097

(770) 279-8800

Am I Too Old For Invisalign?

Posted on by .

I am sixty years old. My smile has always embarrassed me. This week, my daughter-in-law said that I could straighten my teeth. When I mentioned I would feel foolish wearing braces at my age, she told me that there is a new type of braces that people can’t even see. Is that true? Am I too old for those?

Sandra

Dear Sandra,

Invisalign aligner

I am so glad your daughter-in-law had your back! There are lots of options for straightening your teeth that do not involve traditional braces with all the metal wires and brackets. One of the first companies to offer this is Invisalign. Since then, several other companies have opened with offerings as well. Most of them work on the same principle.

Invisalign uses clear aligners to straighten your teeth instead of the metal of traditional braces. The treatment is designed by a complex computer software program. These will work in about half the time of traditional braces and no one will even know that you are straightening your teeth. The aligners are invisible even at a conversational distance.

Age and Invisalign

You are definitely not too old for Invisalign. In fact, there is a study club where some dentists get together to discuss their Invisalign cases. There were several dentists in that group who had Invisalign patients in their 80s. That’s not saying that 80 is the top range. It is just the age that their patients were.

There is a hidden benefit to this form of orthodontics as well that benefits mature patients. As we age, our teeth pick up stains making us look much older. The aligners used to straighten your teeth can also double as teeth whitening trays. All you need is the whitening gel from your dentist and you can both straighten and whiten your teeth at about a fraction of the cost. Your smile will look decades younger.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Porcelain Crowns Turning Yellow

Posted on by .

I had six porcelain crowns done for a smile makeover. They looked beautiful when I first got them. It’s been a little over six months and now they are starting to pick up stains. I don’t drink or smoke but do drink one cup of coffee every morning. I do brush twice a day and floss. Do you know what is going on? Is this normal? I really liked them when I first got them. Will teeth whitening get them back the way they were?

Maxwell

Dear Maxwell,

woman covering her mouth

No, this is not normal. Porcelain is very stain resistant. In fact, your porcelain crowns should be more stain resistant than your natural teeth. Something has happened to these. Nothing you described would be consistent with causing damage to your porcelain veneers. Either your dentist did not give you actual porcelain crowns or something did damage them.

You mentioned that it has been a little over six months since you had your porcelain crowns placed. This would be right about the time you might go in for a dental checkup and cleaning. It is possible that the hygienist used something known as a Power Prophy Jet or acidulated fluoride during your cleaning. The acidulated fluoride will cause damage to the glazing of the porcelain veneers, which is what protects the crowns from picking up stains. The Prophy Jet will remove the glazing altogether.

Either not using porcelain or one of the two dental procedures I mentioned could have caused the damage you are describing. Finding out what happened is going to require you getting a second opinion. I suggest that you get a second opinion from an expert cosmetic dentist. When you do, however, I want you to be sure not to tell him who your dentist is. Just go and explain that you have only had these porcelain crowns for just over six months and see if he or she can tell you why they are picking up stains. If the dentist asks who did the work before giving his or her diagnosis tell them that you are looking for an unbiased opinion and don’t want to give the name of the practitioner. They should understand that.

Unfortunately, teeth whitening will not give them back their color. Bleaching only works on natural tooth structure. The crowns will need to be replaced. That is why it is important that you figure out why this happened. If the dentist is at fault, he or she should replace them for you free of charge.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

The End of SmileDirectClub

Posted on by .

An advertisement for smile direct club crossed out.

Many patrons of SmileDirectClub are finding themselves in quite a pickle. In December, they sent out notices to all their customers that they are closing their business. Unfortunately, they will not be completing any of the customer’s treatments, even if they already paid for it. Good luck getting your money back because they filed bankruptcy and you’d have to get in line with all their other customers. But guess what? If you owe them money, they fully expect you to pay THEM. How nice.

You may be wondering how this happened? After all, they were offering a service similar to Invisalign at a fraction of the cost. The problem has its roots in the fact that they did not have any of their customers under the care of a dentist during their treatment. For some people, the treatment went smoothly and they dodged a bullet. However, most people’s treatments require some adjustments throughout. Without a dentist to look out for those type of things and make the adjustments, problems can result. This happened to many patients.

However, when they complained, SmileDirect made them sign non-disclosure agreements in order to get any type of refund. This led to many people thinking the service was incredible because there were never any negative reviews. Then, in June of 2023, a court ordered that they cease the non-disclosure requirement demand. This released over 17,000 people from their agreements and all the horror stories came out.

Their business tanked as a result. They tried to sell the company but did not get any buyers– Hence the bankruptcy.

If you are a former client of SmileDirect, the best thing you can do is finish your treatment with a qualified dentist. They can make sure your teeth are straightened in a way that doesn’t put them at risk. As a bonus, the aligners used for treatment, can also double as teeth whitening trays. This will enable you to straighten and whiten your teeth all at the same time. It will be like getting a mini smile makeover.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Should I Buy Dental Veneers Online?

Posted on by .

I want to fix my discolored and uneven teeth. My dentist is suggesting doing  bonding on the ten top teeth for $2000. My concern is that I had a chipped tooth that I had my dentist fix with composite bonding a few years ago. It looked pretty bad and the new part of the tooth with the composite did not match the rest of the tooth. I’m still stuck with this and am worried that the rest of my teeth will be problematic if he does it. I spoke with him about porcelain veneers instead and that is pretty pricey. I can get them online a lot cheaper. Would that be the better option for me?

Breanna

Dear Breanna,

Before and After Dental Bonding repairing a chipped tooth

First, do not do the composite bonding, even though it is cheaper. I’ll get to the online veneers in a moment. When composite dental bonding is done correctly, then the results can look perfectly natural, as seen above. However, it has to be done by a dentist with the right training and skills. Both porcelain veneers and dental bonding are advanced dental procedures that require post-doctoral training. It does not sound like your dentist has this training.

Usually dental bonding when done over the full surface of the tooth, as your procedure would need would cost a LOT more than your dentist is asking because it has to be done freehand and would need more chair time. This gives me additional concerns about his skill level or understanding of the procedure. You didn’t mention the porcelain veneers price, but I would expect them to be quite expensive as well.

If you get online veneers, the one thing you will have going for you is that they are removable if you hate them. These do not get permanently bonded on your teeth the way porcelain veneers done by a skilled cosmetic dentist will be. These are not really made out of porcelain either. These online veneers are usually made of acrylic and do not look like natural teeth. They’re better suited to a photo shoot or a one night event.  If you want a beautiful smile, this is not the way to go. If you want something okay that you can pop in and out, this will do just fine.

If a gorgeous smile is what you ultimately desire, I suggest starting with teeth whitening. Bear in mind, the chip you had repaired will not whiten with the remainder of your teeth. It sounds like that needed to be redone anyway, which leads me to the second thing I want to suggest. Find a truly skilled cosmetic dentist. They can repair your bonding. Then, find out how much they charge for porcelain veneers. It will be expensive, but the teeth whitening will dramatically improve your smile and give you time to save up for any further work you may want done.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

 

Fixing Enamel Hypoplasia

Posted on by .

I have had enamel hypoplasia for as long as I can remember. I’ve always been embarrassed by my smile as a result. For my Christmas present, my husband said I could have any cosmetic dentistry procedure I need that will make me more comfortable smiling. I am so freaking excited!! The only problem I have is that I do not know what procedure I need to get. Do you have a recommendation?

Madilyn

Dear Madilyn,

Examples of mild and severe enamel hypoplasia

What an exciting present for you! There is no better feeling than a smile that makes you feel confident. For the benefit of those who may not be aware of what enamel hypoplasia is let me give a basic rundown. Enamel hypoplasia is a either caused by a genetic defect or disease that happens during the development of your teeth. The result is that the enamel on  your teeth do not fully develop. The results can vary between  some decalcification, such as on the left or deep pitted teeth, such as on the right.

There are two good treatments for enamel hypoplasia. Which you get depends on the severity of your particular case. If you are dealing with mild hypoplasia, then dental bonding is a perfectly good solution. If you want your teeth whiter, make sure you have teeth whitening done before the bonding. Once the dental bonding is completed, the color can’t be changed.

If, however, you have more severe hypoplasia, then you will want to get porcelain veneers instead. While dental bonding can just be placed on the specific spots where your enamel is affected, porcelain veneers will cover the entire front surface of your teeth.

Regardless of the procedure chosen, you will need someone with post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry. These are both advanced procedures. You would be wise to take a look at their smile gallery. This will have before and after images of their work. You want to feel excited about the type of results they get.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Will a Dental Flipper Make My Teeth Look Straight?

Posted on by .

Some of my teeth are crooked and I’m looking for a way to make them look straight without getting a mouth full of braces. Someone told me that a dental flipper can snap over my teeth and make them look straight. Would that be a good solution for me?

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

Example of a dental flipperI think whoever told you about this has a dental flipper confused with snap-on smile. The image to the left is a dental flipper. It is used as a temporary tooth replacement while you are waiting on (or saving up for) a more permanent solution, such as a dental implant. They fit in empty spots. They will not fit over anything.

While snap-on smile will fit over your teeth to make them look straight, they are made of acrylic. They will not be as natural looking in close proximity and because they fit over your teeth can look a bit bulky. They’re mostly useful for things like a photoshoot and not as a permanent solution to crooked teeth that are making you uncomfortable to smile in front of others.

This doesn’t mean that you have to get traditional braces in order to get a beautiful, straight smile. You have other options. There have been many advancements to dentistry and orthodontics in recent decades. One of those is a way for adults to straighten their teeth without anyone even knowing.

Invisalign – Orthodontics for Professional Adults

Invisalign aligner

If you want to truly straighten your teeth without all those metal wires and brackets, then I suggest you get Invisalign or another quality brand of invisible braces. They use clear aligners to gently move your teeth into their correct position. Even at a conversational distance no one can tell that you are wearing them.

Additionally, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays which allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth simultaneously. This gives you a mini smile makeover.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

A Full Mouth Reconstruction for Teeth Whitening??

Posted on by .

I have an old dental crown that really needs to be replaced. They’re quite old. I have several porcelain veneers about the same age. These were all done by a dentist from another city where I used to live. My new dentist wants to replace all my teeth with dental crowns. This suggestion is because my teeth are not very white and he thinks this is the best way to make sure everything matches. This seems rather drastic to me. Can’t I replace them all with porcelain veneers instead of dental crowns? That way I don’t have to grind down my teeth that are healthy. Isn’t that a better solution?

Kathleen

Dear Kathleen,

woman covering her mouth

Yes, that would be a better solution. However, I have an even better one that will save you a significant amount of money. Unless you have a reason for wanting veneers on the teeth that don’t currently have them, such as wanting a complete smile makeover, then the simplest solution to your teeth not being white enough is to do teeth whitening. I’m absolutely appalled he is suggesting crowning all your teeth instead of whitening them.

Such a procedure is known as a full-mouth reconstruction. It is one of the most difficult and advanced procedures there is. In order to do it properly takes extensive post-doctoral training. Not only that, but if your dentist doesn’t do it correctly, it can completely throw off your bite leaving you with painful TMJ Disorder.

Here is my suggestion. If you just want to replace the old dental work. First, get your teeth whitening. Then, get the dental work replaced. You will only need one crown. Replace the porcelain veneers with more veneers. However, I am going to suggest you find a different dentist to do this. I don’t trust this one. You will want one who does beautiful cosmetic work. Check out their smile galleries to see what type of results they get.

If you want a full smile makeover, you would do the same as above, but you could add more porcelain veneers to the procedure, rather than just the ones you need to replace. Again, you will need a dentist better than the one you have.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Does Smile Direct Club Work?

Posted on by .

I keep seeing advertisements all over my facebook page for Smile Direct Club. I have always wanted to straighten my teeth but haven’t had quite enough money to jump on the Invisalign train. I looked into the smile direct cost and it is enough cheaper that I could do it. I do worry about safety with these do it by mail medical things though. Have you by any chance looked into Smile Direct or had patients that used them? If so, what impression did you get?

Lacey

Dear Lacey,

Smile Direct Club Ad

I am glad you wrote. I’ve actually looked into Smile Direct Club quite extensively. I want to be up to date on as much as possible. This treatment has worked for some people. For others, it has been a disaster. Let me go over the things that concern me about their process and then you can make a decision from there.

No Pre-Exam

The first thing that worries me is that they are beginning orthodontic treatment without a complete exam. In order to safely begin orthodontics you need x-rays, a full dental exam, as well as careful checking for periodontal disease. Without that, you risk serious complications. If you have periodontal disease and start moving your teeth around they can begin to come loose. This is a basic safety measure.

DIY Impressions

Another issue is the impressions. When a dentist does these for a company, such as Invisalign, they have to be perfect. That means no bubbles, no tears, or any other type of defect. This is such an important part of treatment that most dentists do not even let their dental assistants do it. With Smile Direct, you’re just given a home DIY kit and they make the best out of whatever you send them.

Inadequate Monitoring

With Invisalign or another invisible braces brand, your dentist follows up with you every two weeks. This is important because the human bodies are as unique and varied as personalities. Things do not always go exactly as planned and adjustments have to be made to keep the treatment on track. You will not get that with Smile Direct, nor does the average customer of theirs even have the training to recognize if something is not following the prescribed protocol.

Crowding

Most cases that need orthodontics are because of overcrowding in their bite. When that is the case, the patient will sometimes need an extraction in order to make space for your teeth to be in proper alignment. In some cases where not much space is needed, a dentist can carefully shave away some tooth structure to make the necessary room. With Smile Direct, there is no personal care and this process is short cut out.

If You Don’t Have Money for Invisalign

My suggestion is to wait and save to have this done right. You can also call around and see what brand of invisible braces other dentists use. Invisalign is not the only brand and some of them cost less and give great results all under the care of a dentist.

By the way, if you want to, your dentist can provide you with teeth whitening gel. The Invisalign aligners can double as bleaching trays allowing you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Will Teeth Whitening Fix My Dental Bonding

Posted on by .

My dental bonding has been picking up stains. They used to be very white. I was hoping to get them back to where they were.

Karl

Dear Karl,

Before and After Dental Bonding

Unfortunately, teeth whitening will only whiten natural tooth structure. It will have no impact on your dental bonding. You didn’t mention how long you have had this bonding or what type of stains you are dealing with. That will have some impact on the best advice to give you. Here is some general help, though.

If your bonding still has the polish on it and you are dealing with surface stains, I am going to recommend Supersmile Toothpaste. Unlike most whitening toothpastes that use abrasives which damage your bonding, Supersmile uses an ingredient Calprox, which will enzymatically remove the stains. It does this by dissolving the protein pellicle on your teeth and the stains attach themselves to the pellicle. Get rid of the pellicle; get rid of the stains.

However, if the polish to your dental bonding is gone, then they have been damaged and the best thing you can do is have them re-done. If you haven’t had these long, then I would go back to your dentist and see if he or she will be willing to fix them. If you have had them a while, it may just be time to replace them. Dental bonding does not last nearly as long as porcelain veneers, so I would expect to replace them every few years.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Dental Bonding Turning Yellow in Under a Week

Posted on by .

I’m worried I did something that could have damaged my new dental bonding because I haven’t even had it a week yet and it is already turning yellow. The only thing I can think that could have possibly done anything is the baking soda I use to brush with. I’ve always brushed with baking soda but maybe there is a chemical reaction with the bonding material? I have no idea. Will getting my teeth whitened fix this or do I have to start over?

Kellie

Dear Kellie,

before and after dental bonding

Dental Bonding used to repair a chipped tooth

I am glad you reached out. Teeth whitening will only whiten natural tooth structure. Because of that, it will not be a help in getting your dental bonding back to its original color. However, there is a polishing your dentist can do that will get the color back up.

He (or she) obviously did not give you any instructions on how to care for these, which bothers me some. Because you’ve only had your dental bonding for under a week and he should have explained to you what type of toothpaste to use, it is my belief he should repair this for you free of charge.

Baking soda is fairly abrasive so it is possible that it damaged the surface and that is why it is picking up stains. I generally recommend patients who have cosmetic work done use Supersmile Toothpaste. It is proven to keep your teeth clean while not damaging either your natural tooth structure or your dental work. It’s fairly easy to order online.

If after your dentist repairs the surface, make certain you are using Supersmile. If this same thing happens, it may be an indication your dentist is using inferior materials and you would need a better cosmetic dentist to restore them. It won’t cost as much as having them redone.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David P. Marion.