Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Archives for February 2018

Solution for a Huge Tooth Gap

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I have a tooth gap big enough to almost fit another tooth in. My dentist suggested Lumineers. I can’t imagine that scenario turning out well. What would I have? A center tooth like a cyclops? Eeww! I do want a solution though. What do you recommend? Please don’t say Lumineers. I might cry.

Luna

Dear Luna,

A woman placing her Invisaliagn aligners

Orthodontics no longer has to mean metal braces

I’m glad you have more sense than your dentist. You’re right that Lumineers would end up a disaster. With such a large gap you’d need one of the top cosmetic dentists in the world to make that look natural. I have a much better solution for you.

Commonly, a tooth gap is repaired using dental bonding. This closes the gap with a composite resin. However, again, the size of the gap you’re dealing with would make this challenging.

In your particular case, I’d suggest orthodontics. As an adult, you won’t want a mouth full of metal even if it means closing your tooth gap naturally. Instead, Invisalign will be a fantastic solution, but without being uncomfortable and unsightly. They have one of the highest patient satisfaction rates too.

Getting a Mini Smile Makeover with Invisalign

Many people find that by combining teeth whitening with Invisalign, they get a mini smile makeover of sorts. The Invisalign gives them beautiful straight teeth, while the teeth whitening takes years off their appearance and makes them a brilliant white color.

One thing to be aware of with teeth whitening is it will only whiten natural tooth structure. If you have other dental work, such as crowns or fillings, those won’t whiten from the solution. Instead, they’ll have to be redone in order to get them to match your new white color.

I hope this helps you. Again, I’m glad you sought out advice instead of just listening to your dentist’s disastrously bad suggestion.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.

Dentist Said My Face Will Collapse with Dentures

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I don’t know if my dentist is saying this just to scare me into dental implants, but thought I’d check just in case. I’m losing my teeth due to a lifetime of both problems that could and couldn’t be controlled. My dentist wanted me to get dental implants, but they cost a fortune. I was considering dentures, but he says they make your face collapse. Is he just trying to scare me into the more important procedure?

Troy M.

Dear Troy,

A dentist and patient

Has your dentist given you a reason to think he’s manipulated you in the past? If so, that would be an egregious breach of trust between a patient and caregiver. Whatever his character, in this case, he’s right. Though, when he talks about your face collapsing he doesn’t mean your whole face. He’s referring to your jawbone shrinking.

Once you remove all your teeth, your body reabsorbs the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere throughout your body. This causes your jawbone to shrink little by little. As that progresses, you’ll no longer be able to wear your dentures because they won’t fit.

Why Your Dentist Suggested Dental Implants

Implants, as their name implies, places a titanium implant into your jawbone. Then after your bone has reabsorbed around the implant and is stable, your dentist can place a porcelain crown on top. Now you’re talking about all your teeth, so you don’t want to pay for a one-to-one ratio dental implants to teeth, unless of course you are independently wealthy.

Generally, you would get implant supported dentures, which is a mixture of the two treatments. It anchors your dentures to your jaw. This prevents you from losing mass in your jawbone and keeps your dentures from slipping and sliding around. Obviously, the more dental implants the better.

Talk to your dentist about what would work best in your particular situation. However, if you don’t trust your dentist, you’d be better served looking for another dentist which you can. Be sure to check their reviews so you get some idea what you’re getting into.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.