Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Dentist Insisting I Get Braces

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I’m at my wit’s end. I know I’ll never be able to have a perfect smile, but I was hoping for something at least not humiliating. I have crowns on my two front teeth. They’re over 15 years old and starting to show their wear. They’re stained and starting to crack. I just wanted to replace them and maybe whiten my teeth if I still had enough money. However, my dentist is insisting I get braces on my teeth before I get my crowns re-done. I just can’t afford that. Is it truly necessary? My teeth stick out a little, but not that much. Why was the last dentist able to do crowns?

Karen

Dear Karen,

Smiling young woman with braces

This is one of those situations which truly frustrates me. Some dentists will insist on only doing the ideal no matter what type of burden that places on the patient. This is unfair. It’s obvious your crowns need replacing and he’s putting you over a barrel.

As you said, your last dentist was able to do the crowns, why isn’t this one? I think in this case you may need to see a different dentist to get the treatment you want without it costing you a fortune. You can completely do without braces, or you could just get them later if circumstances changed.

Teeth Whitening and Crowns

If you’re serious about getting your teeth whitened, it will save you a lot of money to get them whitened before you have the crowns made. It’s possible to get your teeth whitened in one appointment these days with in-office teeth whitening. That will save you time.

If you wait to whiten your teeth until after your new crowns are made, they won’t match. The whitening gel only works on natural tooth structure, which means your teeth will whiten but not your crowns, causing you to need to purchase new ones unless you want mismatched teeth. Doing the tooth bleaching first prevents that.

Althernative Orthodontics for Adults

If somewhere in your future, you decide you do want orthodontics, you should know it no longer means you have to get uncomfortable wires and metal all over your teeth. These days, Invisalign is a great alternative to traditional braces.

They use clear plastic aligners which are invisible even at a conversational distance.

One other thing to note. Because the crowns are on your front teeth, make sure whatever dentist you settle on gives you all-porcelain crowns. They’ll look much more natural.

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

Does an Open Bite REALLY Have to be Fixed?

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My dentist wants me to get braces. He insists my open bite needs to be fixed. There’s nothing really wrong with my teeth except for that. Is it really necessary to fix it? I suspect it’s either just for cosmetic reasons or to make my dentist a load of money. Either way, I’m not interested. So, give me a real reason.

Mike A.

Dear Mike,

Tulsa Orthodontist

An open bite actually would benefit from being fixed, and for more than cosmetic reasons. While it does have a negative impact on the appearance of your smile, it’s actually the negative impact on your jaw joints and teeth that are the real concern.

How Do Open Bites Affect Your Body?

Your upper teeth are meant to go a bit forward of your lower teeth. An open bite prevents that putting pressure in unnatural places.

TMJ PROBLEMS
The first obvious problem is your jaw joints. Your temporomandibular joints get knocked about and ground down. This will lead to TMJ disorder. TMJ can be mild to so serious that your jaw locks up and you’re unable to close it or eat. Even the mild cases generally cause migraines, which can be debilitating in they’re own right.

Tooth Damage
Your molars especially will become ground down or even chipped or cracked. In most cases, you’ll end up needing dental crowns. This is costly and an unnecessary loss of otherwise healthy teeth.

Orthodontic Solutions to an Open Bite

Invisible Orthodontics with Invisalign

The most severe open bites require surgery to repair. But, if your dentist is suggesting orthodontics then you’re not in that situation. That’s good news because it means it can be solved with orthodontics. There are two routes to choose from:

  • Traditional braces. These are the usual metal brackets and wires you likely think of when you hear the braces. These can be placed by any orthodontist and a few dentists. Dr. Noah’s practice is one of those dentists.
  • Invisalign. These days there is another option. Invisalign can be useful in solving this problem without anyone knowing you’re even wearing them. Better still is almost any dentist can place them.

Bottom line, your dentist is looking out for your best interest and isn’t just trying to make a quick buck.

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

Smile Club or Professional Orthodontics

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I’ve been trying to do save up for orthodontics for a long time. I’m getting close, but just read something about Smile Care Club. It’s a lot less expensive than the orthodontics. Is it okay for me to use that and then save the rest of the money for something else?

Lisa A.

Dear Lisa,

The best thing about the Smile Club is the cost savings. I just want you to think about it ahead of time. They have you send x-rays, but there are some things, such as gum disease, which is very hard to discern by x-rays alone. It usually takes a physical exam as well.

Gum disease is serious and can creep up on you silently. If you get this type of orthodontics while having gum disease, it will make the situation significantly worse. That puts you at risk of losing your teeth. In that case, instead of spending a little extra money up front, you’ll end up spending thousands to replace lost teeth.

The other thing to bear in mind is things which can go wrong during the treatment. Sometimes, as teeth are brought together, there needs to be some mild shaving to ensure they come together well. In that case you’d need to see a dentist. You’d want it to be a dentist invested in your case, but you won’t have one of those.

Smile Club keeps up with you by photos and phone. I feel one on one monitoring in person is the safest way to go, especially for the patient. This is designed to be a mail order substitute for Invisalign. You’d be better served getting actual Invisalign and the personal attention you both need and deserve during your treatment.

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