Ask the Cosmetic Dentist

Question: Do gold crowns damage the teeth over time?  

Dr. Slota: No, a properly fitted crown should not damage your tooth over time.

My top front teeth are very thin on the bottom and slowly chipping away. Would I qualify for Lumineers?
Stacey, IA

Dr. Hair
It is possible that you may be a candidate for veneers of some type; however, before I placed any type of veneer, I would want to know why your teeth are "slowly chipping away."  I would recommend a consultation/evaluation with a dentist who can help you correct the cause of the "chipping."  This way you can protect the investment you will make in restoring your teeth.

My question: is some of the veneer work covered under insurance and do i have to have all of my teeth done? what are of cost veneers?
Sandi

Question: Is there something you can do to get rid of a lisp (s)?

Dr. Preziosi: Whether lisps can be treated dentally or not depends on there cause. Most times lisps are not caused by something physical and therefore dental treatment would not be appropriate.

Dearest Dr. Preziosi, I am a 47yr.old female. I was wondering if you can help me? I am not able to find a dentist who will take medicaid. I am desperate for a beautiful smile. I have a brain tumor and that is why I am on S.S.I.  I have missing teeth and live in Carson City N.V. Please if you have any idea's I would be so grateful!!!!!! I guess I wrote because you have such a kind looking, caring face. I will be delighted with any information you can provide.

Dr. Preziosi: I think the best solution to your situation is to seek treatment at a Dental School that is close to you. Most Dental Schools treat patients for a fraction of what a private office must charge and often have programs in which needy patients don't have to pay at all. The down side to Dental School treatment is that it takes a lot longer to complete you treatment than it would in private office and you will be treated by students.

I have full dentures on top and only two teeth left on the bottom.  I have been told that I need implants, but the cost is just not within my reach.  I am 62 and look 70 because I have lost so much bone.  I want to know if regular dentures can be build up to make my mouth appear full again?  My mouth is sinking in. 

Dr. Champagne:  Hi Shirley, It is often possible to use dentures to help make the face appear more full, which will give a more youthful appearance.  This is especially true if a lot of bone has been lost and the face now appears sunken in. Dental implants are a terrific way to help make a denture more secure.  They can, however, be quite expensive.  An alternative to full-sized implants are "mini implants", which are much less expensive and can be used immediately.  The only downside is that they have a 5-7 year life expectancy, which is shorter than larger implants.  I hope this information is helpful.  Dr Champagne

My teeth are horrible. They are really yellow since I was 7years old and now I am a 25 years old, very much embarassed of my yellow teeth. Please help me get a better smile with a sensible budget.

Dr. Kravitz:
Dear Gunjan,

Rest assured you are not alone. We have seen many patients with long term dental disabilities and have found that we are able not only to get terrific results but have been able to place them on a comfortable budget.

Please call and ask Anita for an appointment.

question: Hello, I am thinking about getting lumineers on top . Should I let my general do the procedure who I have been going to for along time , or do i need to find a cosmetic dentist. thank you.  Linda

Dr. Kravitz.: Dear Linda,

Regarding Lumineers (as any other dental procedure)  you should  go with a dentist that you are comfortable with. That being said as far as who would be qualifed would be any practitioner who has experience or training in this modality. If you you not comfortable with your present dentist performing this procedure I can recommend a dentist to you who chooses to focus on cosmetic procedures . I stress "focus "because there is no recognized  cosmetic specialty at this time. If the case may be we would be pleased to take you on as a patient as we have a great deal of experience in cosmetic procedures.

Dear Dr.Pang, I have a bridge on my lower teeth. I have had it for almost 6 years and it has already come off once. my dentist told me that it is rotten under one of the teeth under the bridge. It is now throbbing and i assume i will have to have both teeth under this bridge pulled and no more bridge. She, my dentist now is not the one that put it on and i trust her but as the rest of my teeth are in need of restorative help also, she says i am looking at 10 to 15 thousand dollars worth of work and suggested refinancing my house to pay. I just cannot afford this but i am lost on what to do. Do you have any ideas?   
Thank You 

Dr. Pang: Dear Judy, It isn't easy dealing with expensive health costs.  And, as we all know they can add up very quickly.    Have you considered asking your dentist for several options?  Perhaps there are less costly options. Although, not a first choice sometimes teeth can be replaced with removable partial dentures.   This type of denture only replaces the teeth that are missing or bad.  If you have several other healthy and solid teeth, the partial denture is secured to these "anchor" teeth with metal wires or clasps.    Hope that helps.  Best of Luck.
Peter Pang, LVI Grad
"Smile...And, Change Our World"

"What are some examples of cosmetic dentistry?"

Dr, Pang: Bleaching or whitening your smile is a simple cosmetic procedure.   This is a safe and permanent procedure that whitens tooth enamel.  If you have broken, chipped teeth or dental work in the smile zone, bleaching probably won’t work well for you.   However, aesthetic general dentistry is health and functionally necessary.   With the added bonus of artistically  enhancing one’s smile.  Examples of aesthetic general dentistry are:  making a filling invisible so that it blends in with the tooth’s natural color,  making an all porcelain crown or cap appear like a real tooth  so that no one can see the difference when a broken front tooth is repaired.   Other examples are preserving the tooth structure with conservative preparations like all porcelain veneers or half crowns because in the end we are really trying to mimic the real thing.  Also, eliminating dark metal restorations.   In summary, cosmetic dentistry utilizes modern techniques like lasers and modern porcelain or resin materials (similar to  a synthetic enamel)  to keep your smile looking fresh, young and vibrant.