Jessi D. from Alberta, Canada

Jessi,

When you’re missing a tooth and want a permanent replacement, you have two options: a dental bridge or a dental implant. With a dental bridge, you also involve the two adjacent teeth. They are shaved down to make room for dental crowns. A three unit bridge is constructed with two dental crowns and a false tooth suspended between them. This is especially useful if the adjacent teeth need work anyway.

A dental implant, however, only involves the missing tooth.  A root form is surgically placed into your jawbone to support a single dental crown.

This blog is brought to you by Chicago Dentist Dr. Kasia Lopez.

Jeffrey K.- North Carolina

Jeffrey,

Every amalgam filling I have replaced with a composite filling looked much more natural. While it is true that there can be some discoloration, that has never been a significant factor, and the appearance was always improved by the change.

My suspicion is your dentist isn’t comfortable  with placing composite fillings. I wouldn’t press the issue. Placing composite fillings is different than amalgam. It requires specific training that your dentist may not have. There are too many horror stories by patients who had composite fillings placed improperly. You don’t want to end up with one yourself.

My recommendation is for you to find a Mercury free dentist in your area, who is able to do sanitary amalgam removal. Make sure they have ways of protecting you from inhaling the mercury from the amalgam fillings. As a holistic dentist, Dr. Lopez is  very aware and careful about every substance that enters your body. She doesn’t just treat teeth, but the whole health of her patients.

In fact, she goes beyond many mercury free dentists and only does composite fillings that are BPA free. BPA, or bisphenol A, mimics estrogen, and can interfere with the effectiveness of your estrogen hormone.

This blog is brought to you by Chicago dentist Dr. Kasia Lopez.

Kelly D.- New Jersey

Kelly,

There really isn’t any reason for you to have to wait to get this tooth fixed. It can be done right away. If you have the part of the tooth that broke off, a cosmetic dentist should be able to reattach it. If you don’t have the piece, they can use dental bonding to repair it.

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Jeremy B.- Alpine, Utah

Jeremy,

My first thought is that you need to get a second opinion. You had a full-mouth reconstruction. That is something that should only be done by a TMJ dentist with the highest credentials. If it is not done correctly, you will end up with a worse situation than when you started. You’ll want to look for someone who has training from the Las Vegas Institutue (LVI).

I would certainly wear the mouthguard at night. Even though you are breaking off your teeth while eating, if you are clenching or grinding at night, then you are weakening them while you sleep, without even realizing it.  With as much as you’ve spent on your teeth, you’ll want to protect them. Another possibility is that you have extra strong jaw muscles–a condition some dentists call “gorilla bite”. I’m just doing guesswork here, because I haven’t examined you. You’re best option is to get that second opinion from someone who is an expert in occlusion.

This blog is brought to you by Chicago TMJ Specialist Dr. Kasia Lopez.

Brandi- Oregon

Brandi,

You are able to do both procedures, but I don’t recommend simultaneously. For one, your bonding won’t whiten. Whatever color your dentist makes the bonding, that will be the whitest it can ever be. With that in mind, you’ll want to do your teeth whitening first. That way your dentist can match the bonding to the white color you prefer.

However, do not do them at the same appointment. Even if you get Zoom Whitening, which is completed in one appointment, your teeth will need a few weeks for the color to stabilize. My recommendation is that you get your teeth whitened, wait about three weeks, then go back to do the bonding. This way you can be assured a qualified dentist can match your bonding with the proper amount of whiteness.

This blog is brought to you by Chicago Holistic Dentist Dr. Kasia Lopez.

Karen D.- Maumelle, AR

Karen,

With Invisalign, the aligners are a tight fit when you first put them in. That is because they are shaped to the size and position of where we want your teeth after the two weeks is up. After a few days (three or four), your teeth are already moved into their new position. The aligners probably feel a little weird when they are no longer tight and that made it seem loose to you. You are not ready to switch aligners at this point. Even though your teeth have moved, the remainder of the time is used by your body to remodel the bone around your teeth, adding support. This is an important step that cannot be skipped without causing your teeth to become loose.

This blog is brought to you by Chicago Holistic dentist Dr. Kasia Lopez.

Lisa W.- Texas

Lisa,

I haven’t seen your case, but it seems to me that the misplaced crowns have led to some TMJ problems. You’ll want to see a TMJ dentist. Bear in mind that this is not a recognized specialty, so any dentist can claim to be a TMJ dentist. You’ll want to look for a dentist who has specific post-graduate training in TMJ. You’ll want a dentist who can place your crowns where your natural bite is supposed to be.  A TMJ trained dentist will be able to do that.

Sorry for the pain you are in.

This blog is brought to you by Chicago Holistic Dentist Dr. Kasia Lopez.

Jennie- Staten Island

Jennie,

Generally you are given two sets of aligners at a time with Invisalign. Two for your upper teeth and two for your lower teeth. That way you would only come in once per month. However, given your situation, you may even be able to find a dentist who is willing to let you come in even less often. All the aligners are made at the beginning of your case, so your dentist could give you as many as he or she thought was appropriate. Much of that will depend on the complexity of your case. There will need to be some monitoring during the time you wear them, but it would not have to be every two weeks.

This blog is brought to you by Chicago Holistic Dentist Dr. Kasia Lopez.

Marilyn-New Orleans

Marilyn,

I’m very sorry about your bridge. I know it must be frustrating to spend so much money on something and it now be useless to you. One of the dangers of a long bridge is that if one thing breaks you have to replace the whole thing. Dental implants are a safer option. Though they are more expensive than a bridge, so that is not an option for you right now either.

So, to answer your question, yes, in most cases a snap on smile will fit over a dental bridge and fill in your missing teeth. I would have to see your specific case to give you a definitive answer, but generally it will work as long as the rest of your bridge is solid.

This blog is brought to you by Chicago dentist Dr. Kasia Lopez.

Jennie L- Kansas

Jennie,

Here are three ways you could fix this problem. Bearing in mind their pros and cons, you’ll know which one best fits your lifestyle and budget.

1. Traditional Braces: These are your basic run of the mill wire & bracket braces. The upside is this is your least expensive option. The downside is you would probably need some extractions and it would take about two years to fix them.

2. Invisalign: These are sometimes called invisible braces. They are clear plastic aligners that fit on your teeth and straighten them in about six months to a year- about half the time of traditional braces. Another upside is they are much more comfortable than those wires and brackets. Plus, no one will even know you’re wearing them. The downside is they cost slightly more than traditional braces.

3. Porcelain veneers: These are tiny wafers of porcelain that are bonded to your teeth. The uspside to these are they can completely remake and even reshape your smile, making your teeth appear straight even when they are crooked. This is also the quickest option. You can have them done in just two appointments, which generally are spread about two weeks apart. The downside is that they will need upkeep and are much more expensive than either braces or invisalign.

This blog is brought to you by Chicago Holistic dentist Dr. Kasia Lopez.