Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Aesthetics
My teeth are very dark, is it possible to whiten them?
Yes. See all about tooth whitening in the item "Tooth bleaching".
My gums have an irregular contour, is it possible to correct this defect?
Yes. A previous assessment with an esthetic dentist and periodontist will be required so the case can be well planned and conducted successfully.
My gums appear too much when I smile, what can I do?
An esthetic and functional assessment is required with the dentist who will perform the restoration and with the periodontist. In most cases, it is possible to perform a surgery to increase the clinical crown that will significantly decrease the size of the exposed gums when you smile.
How long does it take to remove the white stains from the teeth?
When they are superficial, only one session. The deepest ones require at least two visits: One for X-ray, to take photos and to choose the most adequate color of the light-curing resin and another to perform restoration.
My teeth have white spots. Is it possible to remove them?
Yes. Most of these stains are removed with a fairly simple procedure called microabrasion. Some are very deep and to remove them an assessment will be required with a dentist in the esthetic area who will be able to do a “make up" with light-curing resin following a traditional procedure (not requiring to wear the dental tissue unnecessarily).
I have big teeth. Is it possible to reduce the size?
Yes. The size of the teeth can be changed, but a prior consultation is required for clinical examination, X-ray and teeth shaping. Every case must be studied and planned before any diagnosis or intervention.
Why in fashion magazines the models have clear and beautiful teeth? Are they natural?
Of course not all models are born with beautiful teeth. Cosmetic dentistry has been very popular to solve esthetic problems of young and old patients. There are numerous resources and it will be hard to find a case with no solution.
Why is it important to use the rubber dam (total isolation) to perform esthetic restorations?
Not using the rubber dam (total isolation) can be one of the causes of failure in esthetic restorations. Saliva and humid conditions of the oral cavity weaken significantly the chemical adhesion between restoration and tooth. A dry and clean drape is essential for the resin to “glue” well on the tooth surface.
What is rubber dam (total isolation)?
It is a rubber sheet used to isolate the tooth to be restored from saliva and moisture of the oral cavity that may compromise chemical adhesion between the tooth and restoration.
What is the ideal esthetic material to replace an amalgam restoration?
It will depend on the size of restoration. The small ones can be replaced by direct restoration with light cured resin. Medium and large size ones should be performed indirectly, i.e., they must be carved in the laboratory and be cemented in the cavity in a second session. All these procedures of adhesive restorations should be performed with rubber dam (total isolation) and following the technique and resins indicated in each case .
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the posterior esthetic restorations?
There are only advantages. With amalgam, cracks and fractures are very common (Cameron, 1964, 1976; Cavel et al, 1985;Geurtsen,1992). Discoloration and pigmentation are common problems, in addition to the patients concerned about the toxicity of mercury contained in amalgam. With blocks of gold, especially in premolars, the preparations are very invasive, resulting in excessive sacrifice to the healthy tooth tissue. One important information is that esthetic restorations preserve an infinitely greater amount of healthy tooth tissue than the metal ones.
What about the blocks of gold, should they be replaced with esthetic restorations?
No, unless they are infiltrated (decayed) or have fractures and cracks. Another indication is when the patients do not want for esthetic reasons to keep dark restorations in the teeth.
Is it recommended to replace the amalgam fillings for esthetic ones? Why?
Yes, especially the large ones, because the rate of fractures and cracks in teeth with amalgam restoration is very high. A good clinical examination and dental X-ray can easily visualize the cracks, fractures and microfractures caused by amalgam fillings. If they are not removed in time, the tooth may fracture and cause serious loss of tooth tissue.
What about the white posterior restorations, are they really weak?
Absolutely not! The many failures of these restorations are due to inadequate techniques. When they are performed following the indicated techniques, the results are much better than those of amalgam restorations.(Dietsch, 2007 "Posterior direct & indirect composite restaurations").
What is laminated ceramic?
They are very fine restorations bonded to the surface of the anterior teeth to correct color defects and tooth position.
I don’t like my smile, but I don’t want to wear braces. What are my options?
Consult a GOOD dentist in the esthetic area so he can study and diagnose your clinical case and choose the appropriate esthetic treatment. Think well before letting your teeth to be worn for an inadequate prosthesis placement. When in doubt, seek a second opinion.