teeth whitening Archives - Kokopelli Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

Crooked and Stained Teeth

Posted on September 26, 2023 by writeradmin.

I am new to this country and it seems like everyone has beautiful movie star teeth. My teeth are stained and a bit crooked. It is making me feel embarrassed. Is it too late for me to get American teeth?

Fatima

Dear Fatima,

Welome to the U.S.! To get to the heart of your question, it is never too late to get a beautiful smile. You have a couple of options, depending on your goals and budget.

The first is porcelain veneers. You would need to see an expert cosmetic dentist for these to end up with a pleasing result. These are tiny wafers of porcelain that are bonded to the front of your teeth. They don’t actually straighten your teeth but can make them look straight by giving you a complete smile makeover. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth simultaenoulsy.

The big drawback to this method is that it is very expensive. You would also need to have some teeth whitening done beforehand because it is cost prohibitive for all but the wealthiest of people to have a veneer placed on every tooth. Most people will do eight to ten veneers on their upper arch and allow the teeth whitneing to blend the rest of the teeth to the veneers

A More Affordable Smile Makeover

Your second option is Invisalign. These are clear aligners that actually straighten your teeth. Because of how the aligners are designed, no one will even know you are wearing orthodontics. While on your teeth, they are invisible, even at a conversational distance. A hidden benefit to this method is that the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth simultaneously, saving you the cost of having whitening trays made for you. This option is much less expensive than porcelain veneers.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.

Preventing Jaw Collapse When You Need Dentures

Posted on July 24, 2023 by writeradmin.

I was diagnosed with a severe calcium deficiency. Even though I take pretty good care of my teeth, they’ve always needed work. My dentist said the calcium deficiency explains my problems and that I would be better off if I got dentures. While I understand his point, I know that dentures cause facial collapse. I am only 41. I don’t want to look like a grand mother. Is there any way to preven the collapse?

Avery

Dear Avery,

I am sorry you have been having so much stress. I have good news for you. Even if you did need to remove all your teeth, though I am not convinced you do, there is a way to prevent facial collapse. However, I think it is best we start with this calcicum deficiency thiing. An adult diagnosis of calcium deficiency does not impact your teeth. This is because your teeth were already formed before this deficiency started.

What does a calcium deficiency affect in adults? I’m glad you asked. The big three problems tend to be nerve problems, cramps, and osteoporosis. None of those should be taken lightly, so if you are not already receiving treatments for this condition, please do so. When osteoporosis is left untreated, you can break a bone at the slightest bump.

You may be wondering why your dentist said it means you are fighting a losing battle with your teeth. The truth is some dentists are more interested in putting in the work required to save problem teeth than others. If you want to keep as many teeth as possible, and I highly recommned that, then this will not be the best dentist for you. Look for someone who is serious about keeping as much natural tooth structure as possible.

None of that, however, helps you with the teeth you’ve already lost and the issue you are facing with keeping your teeth healthy. While I am sure you are taking care of your teeth there is something that most people do not realize sabatoges their efforts. One of the biggest allies you have against tooth decay is actually your saliva. It contains minerals that fight bacteria. If you snack more than once a day, this can make it hard for the saliva to do its job. I would cut back snacking. Another thing to consider is how much coffee you are drinking. Not only does it stain your teeth, but can create havoc with your oral health care. After you drink a cup of Joe, make sure you brush or at least rinse out your mouth.

If you do that and are still losing teeth, you can prevent the bone loss you were worried about by having dental implants placed instead of removable dentures. The prostic tooth roots used in the implant procedure, signals to your brain that there are still teeth there, which in turn keep your jaw structure intact and prevents facial collapse.

Please get a second opinion on those teeth.
This blog is brought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.

Will Invisalign Trays Stain My Teeth?

Posted on March 13, 2023 by writeradmin.

I have a friend who has been using Invisalign to straighten her teeth. She seems very happy with them so I am considering getting them myself. I do have one concern I want to address before deciding though. Because you wear the aligners all the time, will they put me at risk for stained teeth? I’m guessing they trap moisture and other things in there. I want to keep my teeth as white as possible and am even considering having them professionally whitened.

Maddie

Dear Maddie,

Invisalign has a very high patient satisfaction rate so I am not surprised that your friend is pleased with her procedure and progress. As far as staining, the Invisalign system has a much better track record on that score than traditional metal braces. Because of all the wires and brackets used in braces, things would get trapped in and around them. Plus, they make it much harder to keep your teeth clean. In fact, many patients ended up with decalcification stains by the end of their time wearing them. With Invisalign, you can remove them to eat and to clean your teeth. That means your teeth will stay as stain free as you are diligent about your oral hygiene.

What you don’t want to do is drink a lot of stain producing beverages, such as coffee or tea, while you are wearing them. Save those type of drinks for mealtimes when you will have your aligners off anyway.

You mentioned wanting to whiten your teeth. There is a great side benefit to the Invisalign aligners which allows you to whiten your teeth simultaneously. This is because the aligners used to straighten your teeth can also double as teeth whitening trays. You simply ask your dentist for some professional strength whitening gel and wear it in your aligners at the times which are most convenient for you.

This blog isbrought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.

Dentist Insisting I Whiten Teeth

Posted on February 21, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m a little frustrated. I’m getting a dental implant, but my dentist is insisting I get my teeth whitened first. She said otherwise the implant won’t match. Don’t they have different shades? I feel like this is forcing people to get another procedure they don’t want yet. I’d talked about whitening my teeth sometime in the future, but didn’t plan on paying for this now.

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

It sounds like your dentist didn’t do a good job explaining this. Dental implants can match any shade. What happens is after the healing time has past and it’s time to place your implant crown, your dentist will match it to the current shade of your teeth. This means the implant WILL match the rest of your teeth.

I’m thinking what she means is the implant won’t match AFTER you get your teeth whitened, if that is still something you want to do in the future. That means to get them to match, you’d have to have a new dental crown made to match the brighter color of your teeth.

What I think she’s trying to do is save you money in the long run by having you get the teeth whitening done first, so your implant crown will only have to be made once.

It’s not required. It will just help later if that’s something you are seriously looking into.

I hope this helps clear things up for you.

This blog is brought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.

Do I Need a Cosmetic Dentist for Teeth Whitening?

Posted on October 5, 2018 by writeradmin.

I’ve been really wanting to improve my smile. My teeth and gums are healthy, but they’re also starting to show their age. I wanted to get a complete smile makeover. I do know enough to know it takes a skilled cosmetic dentist to do porcelain veneers. I found a great one who was recommended on a cosmetic dentistry site I like. Sadly, the price he quoted was way over my budget. I am going to take a step down and (for now) just get them whitened. I noticed my family dentist offers teeth whitening and the cost is very reasonable. Is this something any dentist can do or do I need to see someone with cosmetic expertise?

Sara

Dear Sara,

Getting your teeth whitened is completely different than getting porcelain veneers. Any family dentist should be able to do it. While it’s not the complete smile makeover you’d hoped for, you will find your smile is dramatically improved.

Teeth whitening will take years off your appearance. It will bring you fresh confidence and you’ll find yourself smiling much more. There are two types of teeth whitening, both of which I discuss on my website.

The biggest difference is the time it takes to get them the color you want. At-home whitening is slightly more affordable but can take several weeks to get to the level of whiteness you want. In-office whitening costs slightly more but your teeth will get as white as they’re able in just one appointment.

This blog is brought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.