FAQ’s

The most common issues that people face are the following:

Missing teeth, Cracked Teeth, Worn Teeth
Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you so when there are imperfections on your teeth and these imperfections can take a toll on how you and others feel about your smile. These days there are a vast amount of dental solutions that can take your smile from "great" to "WOW" in very few visits to the dentist and at a reasonable cost to you.

Getting a diagnosis by your dentist is the first step, and based on that feedback you may be a candidate for veneers, which can lengthen, shorten, whiten and straighten the appearance of your teeth. If your dentist is concerned about your teeth strength, crowns may be a good option. Both options require at least two visits to the dentist due to the fact that these restorative pieces are created by a lab to your smile specifications.

If you are looking to conserve your natural tooth structure and want to do this in only one visit to the dentist, in-office bonding is potentially right for you. Bonding is a process in which a tooth-like material—called composite resin—is applied to the tooth’s surface. With composite bonding, once the material is placed on your tooth, it is sculpted into the ideal shape, hardened, and then polished. Bonding can be used for closing gaps between otherwise healthy teeth, repairing chips, changing the overall shape or color of teeth and filling cavities with a tooth-matching material.

Discolored Teeth
Bleaching is a common, safe, inexpensive and effective cosmetic treatment that removes stains and discoloration that will reveal the natural whiteness of teeth.

Bleaching and its effects can last up to 5 years depending on the method used, whether or not you smoke, consume acid containing foods, or drink beverages that stain like red wines and coffee. In order to prolong these results, you can use over the counter whitening toothpaste products.

A few things to consider before teeth bleaching:

• Tooth-colored fillings will not turn white with your teeth; you may need to replace those fillings.
• Crowns or porcelain restorations in conspicuous areas may not match the shade of your newly bleached teeth.
• People who suffer from sensitive teeth or with gum disease should avoid bleaching procedures.

Bleaching can be done in the dentist's office or at home. If you’re looking for a quick, highly effective bleaching solution, you may opt to have this process done in the dentist’s office because full strength hydrogen peroxide and a special light or a laser to speed up the bleaching process can be used. This process will take multiple 1 hour visits.

A less expensive at home treatment is using a dentist prescribed form of hydrogen peroxide called carbamide peroxide. Custom made trays made from impressions taken by a dentist are worn on the teeth either once or twice a day.

The most popular option is to use over-the-counter whitening systems whose base ingredient is acetic or citric acid, which can cause quite a bit of structural damage to the enamel when used for extended periods. Alternative products have abrasives that will remove surface stains and make the teeth look whiter. The issue in using these products is that they also remove a small amount of enamel due to their abrasiveness. Talk to your dentist before you use any OTC product for his opinion on what will be most effective for your smile.

Jaw/Joint Pain
If you have jaw or joint pain, you are not alone. Over 10 million people in the U.S. alone suffer from a condition called TMJ Syndrome, or you may be one of those people who grind and clench their teeth at night (a condition called bruxism) and are not aware of it. Common ailments of these conditions are moderate to severe facial pain, headaches, jaw pain and tenderness, fatigue in the muscles in your face, neck aches, and ear aches, and treatment solutions vary and do not require dental work or surgery to help relieve the pain.

Bite splints, which are worn over the teeth while sleeping, are custom-made from acrylic or rubber are often used to treat patients with Bruxism and TMJ. These splints have been shown to improve jaw-muscle, protect the teeth, improve TMJ function and relieve related pain. However, these solutions are not a cure – they will only provide relief and protection.

Crooked Teeth
The classic treatment for this ailment is typically known as orthodontics, a special kind of dentistry dedicated to correcting the alignment of teeth using braces. This method was used to straighten crooked or crowded teeth, or those with an overbite.

Modern dentistry techniques can now use veneers to change the appearance of crooked teeth. Patients enjoy the beauty of a straighter, more symmetrical smile in as little as two weeks, and with as few as two visits to the dentist’s office.

Orthodontic treatment involves the design and placement of corrective mechanisms called braces which are attached to the teeth using cement. Today, there are a variety of orthodontic options available to meet individual needs.

• Metal or stainless steel brackets—considered conventional braces—are now available with a variety of colored ties.
• Barely visible non discoloring ceramic or clear brackets are also a modern day solution.
• 'Invisible' or lingual braces can also be used in adults only and fit behind the teeth, on the side closest to the tongue. Most recently, an invisible, removable retainer-type of brace was introduced that can be used to straighten teeth.

The length of time a person has to wear braces is individual to each case. What type of solution can be used is dependent on the seriousness of the problem. Depending on the solution, it can take anywhere from six months for a small correction, and up to two years for more serious misalignments to be corrected that affect both the upper and lower teeth.

Veneers may be prescribed by a dentist to correct or repair a variety of dental conditions, including chips, cracks, misalignment (crooked teeth), or discoloration. Patients who have received treatments with veneers enjoy a straighter, whiter, more balanced smile.

Veneers are thin, custom-made shells that are applied to the front of the teeth using an extremely strong adhesive cement that is hardened by using an intense form of light called a curing light. Veneers are typically made by a technician in a dental laboratory using a model of your mouth as a guide. Veneers can be either porcelain, which demonstrates the same look and feel of natural teeth, or composite resin that is reinforced with quartz.

If veneers are right for you, the affected teeth will be prepared, a technique that involves removing about a ½ millimeter of enamel from the tooth surface. In order to achieve maximum comfort during this process, a few different methods can be used: local anesthetic is one option for those that suffer from moderate to serious anxiety, and most recently a new natural method has been introduced called NuCalm. NuCalm is a non medicinal treatment that allows total relaxation for the patient without the use of medicinal treatments that leave you tired and disoriented. Once relaxed, a teeth impression is taken and sent to the laboratory for production. Temporary veneers are placed on your teeth in the meantime so that you can eat and smile as you normally would.

When the veneers have been received by the dentist (usually 1-2 weeks from your visit), the dentist will remove the temporaries, clean your teeth thoroughly, then cement and cure the permanent veneers in place.

Old dental work in the form of un-natural and un-attractive silver fillings can be replaced with current up to date natural looking materials, such as composite resins or porcelain. Your dentist may be able to replace your fillings with inlays/onlays or, if the damage is extensive, with crowns. Each solution allows a completely natural look and it will be very hard to tell the difference between your natural tooth structure and the new esthetic.

Inlays/Onlays
Inlays/Onlays are built to match your existing tooth structure. Created in a dental lab and created out of dental porcelain or composite resin, they are shaped to fit perfectly in the space left by cavities or old dental work. They are cemented in place with strong cement that is hardened using an intense light (called a curing light). First, the dentist will prepare your tooth by removing the old filling or the decay and an impression will be taken and sent to the lab for processing. The dentist will then create a temporary filling for you so you can resume normal activities. Once the inlay is created and received by your dentist, your dentist will remove the temporary and after a thorough teeth cleaning, the inlay will be cemented and cured into place on your tooth.

Crowns
A crown is a porcelain, gold, metal, or combination metal/porcelain covering cemented into place over the entire shape of a tooth. This solution is for people that have a large filling, extensive damage or decay, or a tooth that is weak and could break. Crowns can also be used to hold a bridge into place, cover an implant, or protect/restore a tooth that has had a root canal.

Your tooth is prepared by removing the decay or old filling, as well as a small amount of the enamel surface from around and on top of the tooth. Local anesthesia during this process can be used. An impression of the old tooth and the surrounding teeth will be taken to make a model that is then sent to a dental laboratory, where the crown will be made. The dentist will place a temporary crown over the tooth in the meantime so you can resume your normal activities.

When your permanent crown is ready, the dentist will remove the temporary and clean the tooth thoroughly. Depending on what type of crown was made for you, the dentist may use cement that must be cured, or one that hardens and sets without the use of a curing light.

Veneers
Veneers may be prescribed by a dentist to correct or repair a variety of dental conditions, including chips, cracks, misalignment (crooked teeth), or discoloration. Patients who have received treatments with veneers enjoy a straighter, whiter, more balanced smile.

Veneers are thin, custom-made shells that are applied to the front of the teeth using an extremely strong adhesive cement that is hardened using an intense form of light called a curing light. Veneers are typically made by a technician in a dental laboratory using a model of your mouth as a guide. Veneers can be either porcelain, which demonstrates the same look and feel of natural teeth, or composite resin that is reinforced with quartz.

If veneers are right for you, the affected teeth will be prepared, a technique that involves removing about a ½ millimeter of enamel from the tooth surface. In order to achieve maximum comfort during this process a few different methods can be used: local anesthetic is one option for those that suffer from moderate to serious anxiety, and most recently a new natural method has been introduced called NuCalm. NuCalm is a non medicinal treatment that allows total relaxation for the patient without the use of medicinal treatments that leave you tired and disoriented. Once relaxed, a teeth impression is taken and sent to the laboratory for production. Temporary veneers are placed on your teeth in the meantime so that you can eat and smile as you normally would.

When the veneers have been received by the dentist (usually 1-2 weeks from your visit), the dentist will remove the temporaries, clean your teeth thoroughly, then cement and cure the permanent veneers in place.

Most dental insurances probably won’t pay toward cosmetic services. Many AACD dentists will work with you to maximize your benefits, and may have suggestions for alternative methods of financing so you can obtain the treatment of your choice.

A wide variety of options are available to improve how your teeth work and the way your smile looks. Look for an AACD dentist near you to consult with for options that fit with your tooth structure and financial capabilities.

Inlays/Onlays
Inlays/Onlays are small pieces of dental porcelain or composite resin created in a dental laboratory and shaped to fit perfectly in the space left by cavities and/or old dental work. In some cases, inlays/onlays may be made using gold. They are cemented in place with strong cement that is hardened using an intense light (called a curing light). Because they are custom-built to match your existing tooth structure, they look exactly like the rest of the tooth.

If inlays/onlays are prescribed for you, the dentist will prepare your tooth by removing the old filling or the decay. During this step, a local anesthetic may be used. An impression will then be taken and sent to the laboratory technician for use in making the inlay/onlay. Then, the dentist will create a temporary filling for you so that you can resume your normal activities.

When the inlay/onlay is returned from the laboratory, your dentist will remove the temporary and thoroughly clean the tooth. The inlay/onlay will then be cemented and cured into place.

Also known as a cap, a crown is a porcelain, gold, metal, or combination metal/porcelain covering cemented into place over the entire shape of a tooth that has a large filling, extensive damage or decay, or that is too weak and may break. Crowns can also be used to hold a bridge into place, cover an implant, or protect/restore a tooth that has had a root canal.

The dentist will prepare your tooth by removing the decay or old filling, as well as a small amount of the enamel surface from around and on top of the tooth. Local anesthesia will likely be used. Then, the dentist will take an impression of the tooth and the surrounding teeth for use in making a model that is sent to a technician at a dental laboratory where the crown will be made. To enable you to chew and resume your normal activities, the dentist will place a temporary crown over the tooth.

As with inlays/onlays and veneers, when your permanent crown is ready, the dentist will remove the temporary and thoroughly clean the tooth. Depending on what type of crown was made for you, the dentist may use cement that must be cured, or one that hardens and sets without the use of a curing light.

The following are a comprehensive list of what materials are used in tooth/smile reconstruction:

Amalgam
This is a self-hardening mixture made up of varying percentages of a liquid mercury and silver-tin alloy powder. The principle use is for fillings and is sometimes used for replacing portions of broken teeth. This material is highly durable and safe, however amalgams contain mercury. Mercury in its elemental form is toxic and as such is listed on prop 65. This solution is a relatively low cost option but the cost of filings are dependent on their size

Composite Resin (direct and indirect restorations)
This solution is a mixture of powdered glass and plastic resin which is self-hardening or hardened by exposure to blue light. This products principal uses are: fillings, inlays, veneers, partial and complete crowns and are sometimes used for replacing portions of broken teeth. This particular product is very strong and durable, and the cost of product to the consumer is affordable. The actual cost of the fillings depends upon their size; veneers & crowns cost more.

Glass Ionomer Cement
This solution is a self-hardening mixture of glass and organic acid and is used for small fillings; cementing metal & porcelain/metal crowns, liners and temporary restorations. The cost to the consumer is affordable.

Resin-Ionomer Cement
This solution is a mixture of glass and resin polymer and organic acid and self hardens via exposure to blue light. Its principle use is for small fillings, cementing metal & porcelain/metal crowns, and liners. Cost to consumer is affordable.

Contact your dentist immediately for help/assistance.