Lumineers

What is a Lumineer?

Lumineer is a brand name of porcelain veneer and the company is the first to market to the public.  They are a type of veneer that's promoted for a no-preparation of the teeth technique.

What Happens?

Lumineers are thin ceramic shells that are placed over teeth that have not been prepared to receive them. It is a conservative procedure in theory, where the veneers are simply bonded to the teeth in single visit with no drilling and no pain.

What they don't tell you?

Lumineers are promoted as being the no-pain no-drilling solution to veneers. This is not true. If your teeth are too small or you have gaps you want to have filled, then chances are you won't need to have any tooth reduction. However, in most other cases some tooth reduction will be needed.

The reality is that only a very small percentage of patients would be well served with this procedure due to its tendency to leave the teeth over contoured, bulky and quite unaesthetic.

My Call

Lumineers can be made well and they can be made very poorly.  They key is to find a highly skilled trustworthy dentist and let them guide you to the solution that is right for your situation.  No Prep veneers can be wonderful for a small set of cases. The vast majority of cases require at least some reduction to end up looking like real teeth.

Lumineers are not the answer for every case, and in fact are probably not a good solution in most cases. The ramifications of over-contoured teeth, aside from them being unaesthetic, are the fact that it is unhealthy for the gum tissues that support the teeth. I often see irritated or inflamed gum tissue around teeth that are bulky or over-contoured. This may lead to periodontal disease (destruction of the structures that support the teeth).

The Cost: Most of the time the patient will need any where from 6-8 veneers placed per arch to get good aesthetics. At the cost of $1000-1200 per veneer, you are looking at $6000-8000 per arch.

Mercury toxicity in Dental Amalgam (Silver fillings)

What is Mercury toxicity?

It refers to the conflicting views over the use of amalgam as a filling material mainly because it contains the element Mercury. Scientists agree that dental amalgam fillings leach mercury into the mouth, but studies vary widely in the amount and whether such amount presents significant health risks. 

What Happens?

Mercury is a component of the amalgam used for "silver" fillings. The other major ingredients are silver, tin, copper, and zinc. When mixed, these elements bond to form a strong, stable substance.

Effects 

Potential amalgam-induced health risks which have been studied by researchers include those related to allergy as well as toxicity.

What they don't tell you?

ADA Code of Ethics, has held that, "the removal of amalgam restorations from the non-allergic patient for the alleged purpose of removing toxic substances from the body, when such treatment is performed solely at the recommendation or suggestion of the dentist, is improper and unethical".

Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, and Sweden have banned or discouraged mercury fillings, especially in children and pregnant women.

Role of FDA

The mercury used in dental amalgam fillings is not at a level high enough to cause harm in patients, according to the FDA.

The special controls are spelled out in a guidance document that includes recommendations on labeling and other parameters. Among the labeling recommendations:

•         A warning against the use of the filling material in those with a known mercury allergy

•         A warning to dentists and other dental professionals to use adequate ventilation when handling the dental amalgam

•         A statement talking about the risk and benefit of the dental amalgams, including the risks of inhaled mercury vapor. The statement is meant to help patients and dentists make informed decisions.

My Call

Most modern dental offices do not use amalgam fillings anymore.But if you have pre-existing silver fillings in your mouth then take the following steps:

1/ Do research and undergo tests to determine if you are susceptible to mercury poisoning. 

2/ Otherwise replace the amalgam fillings in your mouth only if they are leaky or damaged.

3/ Make sure you find a mercury-free dentist who follows the protocol for safe amalgam removal. 

Sleep Apnea and Dentistry

What is Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening medical disorder that causes your body to stop breathing during sleep. 

What Happens?

The muscles in your throat relax and the tongue may fall back and block the airway as you sleep, reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to all of your organs including your heart and brain. 

Symptoms

People with sleep apnea may snore loudly and stop breathing for short periods of time. The breathing pauses from sleep cause your body to briefly wake while you remain unaware. This can happen hundreds of times per night, and you may wake up feeling unrefreshed. Sleep apnea patient are often older, obese and have thick necks, but men and women of any age or body type can have sleep apnea. The sleep disorder progressively worsens with age and weight gain.

Effects 

In addition to snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep apnea can cause memory loss, morning headaches, irritability, depression, decreased sex drive and impaired concentration. When left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to hypertension, stroke, heart attack and sudden death while asleep.

What they don't tell you?

The vast major of sleep related breathing cases go undiagnosed and untreated. A study found that an estimated 50-70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders, including sleep apnea. 

Treatment

Dentists have pioneered the use of oral appliance therapy for the treatment of sleep apnea and sleep related breathing disorders. An oral appliance is a device worn in the mouth only during sleep. The device fits like a sports mouth guard or orthodontic retainer and prevents the airway from collapsing by either holding the tongue or supporting the jaw in a forward position. With an oral appliance, dentists can minimize or eliminate the symptoms of sleep apnea in mild to moderate cases.

Snap on Smile

SNAP ON SMILE:

Snap on teeth are an affordable option for the PERFECT white smile in seconds.

What is the process?

The process is simple, firstly you have to visit a dentist, who takes x-rays, impressions ( for plastic moulds ) and measures your teeth. Everything is sent off to the laboratory and in two weeks your new snap on teeth will be prepared. 

How does it work?

It is a dental appliance that literally snaps on your existing teeth. It will take a little time to be able to talk and eat properly with the snap on teeth . If this is for a special day, please have your teeth ahead of time to get used to speaking and eating with them in place.

What are the benefits!

Snap on teeth give you the appearance of having the great smile without the price tag and inconvenience of getting veneers or caps. It requires no tooth prep or drilling.

 What they don't tell you?

It is a temporary solution, not very durable. It can be worn down or broken by chewing hard food. The teeth must be removed to be cleaned, fragments of food can lodge under the snap on teeth causing plague and discoloration.

The cost:: Snap on smile can range between $800 to $1800, for a brief solution this will appear costly. 

Invisalign

INVISALIGN:

Invisalign is replacement for braces to straighten your teeth.

What is the process?

The process is simple, firstly you have to visit a dentist, who takes x-rays, photos, impressions ( for plastic moulds ) and measures your teeth. Everything is sent off to the laboratory and in four weeks your aligners are ready for delivery. 

How does it work?

It is a series of aligners (plastic trays) that literally snaps on your existing teeth.  You are supposed to change the aligners every 2 weeks (per the instructions of your dentist) until the desired outcome is achieved.

What are the benefits!

Invisalign can be virtually invisible, allowing you to maintain your well-deserved grown-up appearance and demeanor. You can take the aligners out for eating, brushing and flossing, and, now and then, you might even choose to remove them altogether for a special occasion. Invisalign treatment typically last 8 - 15 months, while traditional braces may need 24 months or more. There is a less risk of developing cavities and no trauma to lips or gums as compared to braces.

What they don't tell you?

Invisalign is removable appliance which is a disadvantage because so many patients don't wear Invisalign for required number of hours per day, thus increasing treatment length. Rotating teeth or vertical alignment can not be done with Invisalign. You will still need to wear retainers to prevent a relapse.

The cost:: It can range between $2500 to $5000, depending upon complexity of treatment plan.