Baton Rouge Dentist

Archives for May 2014

My smile embarrasses me

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My teeth have been really dark ever since I was a girl. The older I get, the more embarrassed I get about it. My teeth look like I never clean them. No matter what I do they don’t get whiter. Is there anything I can do about it?

Amanda T. – Rhode Islan

Amanda,

Of course, I haven’t examined you, but I suspect the dark stains on your teeth are tetracycline stains.  It is an antibiotic that affects the coloring of developing teeth. Tetracycline stained teeth can be anywhere from a little grey to a dark brown.

I’m sorry this happened to you. I know it is hard to feel confident with a smile that makes you uncomfortable. I’m going to tell you about some cosmetic options. First, you need to be aware that it is very hard to whiten tetracycline teeth, so those these options will help, they will not be perfect.

One option is teeth whitening. There is an oxidation process that takes place during professional teeth whitening. It will help.  It may not get them perfectly white, but they will be greatly improved.  A second option is porcelain veneers. However, let me caution you a little more with this one.  Any dentist can do teeth whitening on tetracycline stained teeth. However, very few dentists can do porcelain veneers on tetracycline stained teeth well. Either they end up getting them too opaque to cover the stains, which makes them look fake, or they are too translucent and show the stains. You would have to be willing to spend extra money to go to an expert in order for these to work in a way that you’d be pleased with the results.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

Protecting myself in Mexico

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I need to have some dental work done. My dentist wants to charge too much, so I’m thinking of going over the border (which is close to my home). I did some research and learned that dental care there is a fraction of the price. Is there anything I can do to help ensure a pleasant experience?  Do I need to give the dentist anythign ahead of time?

Mason F. – Arizona

Mason,

I know it can be very tempting to take a quick day trip to Mexico and get dental work done cheaply, but you are playing with fire. In the U.S. we have regulations to protect the patient, including sterilization standards.  You will find no such thing in Mexico. It is up to the dentist to determine the level of sanitation and sterilization they’ll provide.

If something goes wrong, you have to try to get recourse through their government and arbitration. It is complicated to navigate and often ends up a futile battle.

I know having affordable dentistry is important, but you don’t want to risk your health. I suggest you call your dentist and ask for some kind of financial help. Many dentists give a discount to patients who pay in cash. He may offer payment plans also, which can spread out the cost and be less prohibitive.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.