Baton Rouge Dentist

Will dental insurance pay for teeth whitening and bonding after braces?

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 I was born with a lack of tooth enamel. After wearing braces for the past two years, my teeth are finally straight, but they are blotchy. Will dental insurance pay for me to get my teeth whitened and then get composite bonding to hide the blotches? Thank you. Kasey

Kasey,

Thanks for your question. And congratulations on completing your treatment with braces!

 

What Causes Blotchy Teeth After Braces?

Blotchy teeth after wearing braces often result from a lack of brushing after eating while braces are on. It is good to keep a toothbrush handy if you wear braces. Wherever you are, after you eat, you can brush your teeth and prevent bacteria from collecting around your braces and damaging your tooth enamel.

 

Will Dental Insurance Pay for Tooth Enamel Repair After Braces?

Some dental insurance companies offer benefits toward tooth enamel repair. But they may not cover the full cost. Instead, they will pay for part of the repair. And an insurance company’s concern is that the results of your composite bonding are functional.

 

But after treatment with braces, you want your smile to look natural. And you probably want the composite bonding to match your teeth after they are whitened. Contact your dental insurance company to ask about benefits toward composite bonding to repair tooth enamel.

 

Will Dental Insurance Pay for Teeth Whitening?

Before-and-after teeth whitening smile
After braces, teeth whitening is a small investment to enhance your smile

Teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment for appearance—not function—so your insurance company will not offer benefits for it. Still bleaching will enhance your straightened teeth after braces and show off your smile. So you might want to pay for it anyway. Your dentist may offer discounted whitening services or payment plans.

 

Regardless, only let your family dentist whiten your teeth and match dental bonding to it if they have advanced cosmetic dentistry training. You will get natural-looking results that you love.

Ryan Perry, DDS of Baton Rouge, sponsors this post.

Pain After a New Filling and Had to Stop Teeth Whitening

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In January, my dentist filled a front tooth with composite. He had to smooth out the filling a month later, but after whitening my tooth at home, I felt shocking pain in the tooth. I stopped bleaching and felt the same pain last week when biting a banana. I can’t chew anything soft. Even lukewarm drinks increase the sensation. I am sure that my dentist will want to redo the filling. But could this tooth need a root canal, too? I am getting anxious about what could be wrong. Thank you. Dana from TN

 

Dana,

If you feel intense pain, you probably need to see an endodontist (root canal specialist). It is good that you stopped teeth whitening treatment because it could further irritate your tooth.

Your tooth is not merely irritated from a new filling. Although you might have some sensitivity after a filling, it does not last for months. It will gradually improve.

Lingering Pain After a New Filling

Lingering pain after a new filling means that the tooth is infected. It does not mean that your dentist necessarily did anything wrong, though. When removing the decay, sometimes bacteria infect the tooth pulp (living tissue and nerves). A tooth is already irritated from dental work, and when bacteria is pushed through it, an infection can flare up.

Preventing tooth discoloration after a root canal

When a dentist performs a root canal on a front froth, they must remove root canal filling material from inside the crown. It will prevent the tooth from discoloring and needing cosmetic treatment to conceal the discoloration.

Schedule an Appointment with a Specialist

After an examination, an endodontist, or a dentist skilled in root canal treatment, can tell you what to expect with root canal treatment. Afterward, the tooth will be weak and may need a crown.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

Ryan Perry, DDS of Baton Rouge, sponsors this post.

Why do dentists want to pull my front teeth and not save them?

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After two years of not seeing a dentist, I finally got the courage to go because a front tooth that was bonded almost broke completely. I have been wanting to get my teeth whitened to feel better about myself. Although I was expecting to get the tooth bonded back on, the dentist wanted to pull 4 front teeth and give me a partial. I went to a second dentist who recommended the same thing. Why would both dentists recommend extracting multiple front teeth when I came in to get one tooth repaired and schedule teeth whitening? – Thank you. LaDonna from GA

 

LaDonna,

We are sorry to hear about your experience. Please do not return to either dentist or ask them to save your teeth. Both dentists lack commitment to preserving your natural teeth. Even if a tooth requires extraction, a dental implant is the healthiest option for you. Maybe the dentists are not skilled with tooth preservation. But do not push the issue with either of them.

You mentioned that you finally got the courage to go to the dentist again, which implies you might have past negative experiences. But do not give up. You can find a dentist whose treatment philosophy is to preserve teeth when possible without compromising your oral health.

When a Bonded Front Tooth Breaks

If your front tooth is bonded, it probably broke before. And if it is now almost broken off completely, it may mean that your bite is strong—or the force of when you bite with your front teeth is heavy. A heavy bite requires expertise from a cosmetic dentist. A family or general dentist without cosmetic dentistry training will not know how to resolve the issue.

Custom made trays hold the bleaching gel in place.
A cosmetic dentist will ensure your tooth restoration matches your smile after teeth whitening treatment

We recommend that you find two or three dentists with post-graduate cosmetic dentistry training. Schedule consultations with the dentists. They will briefly look at your tooth and explain your treatment options. Ask to see before-and-after photos of cases like yours. And compare the options each dentist offers. You can also talk with each dentist about the timing for teeth whitening to ensure your restored tooth matches your bright smile.

 

Ryan Perry, DDS of Baton Rouge, sponsors this post.

Nose pressure and discharge after wisdom teeth extraction

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An oral surgeon removed all my wisdom teeth. My oral surgeon explained how I can flush the sockets after wisdom tooth extraction. Although he said I do not need to flush the upper sockets, I felt sinus pressure, so I did it anyway. The last time I flushed the right upper socket, yellow discharge came out. And I feel pressure in my left sinus. I wonder if my sinus is perforated. Is this serious? I am concerned that the surgeon knew he punctured my sinus but didn’t tell me. I am on day six after surgery, the pain is improving, but I am concerned about the discharge.

The timing of all this could not be worse. I am scheduled to get my teeth whitened in three weeks. Thanks. Janie from TN

Janie,

It is normal for some bacteria to settle in the sockets, but it appears that your immune system is helping you avoid an infection.

Nose Pressure After Wisdom Teeth Extraction

After wisdom tooth extraction, you might feel nose pressure when you flush the socket because the roots of upper molars can be close to the sinus. If your sinus were perforated, the rinsing solution would come out of your nose while flushing the socket. You did not mention that issue, so the sinus membrane is intact and does not require treatment.

Continue flushing the socket as directed but be gentle to avoid rupturing the sinus membrane. Leave the blood clot in the socket to form a framework for bone growth as the extraction site heals.

Are You Ready for Teeth Whitening After Wisdom Tooth Removal?

Custom made trays hold the bleaching gel in place.
After tooth extraction sites heal, your dentist can begin teeth whitening treatment

It is best not to begin teeth whitening treatment until the sockets and surrounding tissue heal completely. According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, it can take several weeks for soft tissue to heal after wisdom teeth extraction. Your dentist will ensure your teeth, gums, and extraction sites are healthy before whitening your teeth.

If you rush the process, the teeth whitening process can irritate the extraction sites.

Ryan Perry, DDS, of Baton Rouge, sponsors this post.

Should I avoid root canal treatment during pregnancy?

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In August 2019, I had a small cavity filled before my dentist did my teeth whitening. I had a six-month checkup in February 2020, and my dentist said my tooth was fine. I went to the dentist two weeks ago because I felt sensitivity in the tooth to cold and air, and my dentist now says I probably need root canal treatment for the molar.

I declined an x-ray because I am six months pregnant. How do I know if it’s just sensitivity or if the tooth is really infected? And how did my tooth decline so quickly from a small cavity with a filling? Thank you. Roxanne

 

Roxanne,

Your dentist did the right thing by filling your cavity before teeth whitening treatment. Teeth bleaching gel can irritate decaying teeth and increase sensitivity.

Custom made trays hold the bleaching gel in place.
Your teeth should be cavity free before bleaching them

But you’re right—the history of tooth decay doesn’t make sense. You had a minor cavity and filling that your dentist checked in February, but now the tooth is sensitive to air and cold. The sensitivity you describe could mean that the cavity is huge, and the tooth needs root canal treatment, or it could mean that the tooth was irritated from something that happened while our dentist placed the filling.

Dr. Perry would need to examine your tooth, but your description doesn’t sound like you need root canal treatment right away.

Root Canal Treatment During Pregnancy?

During the last trimester of pregnancy, unless an oral health problem is urgent, avoid dental work. But if a tooth is infected, it’s not healthy for you or your baby because the infection can spread. You can schedule an appointment with another dentist for a second opinion. But you might need an x-ray for an accurate diagnosis. During the x-ray, if you wear a lead apron covering your stomach, the baby will not be exposed to radiation.

So, it’s your choice, you can wait a while and see if the sensitivity in your tooth persists or gets worse, or you can get a second opinion right away. You can an online article published by the American Dental Association, Is It Safe to Go to the Dentist During Pregnancy?

Ryan Perry, DDS, of Baton Rouge, sponsors this post.

A $14,000 teeth whitening mistake

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I used teeth whitening toothpaste on my porcelain veneers. I’ve been doing it since June, about a month after I got veneers. I don’t remember my dentist telling me not to use the toothpaste, but I should have known better. I found out about the toothpaste damage because I saw an online ad about toothpaste for veneers. That was a clue that I was using the wrong brand. I used whitening toothpaste because I wanted to keep my veneers white. Have a ruined by $14,000 veneers trying to keep my teeth white? Thanks, Brianna from Tulsa, OK

Brianna,

Abrasive toothpaste has a long-term effect on porcelain veneers. If you used abrasive toothpaste a few times on your veneers, it wouldn’t be a concern. But after using it for several months, the surface of your veneers is probably scratched.

Supersmile toothpaste maximizes the lifespan of veneers. Ordinary toothpaste can wear away the bonding composite between the porcelain and the tooth.

Rembrandt Low Abrasion Whitening Toothpaste with Citroxain is another option, but it isn’t easy to find. The Deeply White and Intense Stain toothpaste contain formulas that might be abrasive.

How Can You Keep Porcelain Veneers White?

Custom made trays hold the bleaching gel in place.
Avoid using teeth whitening kits and abrasive whitening toothpaste on veneers

You can keep your porcelain veneers white by flossing between your teeth and brushing them with toothpaste designed for cosmetic dentistry work, like Supersmile toothpaste. Regular dental cleaning and exam appointments by a dentist and hygienist who are trained to care for veneers will keep your smile intact.  Even some dental tools will damage the glaze on porcelain veneers, so your hygienist must know how to clean them safely. Porcelain veneers are virtually stain resistant.

If your veneers get stained or dull, a dentist has gentle tools and polishing paste to restore the luster of your smile. Traditional teeth whitening methods, even from a dentist, don’t work on veneers.

Schedule an appointment with your cosmetic dentist to examine your veneers and check for scratches. Although it might be embarrassing to admit you’ve been using abrasive toothpaste, it’s best to get the bonding composite and your veneers checked out before any damage gets worse.

 

Ryan Perry, DDS, of Baton Rouge, sponsors this post.

Will Rinsing My Mouth with Peroxide Whiten My Teeth?

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I’ve read online about hydrogen peroxide for whitening teeth. One suggestion is to dip a Q-tip in peroxide and rub it on my teeth. Can I just buy 3% hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore and swish it around in my mouth for mild whitening? Thanks – Dana from MS

Dana,

Whitening agents work by soaking into your teeth for at least fifteen minutes. Swishing around peroxide won’t give you the same effects.

The concentration of peroxide in Crest Whitestrips is 5% or 6%. The instructions are to wear the whitestrips 30 minutes a day for two weeks. Even after two weeks, the whitening is very mild.

Does Rinsing Your Mouth with Peroxide Whiten Teeth?

If you use 3% hydrogen peroxide to rinse your mouth, it may very mildly when your teeth. The peroxide is half the strength of whitestrips so that the results will be even milder, and the peroxide won’t stay in contact with your teeth to penetrate them. The effects will be super mild.

Beware of Extended Oral Use of Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide kills harmful bacteria in your mouth, as well as beneficial microbes. If you rinse with hydrogen peroxide for an extended period—let’s say two weeks, it can be harmful. As the peroxide kills good microbes, the harmful micro-organisms, including candida albicans, will thrive. And you can contract an oral yeast infection that makes your mouth raw and sore.

Why Does Teeth Whitening from a Dentist Work?

Custom made trays hold the bleaching gel in place.
Custom trays with professional-strength teeth whitening gel break down stains

Tooth discoloration is usually deep with a tooth. Tooth enamel is translucent, so most of the color in your teeth comes from dentin—the layer beneath the enamel. The objective is for bleaching gel to penetrate the enamel and whiten dentin.

The whitening treatment that you receive from the dentist requires custom bleaching trays. You’ll wear the trays for a couple of hours or overnight, so the bleaching gel deeply penetrates your teeth and breaks down stains.

We recommend speaking with your dentist about how to make teeth whitening affordable for you. You’ll get safe, predictable results.

Ryan Perry, DDS, of Baton Rouge, sponsors this post.

 

Four Facts About Home Teeth Whitening and How to Choose

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Will you please give me an opinion on the Premium Home Teeth Whitening Kit? A few months ago, I passed up a Groupon offer for it, but I see that it’s available on their website. It’s also on Amazon.com, but the cost is significantly lower, and that makes me wonder if the product there is legitimate. Is this whitening kit a worthwhile purchase? – Thanks, Kay from Laurel, MS

 

Thanks for your inquiry, Kay.

After reviewing the website for Premium Home Teeth Whitening, we can’t endorse the product. We have several observations about the product. They are not all negative, and they can apply to other at-home teeth whitening brands.

Facts About Home Teeth Whitening

  1. Whitening agent – The gel contains 36% carbamide peroxide, a valid whitening agent with enough power to whiten your teeth. The kit contains an LED accelerator light, which is unlikely to accelerate the bleaching process.
  2. Cost – A premium kit costs about $150. If our dentist charges more, look for a dentist who offers affordable teeth whitening. Some provide it at a discount if you keep your regular cleaning and exam appointments. Or you can call several dental offices and ask about the cost for teeth whitening if you’ve had a recent hygiene appointment. You can also tell your dentist about the kit and its costs and ask if he or she will match or reduce the cost for you.
  3. Customization – Premium Home Teeth Whitening isn’t customized to fit your teeth. Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth to mold custom bleaching trays. Custom trays keep the gel in contact with your teeth for maximum absorption. They also seal in the bleach and keep it away from your gums to prevent irritation
  4. Safety – Is home teeth whitening safe? Some reports show that over-the-counter whitening systems irritate teeth. Irritation can lead to infection and root canal treatment. If you have existing dental work on your teeth, your dentist needs to check it before you start the bleaching process. And your dentist can predict how bleaching gel will affect the stains in your teeth—for better or worse.
teeth whitening tray
Custom trays maximize the teeth whitening process

It’s best to compare prices at dental offices and receive teeth whitening from a dentist. In most cases, you don’t need an advanced cosmetic dentist to whiten your teeth. A general or family dentist can give you good results. Exercise caution with the dentist you choose of you have fluorosis or tetracycline stains in your teeth, or if the stains are caused by medication or a medical condition. In those cases, see a cosmetic dentist who will determine the best treatment method.

Baton Rouge family dentist, Ryan Perry, DDS, sponsors this post.

Cracked Your Tooth? How to Decide If Your Dentist or a Specialist Is Best

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In early March, I received two white fillings – one on a top left molar and the other on a bottom left molar. Both fillings felt okay at first. But about three weeks later, I began to feel pressure shocks whenever I bite down on that side of my mouth. I returned to my dentist, and he shaved some of the filling.

The pain only improved a little, so I had another appointment with my dentist last week. He removed one of the fillings because he thought there might be a crack in my tooth. My dentist said the decay was deep, and there was a small crack in my tooth, but he would fill it with composite. If the tooth doesn’t improve, he will recommend root canal treatment.

I still get shocks in the tooth when I mistakenly chew on the left side of my mouth. Sometimes the tooth hurts if I touch it with my tongue. Does this tooth need to be extracted, or will a root canal help? I’m scheduled to get my teeth whitened next month, but I think that I should wait until my dentist resolves my tooth pain. – Thanks. Benjamin, Witchita, KS

Benjamin,

Dr. Perry would need to examine and x-ray your tooth for an accurate diagnosis. We noticed your location, and an examination in our office isn’t practical. Based on your description, your tooth might be cracked, infected, or both. A tooth that is pain free until weeks after the filling is often cracked or infected. It is good that your dentist placed a white composite filling because amalgam can irritate and weaken the tooth.

Concerns About Your Cracked Tooth

  1. Treatment for a cracked tooth – If your dentist saw a crack in your tooth, he should have protected it with a dental crown, not a filling. Without a crown, the crack will spread, and your tooth will eventually break.
  2. Reasons to see a specialist – When your dentist doesn’t have advanced training and experience in root canal treatment, he or she might lack the skill, training, and tools needed for successful treatment. If your tooth pain persists, we recommend that you visit an endodontist, or root canal specialist. Endodontists routinely perform root canal treatments. And they have advanced training and specialized tools—that most general or family dentists don’t have—to minimize the risk of root canal failure and the need for extracting the tooth.
  3. Extract only when necessary – Whenever possible, it’s best to save the tooth if it doesn’t compromise your oral tooth. If your dentist extracts the tooth without replacing it with a dental bridge or an implant, your body will resorb the bone in the space. And other teeth in the vicinity will start to shift.
  4. Effects of teeth bleaching gel – Your tooth is already sensitive and irritated. Bleaching gel and the teeth whitening process will increase your symptoms.

Request a Referral or Get a Second Opinion

Diagram of tooth with needing a root canal treatment
If a tooth is infected or craked, complete root canal treatment before teeth whitening

Ask your dentist for a referral to an endodontist. If he won’t refer you, schedule an appointment with another general dentist for a second opinion. Take your recent x-ray and dental records with you. A dentist with experience in root canal treatment can give you an accurate diagnosis, explain your treatment options, and refer you to a specialist if needed.

Delay Your Teeth Whitening Appointment

Conscientious dentists offer teeth whitening to patients whose teeth and gums are healthy. You can prevent further irritation to your teeth by delaying teeth whitening treatment until the issue with your tooth is resolved. Although dentists use a special gel to reduce sensitivity during bleaching, if a tooth is already sensitive from damage, it’s best to wait.

Ryan Perry, DDS, of Baton Rouge sponsors this post.

What Are Some Expert Teeth-Bleaching Tips?

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Hello there,

I got my teeth whitened in my dentist’s office. I was given Opalescence whitening trays to take home to touch them up. I’m planning to get crowns at some point, so I want to bleach my teeth properly. How long do I need to bleach? A few hours every day, or a few times a week? Should I stop bleaching several days before my dental appointment? Any input you could give me would be very appreciated, I’m a bit confused about everything.

Kate Zimmerman, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 

Hi Kate,

Your dentist should have given you some instructions with the take-home kit. To answer your questions, the more you whiten, the whiter your teeth will be. It doesn’t matter what time you whiten your teeth, but if you get sensitivity from the bleaching trays, you should do it at night. You should leave the bleaching trays in for at least 20-30 minutes, but the longer, the better. If you leave them overnight, your saliva production rate slows down, so nighttime use may be more effective, as the gel will stay in the tray longer.

You do not need to use trays specifically for nighttime use, as they contain excessive amounts of peroxide. The more you whiten, your teeth will continue to change color, but the pace at which your teeth whiten will slow down. You should stop whitening when you reach the color you want. However, depending on how much you red wine, coffee, soda, or tobacco products you consume, your teeth will dull in color. If this happens, you can use your touch-up trays a few hours a day once or twice a year.

Be sure to get your crowns done by a cosmetic dentist with a lot of experience and continuing education in cosmetic dentistry. Your dentist should be able to answer your questions clearly and concisely prior to getting your work done. If you have any doubts, be sure to get a second opinion.

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