Monthly Archives: October 2013

Dentures

Tell my dad to get rid of his dentures

can you tell my dad to get rid of his dentures?  isn’t their teeth you can have put in your gums?  my dad has dentures. whenever we go anywhere his stupid dentures fall out.  the last time they came out at parents day at my school. we’re sitting there at lunch in the cafetria. all my friends were there and his stupid dentures fell out again right into my pizza. youre a dentist so he’ll listen to you. tell him.

Cammie Anne

Cammie Anne,

That must have been very embarrassing. I can understand how you feel. The problem your father is having is very common with dentures. There isn’t anything to stabalize the dentures, so they often slip and even fall out.  I bet your dad is as frustrated with them as you are.  Did you know that it is much harder for him to chew his food?  And, even when he does, some of the food gets under his dentures? Plus, he is probably as embarrassed as you are.  Imagine if you were somewhere public and your “teeth” fell out in front of everyone, including the person you loved the most.

I know you’re embarrassed about your father’s teeth, but try to have some compassion for him. He’s having a hard time too.  You need to understand that while I can give your father advice, I can’t make him do a dental procedure.

What I can do is give you information that you can pass on to your father. If you want, you can give your father our dental office number and we’d be happy to answer any questions he has.  We can even recommend a good dentist in your area for him.

I think the procedure you were referring to is dental implants. This puts a screw in the gum that serves in the same function as your tooth root.  Then, a dental crown will be placed to serve as a tooth.  You may click on this link to read more about dental implants on our website.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

 

Porcelain Veneers

Smile Makeover

What do I do to go about getting a smile makeover?

Analisa M.- Staten Island, NY

Analisa,

The most important step in getting a smile makeover is choosing your cosmetic dentist. Many people don’t know that cosmetic dentistry is not actually a recognized specialty.  Anyone can “learn” a few cosmetic procedures and call themselves a cosmetic dentist. What you will get from a dentist like that is a disappointing smile.  In fact, you might be better off not going to them at all.

Instead look for someone with expertise in cosmetic procedure. You want someone with an artistic eye. Ideally, you’ll want someone who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).  Very few dentists attain that level of expertise, so you may have to drive a little ways. I assure you, it will be worth it.

Most of the time, cosmetic dentists pick porcelain veneers for a smile makeover. As long as you’re a candidate, they are the ideal way of getting a gorgeous smile. These tiny wafers of porcelain can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth.

You’ll meet with the dentist you choose and together decide on the type of smile you want.  He’ll make the veneers, or hire a lab to do it according to his specifications. Make sure he doesn’t permanently bond them on until you’ve tried them in with a temporary paste. This way you can  have any changes made before they’re permanent. However, if you choose the right dentist, he’ll do that automatically.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.