Monthly Archives: July 2012

Porcelain Crowns

My crowns make me speak funny

I had crowns put on almost all my front teeth. Now I say my S’s and Th’s funny. Do you know if this has to do with my crowns?

Deanna S. from Dallas, TX

Deanna,

I haven’t examined you, but it is possible the incisal edges of your upper front porcelain crowns were placed incorrectly. In order to properly pronounce  “s” sounds, your teeth need to come together and almost, but not quite touch. The “th” sound, your teeth need to come close together with your tongue lightly touching between the upper and lower teeth.

An expert cosmetic dentist will have received training on how the position, shape, and thickness of your teeth affect your speech.

This blog is brought to you by Boston Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Randall Burba.

Porcelain Veneers

Do I need to replace a veneer right away?

I had a 14 porcelain veneers put on by a great cosmetic dentist. Then I moved about four states away. I’ve found a decent dentist to do my regular work, but not another cosmetic dentist. The problem is my veneers keep falling off. I have a bit of a grinding problem and my dentist said there is a moisture problem. Another one came off today. Do I have to get it cemented back on right away or can I wait a few days to get to my old dentist?

Sylvia H. from Boca Raton, FL

Sylvia,

I have less confidence in your old dentist than you do. When porcelain veneers are bonded on by an expert cosmetic dentist, they don’t keep coming off–period–even with teeth grinding. There are ways to work around that. Plus, moisture control is not only a required skill for veneers, but a basic one.

To answer your question, you don’t have to get it put back on right away. You can wait up to two weeks as long as you’re comfortable with the appearance and your tooth isn’t sensitive. I’d use that time to look for a new cosmetic dentist.  Anyone who is AACD accredited will be able to easily handle your situation. If you can’t find an accredited dentist in your area, then I would go to the mynewsmile.com website. They recommend excellent cosmetic dentists in each state.  They check their qualifications, experience, and artistry. You’ll be safe with any of their recommended dentists.  Dr. Burba is both AACD accredited and recommended by mynewsmile, so he knows how difficult the qualifications are to accomplish that.

This blog is brought to you by Boston Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Randall Burba.