Archive for Blog

Life Expectancy of Porcelain Veneers

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Monday, June 7th, 2010

Question:

Dr Sam, what is the life expectancy of porcelain venners? My doctor claims that unless I get the best quality I may have to replace them after 5 or 10 years.

Answer:

The two most important factors that determine how long porcelain veneers last are the bonding technique used by the dentist and the skill level of the dentist.  There are many different dental bonding kits by each manufacturer and there are many different manufacturers and there are many combinations of materials in the kits.  Additionally there are over 7 generations of dental bonding materials kits that have been developed that add even more confusion as dentists try to keep up with the new products.

Unfortunately, most of the new products were designed to save the dentist time and sacrificed bonding strength.  The newest products are actually weaker than the first generation bonding materials.  The dentist finds that his or her porcelain veneers do not last because they don’t know that the material they are using is weak.

The technique used by the dentist has to be meticulously perfect.  Dental bonding is either perfect or it fails.  In my dental office, we see more and more patients that just had porcelain veneers placed that keep falling off.  These patient are frustrated and angry.  Their dentist may not have good enough technique skills and/or may be using inferior dental bonding materials.  After successfully bonding porcelain veneers for over 25 years, my oldest porcelain veneer case lasted 26 years before the patient passed away.  Not one porcelain veneer broke off or chipped during the 25 years.  My best advice is to pick the experienced dentist, because they are worth it.

Categories : Blog, Porcelain Veneers
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What is Face Lift Dentistry?

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Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Question:

Dr. Sam, could you explain in layman’s terms what Face Lift Dentistry ® is?

Answer:

Face Lift Dentistry ®  is much more than just a cosmetic dental procedure. It’s about the highest level of dental health that has a profound and positive impact on the health of the entire body.

It prolongs life with the elimination of decay and disease that is very common in the mouth that freely flows down the throat and penetrates into the blood stream every single day. With the reduction in mouth infections the health of the entire body is improved. With decreased levels of disease and infections, the patient adds years to their life span and quality of life is improved.

These patients have achieved such a superior level of home care, that they actually enjoy doing it. Dentistry that is a perfect fit, allows these patients to clean their mouths and be totally free of infection. Gums are pink and tight, no swelling, no bleeding and their breath is clean and fresh. The benefits of the total approach to dental health care are enormous long term.

Face Lift Dentistry ® also reduces daily stress within the skeletal muscular system. The grinding of the teeth and a bad bite contribute to TMJ pain, headaches, neck and jaw muscle pain. This level of stress reduces the body’s ability to function efficiently and reduces mental capacity as the entire body is in constant compromise as it has to adapt to a higher stress level. Treating the bite and creating harmony with the jaw joint or TMJ or jaw joint, reduces mental and physical stress within the body systems. It is well documented in the literature that stress reduction improves the quality and quantity of years during the patient’s lifetime.

Face Lift Dentistry ® also improves self-esteem and professional appearance. How a person presents themselves impacts the quality of their relationships. The movie industry creates ugly looking teeth for the villains while the hero looks very good.

Studies have show that children with bad looking teeth and bad bites have more behavioral problems. Self-esteem is greatly enhanced and Face Lift Dentistry ® benefits the entire face including the eyes. The patients viewed in Dr. Muslin’s Face Lift Dentistry website all show the “proud and happy” look because they know they are looking better for the rest of their lives

Categories : Blog, Facelift Dentistry
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About Osteointegrated Implants and Fibrointegrated Implants

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Sunday, March 28th, 2010

Question:

Dr. Sam, what is the difference between osteointegrated implants and fibrointegrated implants? I get so confused when my dentist throw all these terms at me! How do I know what I need? I am about to have 2 teeth extracted (one on each side, lower jaw) and I think I’d prefer permanent implants to a bridge – but I’d hate to make the wrong choice.

Answer:

Your implant dentist must make this choice for you and advise you as to the best dental implant for your particular amount of bone, health and bite. You want an osteointegrated implant if it is at all possible and it depends on if you have enough quality bone to support the implant. If the dentist you have chosen cannot make up his or her mind, get a second opinion.

You said you are only missing two teeth so the osteointegrated variety of dental implant works best because the jaw bone is tight to the implant. There are many different types, shapes, surface coatings and surface textures, widths and lengths of osteointegrated implants. All of these technical decisions should be made by the dentist.

The dentist should make an assessment of the type of bone, amount of jaw bone, the width of bone and the brand, type and length of implant to place. The dentist needs to know if their is enough space between the upper and lower jaws and the number of implants that should be used to replace your missing teeth. Sometimes, one implant is best and other times three implants are best.

Additionally, you may be able to have your teeth extracted, the implants place and the jaw bone grafted in just one dental appointment. The technology is that good! In just a few months, your new crowns can be cemented or secured with a screw to the dental implant. There is no hot or cold sensitivity to a dental implant and they do not decay.

There is a huge difference in the ability, knowledge and techniques of dentists that are placing dental implants. Dental implants can fail and when they do, it can be difficult. Find the one of the best dentist available because long lasting success is far less expensive than a low priced dental implant that fails. For more information and to view pictures of Implant Case Studies, visit our Hight-Tech Dental Implant section.

Categories : Blog, Dental Implants
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Not All Dentistry Is Created Equally

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Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Pain-free Treatment

Last week, a patient came in to our office complaining about a toothache. She was in the process of switching dentists, and Dr. Muslin had been highly recommended by another patient. She told me that she was dreading the visit since she’s had plenty dental treatment completed over the years and never enjoyed any of it. It turns out she was right in calling in to visit a dentist because the filling that had come out, her roots exposed and infected. Her tooth needed a root canal. An hour and a half later, the root canal was completed, a post and build-up was placed, along with the preparation for the porcelain crown. The patient told me that, this was the best root canal she has ever had!  She was completely shocked that the treatment could be completed so quickly and painlessly.

Dr. Muslin’s Response:

When it comes to dental treatment, some may think that a filling is a filling and a crown is a crown period. The hand that delivers the treatment, however, really makes a difference in the effectiveness of the work. Moreover, saving a few dollars for more inexpensive treatment may end up costing more in the long run. My mom learned this lesson the hard way when she went to her insurance dentist for a root canal and crown. She still felt pain in the tooth even after the root canal was completed, so the dentist retreated the tooth with another root canal. She ended up having to pay an extra thousand dollars for that tooth, on top of the money she lost from missing work hours and experiencing constant pain all due to seeing the wrong dentist.

Categories : Blog, Root Canal and Crowns
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The Best Teeth Whitening Money Can Buy

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Sunday, February 21st, 2010

Question:

Zoom! Teeth Whitening seems so convenient, cost effective and accessible. It seems that every dentist offers Zoom! Teeth whitening. Why should I come to a professional such as yourself for custom teeth whitening? (Dr. Muslin – maybe focus on “every dentist can do it” – i.e. a mass production product where no skill is required.

Answer:

After bleaching teeth for over 15 years, buying the Zoom II whitening system and using it, seeing patients that had Brite Smile whitening and Zoom whitening in other dental offices and trying many different methods, I have come to the conclusion that the best whitening systems are systems that are customized to the patient’s individual needs. The cost is generally not more expensive to whiten teeth using the best teeth whitening methods. Some patients have yellow teeth, some patients have highly mineralized teeth, other patients have tetracycline stained teeth, some patients have very sensitive teeth, while other patients have grey or very translucent teeth.

I have found that the systems that use a high powered light generate a lot of heat that can raise the nerve temperature inside the teeth or burn the gums or lips. I have also found that the teeth bleaching systems that use a light have results that do not last as long and can make the teeth more sensitive to temperature. We have had patients claim it was painful and the results did not last. They said, “a month later and my teeth were yellow again”.

The idea behind the light systems is that any dentist can do it. No thinking required, just follow the directions. The best teeth whitening systems may use one material one week and another complimentary material the next. Rather than just one method, we have several choices available to get the best possible results for our patients. The ability to customize the duration of exposure, strength of material, eliminate the heat from a light is a big advantage over the idea that one system fits everyone.

With increased duration of exposure with a gentle teeth whitening material we get results that last longer and bleaches the teeth to a natural whiter color.

Categories : Blog, Teeth Whitening
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It’s Time to Find a New Dentist!

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Sunday, February 14th, 2010

Question:

My dentist told me that most porcelain veneers are made by the same labs and that talk of different quality is just sales talk. Is this true? Are there labs that are better than other labs?

Answer:

You dentist is so wrong that it is scary. Probably 99% of all cosmetic dentists send their work to a dental lab and never see the porcelain veneers until they are finished and delivered into their office. The problem is the porcelain veneers are made without any customization by the dentist therefore all decisions that could make a world of difference for the patient are made by the lab. The dental lab has never seen the patient and has no idea. The porcelain veneers made without dentist supervision tend to be fake looking, thick, lack surface texture, are poorly proportioned, lack translucency or have too much translucency for the color of the teeth. All of this is normal for most cosmetic dentists as they totally rely on the lab to produce porcelain veneers without any customized guidance by the dentist. The result by the dental lab is limited if the knowledge and skill of the cosmetic dentist is limited.

My opinion is there is a huge difference between dental labs and an even bigger difference between dentists.

I have found over the last 30 years that the dentist must personally work on each porcelain veneer personally in order to maintain quality. I have developed a system of photography that includes over 40 images and diagnostic model measuring that helps me develop customization and create individualized quality that is unsurpassed from multiple facial angles. I personally work on every patient’s porcelain veneers before the final glaze is fired which permits me to insure the best shape, surface texture, size proportioning, veneer angling, surface contour, color and overall quality that is ideal for my patients. Over the years, I have worked with multiple dental labs that are the biggest and best in the industry and still personally work on every single case before the lab finishes their work. The ability of the lab is limited if the cosmetic dentist’s ability is limited. Every patient has different needs and there are so many ways the porcelain veneers could be better if the cosmetic dentist could only recognize it when he or she is looking at the patient.

How to Pick a Cosmetic Dentist?

I am honored that such a large number of my patients have signed model release forms (without payment) that gave me permission to show their entire face on the Hightech Dentistry Gallery. It is the ultimate testimonial. I highly recommend that you compare before and after photos of potential cosmetic dentists work and make sure the expressions and smiles are matched. Also, look at the close-up photos too. Find the best cosmetic dentist possible and make sure they have the photos to prove they are competent.

Categories : Best Cosmetic Dentistry, Blog
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Grey & Dull Porcelain Veneers

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Sunday, February 7th, 2010

Question:

Dr. Muslin, my family dentist convinced me that porcelain veneers were the best solution to cover my dark teeth. At first it looked OK but now my porcelain veneers look grey and dull. Do I need to have them whitened or bleached? How can this be fixed?

Answer:

Porcelain Veneers can be made with different thickness. The thickness of the porcelain veneer is the critical component in hiding the color of your teeth. The ability of the porcelain veneer to hide dark tooth color is related to the thickness of the porcelain and the bonding technique of the dentist. Sometimes the material or the technique used by the dentist causes the color to turn grey. Sometimes the dentist did not have the lab add enough opacity to hide the color. Other times the dentist did not help the lab understand how much of a color change he or she hopes to achieve. The bonding skill and the cosmetic dentistry skill of the dentist is very important in determining how color stable your porcelain veneers will be. There is a huge difference in the skills of cosmetic dentists. I realize that patients think dentists are all licensed and trained the same but the training and the ability of the cosmetic dentist varies wildly.

Sometimes if the color of the veneers turns grey you can bleach the teeth but this is not permanent. You will have to continue bleaching your teeth for the rest of your life and that may not be a good idea. You also mentioned the porcelain veneers were dull. The material used may not be real porcelain but some hybrid form of porcelain that is cheaper to make and easier for the dentist to bond. There is a large difference in the types of porcelain used for the porcelain veneers. The types of porcelains utalized, the cosmetic skills of the dentist, the technical bonding skills of the dentist and the diagnostic skills are critical to achieve results that look natural and last for many years.

Caution! The dentist you choose makes all of the difference between good and bad porcelain veneers. Ask to see one of the dentists patients, ask to talk to one of their patients but the best way is to see a lot of photographs with clear before and after images of the patients including full face views and close up views. Don’t fall for website gimmicks. Don’t fall for miss matched photos that do not allow you to compare results. Don’t fall for a slick website with bad before and after photos. Choose carefully because you will be wearing the porcelain veneers for a very long time.

Categories : Blog, Porcelain Veneers
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Visible Layer of Dental Bonding on Tooth

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Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Question:

Dr. Sam, our family dentist talked me into dental bonding to minimize a gap between my front teeth. Now, the gap is still awkward and if you look closely you can see the layer of bonding material on my tooth. I hate it! Can dental bonding be removed?

Answer:

Dental Bonding can easily be replaced. But, now at least you have a better understanding that finding a cosmetic dentist that is highly skilled can produce results that will make you happy rather than “hating it”. Fortunately for you, dental bonding can easily be replaced without damaging your teeth if the dentist works with magnification. It is very important that you go to a “magnification dentist”. With magnification the dentist can remove the bonding without cutting away your natural tooth structure.

You only have one set of teeth so the quality of the care and the minimal amount of tooth lost is very important. The ability of the dentist to match the opacity of your natural tooth structure is critical. It is also very difficult but can be accomplished if the dentist understands his or her bonding material’s characteristics.

Categories : Blog, Dental Bonding
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Choosing Ultra-Thin Veneers

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Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Question:

Dr. Sam, I have gone to three different dentists to get advice on the best porcelain veneers. Each dentist has a different story. The one suggested Lumineers, the other suggested Composite Veneers, and the other suggested Empress Veneers. I never knew there were so many types! As this is expensive and painful, I would desperately like to make the right choice. Can you guide me?

Answer:

The skill of the dentist treating the patient is by far the most important choice. A dentist that is unskilled will not provide good care with Lumineers, Empress Veneers or Composite Veneers. There is a wide difference between the artistic and technical skills of the cosmetic dentists. More importantly, the three techniques mentioned, all have positives and negatives.

A Very Important Video Clip

Before chooing a dentis, watch this video about a bad porcelain veneer outcome.  Sama was treated with porcelain veneers and was gracious enough to tell her story about the replacement of her porcelain veneers. Potential porcelain veneer patients have to remember that they will be wearing the porcelain veneers 24 hours a day so there are many characteristics that this patient explains that make a huge difference in how they look, feel and last.

Fake Looking Porcelain Veneers

An average cosmetic dentist will produce fake looking porcelain veneers with any technique so the choices mentioned are not the key issues.

Lumineers, Empress Veneers or Cosmetic Veneers?

One of the techniques mentioned requires a lot of tooth reduction. Most patients should not loose their natural tooth structure unless it is unavoidable. Another of the mentioned techniques turns color too quickly. The veneer does not hold its shade over the years. Another of the techniques has a tendency to be made too bulky, which looks fake. All three of the techniques could look great if the best dentist is chosen but if you pick the best dentist, the dentist should be guiding the patient toward making the right decision. He or she may not pick any of the three you mentioned.

The Best Porcelain Veneer

The best porcelain veneer choice is one that holds it color indefinitely, requires little to no tooth reduction, has a textured surface and natural contours. A great example of the best of the best in porcelain veneers is Melessa. Not a single tooth had to be ground down! Judge for yourself, then call Sam Muslin DDS MAGD for your conultation on (310) 829-6796

Categories : Blog, Lumineers, Porcelain Veneers
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Dull Dark Discolored Teeth

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Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

Question:

Dr. Sam, my teeth seems to be much duller and more discolored than others in my age group. I do not smoke. What could cause this and how can it be fixed?

Answer:

Let’s talk about discolored or dark teeth.

Teeth can be discolored for a variety of reasons.  It could be in our genes to have a darker color to our teeth.  We could have been exposed to tetracycline when we were a child, that would have caused our teeth to be permanently darker.  Our tooth enamel could be weaker due to childhood illness, which made it easier for the teeth to stain. 

The good news is that the color of the teeth can be hidden.  The tooth enamel can be stronger.  The teeth can be less sensitive and cosmetically we can have any shade we would like without having to get our teeth ground down.  The entire process is non-invasive.  Many dental labs offer porcelain veneers that require little to no grinding to your natural teeth as Lumineers and Vivineers.  In my office, at the present time I am working with a local ceramist that brings the work to my office before it is glazed.  This allows me to control the shade and the shapes of the teeth for an individualized and customized look. 

Today, the patients want their work to look natural.  They want to look better but do not want fake white teeth.  They want their porcelain veneers to look great but be undetectable.  Today’s patients have raised the bar of quality.  The bulky, fake denture looking teeth are not longer good enough.  Today’s patients want naturally looking teeth that are healthy and white.  It takes the artistic eye of the dentist to deliver.

Categories : Blog, Teeth Whitening
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News and Awards

Dr. Sam Muslin received the 2009 "Best Cosmetic Dentist in Los Angeles" award from LAs Best, featured in the Los Angeles TImes.