TMJ Disorder Archives - Susan M. Dennis, D.D.S

Mouthwash and Porcelain Veneers

Posted on February 18, 2024 by writeradmin.

I have porcelain veneers and want to take good care of them. I generally use a homemade mouth wash. The ingredients are:
8 OZ FILTERED WATER
8 OZ OF 3% HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
2 TBS SEA SALT.

Is this safe to use on my porcelain veneers?

Benny

Dear Benny,

A single porcelain veneer being held up o a tooth

Nothing in that mixture will harm your porcelain veneers. I am a bit concerned the hydrogen peroxide. While that is a good way to kill bacteria in your mouth, it does not distinguish between good and bad bacteria. With constant use, other microbes will continue to grow in your mouth unchecked because there is not the right stuff there to keep it in check. One of those microbes is candida albicans. This will lead to an oral yeast infection and make you very uncomfortable.

If you use this mixture periodically, instead of daily, you should be okay. If you decide to use an over the counter mouthwash, just be certain that it does not contain any alcohol. That will eat away at the bonding on your porcelain veneers and put them at risk.

As for things you can do to care for your veneers, aside from keeping up with your dental appointments and daily oral hygiene, I recommend using Supersmile Toothpaste to clean your veneers. It is specifically designed to safely work with dental work.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.
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Am I Too Old for Invisalign?

Posted on April 14, 2023 by writeradmin.

I was never able to straighten my teeth growing up or even as an adult. I am now 63 years old and have come into some money. Is it possible for me to get my teeth straightened with that new Invisalign procedure or am I too old?

Evelyn

Dear Evelyn,

You are never too old for Invisalign as long as your gums are in good general health. In fact, we’ve had patients as mature as 80 have Invisalign done. This procedure was originally designed for the adult market. Though they have since expanded to the teen market, adult patients were who they had in mind from the beginning.

Some Unexpected Benefits of Invisalign

Most people do not realize that having a bite out of alignment causes pain and headaches. You can even develop TMJ disorder. You will find having a correct bite will decrease the pain you’ve experienced your whole life, both in your jaw and with headaches.

Another benefit is your self-confidence. When you have a smile you are proud of, you have more joy in sharing it. Many patients say they can’t stop smiling because they are so happy with their results.

As you are in your sixties, I will tell you that in addition to straightening your teeth with invisible aligners, you can also whiten your teeth simultaneously, giving you the equivalent of a mini smile makeover. Over the years, our teeth pick up stains that age our appearance. The aligners used to straighten your teeth can also double as teeth whitening trays. By the time you are done with your Invisalign treatment, you will have a straight, white smile making you look decades younger.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you are too old to do something that makes you feel better about yourself.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Tanda Pearl Ionic Teeth Whitening

Posted on November 6, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

Do you know if the Tanda Pearl Ionic Teeth Whitening is a safe option? Does it really work? I keep seeing that you only have to wear it for 5 minutes at a time in order to get professional results. I have teeth whitening trays and gel from my dentist but when I wear it for the 20 minutes he suggests it aggravates my TMJ. The idea of getting results in 5 minutes sounds appealing. The reviews seem to be mixed, though.

Misty

Dear Misty,

Traditional Teeth Whitening Trays

Traditional Versus Tanda Teeth Whitening Trays

Above you see an image of a teeth whitening tray which your dentist would custom design for you. The Tanda Peral System is very different. For one, it is much bulkier. You can’t put it in and go on with your business. It requires you to bite down on the tray until it hardens and then for the whitening you have to keep your mouth closed while wearing it. This is because it fits your upper and lower teeth simultaneously.

Because of that, you could not sleep with it in and you’d certainly feel weird wearing it in public as it is quite noticeable. The professional trays are different. They’re made out of thin clear plastic and have separate trays for your upper and lower teeth. You could comfortably sleep with them as well as be seen in public without anyone knowing that you are wearing teeth whitening trays.

Traditional Versus Tanda Teeth Whitening Wearing Time

Your dentist recommended a 20 minute wearing time and Tanda Pearl says 5 minutes. Those times could be flipped if you wanted. You could wear your dentist’s trays for 5 minutes and the Tanda Pearl for 20. The duration you wear the trays affects how quickly your teeth whiten. If you wear them for fewer minutes a day, you just have to wear them more days. The reverse is true as well. My guess is the 5 minutes a day quoted is because of how difficult it is to keep your top and bottom arch closed together for any lengthy period of time.

If the traditional trays aggravate your TMJ problems, the Tanda trays will feel significantly worse. I’d talk to your dentist about your trays to make sure the tray is fitted properly. If it is, you can simply cut back on the time you whiten each day.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.