Dental Spotlight

[Danielle La Belle]

Hi Girls:

All of my life I have been fortunate enough to have resonable genetic factors with my teeth. Many people as I, have slight alignment trbls with our bottom jaw line. I have a narrow jaw which over the years has made the front 6 teeth crowd together making it difficult to floss properly. PLus one on each side of the group is just slightly crooked by about 2 - 4 degrees from center.

I also have been a bad girl when younger and yes, Yikes!, I have a few of the older amlgam silver fillings. Metal expands and contracts on planet earth so an older filling can allow bacteria to grow under the filling and destroy the remaining tooth.

Today, they not only remove the old filing, they can replace it with a color matched, resin enamel material that looks and feels like tooth enamel. I recently had one of these done and everyone that has looked at it says, AMAZING! It looks just like your molar. Yup! And it should be good for 20+ years without cracking or expanding.

I also for the first time ever after a usual xray and cleaning, had my teeth bleached (whitened) via photo light and a new process from ZOOM Dental. This takes 3 applicatins, each for 20 minutes under the light and improved my teeth 3 - 5 shades whiter than before as I have a naturally off-white, to yellow tooth dentin. Dentin is what is inside of the tooth, not your enamel on the outside. That is what gives the tooth it's color as the enamel is rather translucent.

I woke up this AM looking in the mirror and I nearly blinded myself when I smiled! I quickly got my sunglasses out so Icould see what all that shinng light was about!

Darn best thing I have ever done. GIRLS, just wait to you see the NEWER than NEW Danielle in her best frock. !!!! Soon coming to a theater near you, "The Revival of Danielle Marie La Belle." This could be better than breast implants! Well, okay, okay, I am going a little over board there but hey, everyone is drawn to your smile when first meeting you unless their a boob admirer. So, here is to healthy teeth.

The whitening process was $ 575.00 with my up-to-the-minute Dentist in technology person. I was given a nice little discount because of my other work being done.

The resin filing was $ 145.00 per tooth. Seeing is believing!!!

I have a front tooth that has worn down over time and is exposing the dentin. The Doctor is going to make in-house via high-speed enamel development system a tooth [VENEER] portion that will make me look perfect. He is also going to reshape the adjoining teeth to the same height and get things ready for the one-year alignment that I will be doing using the new Invisiline System in replacement to the older style "braces."

This method is a custom fit tray that you change every two weeks made by a computer system that calculates the needed adjustments in the design each time over a period of a year to get my teeth to align correctly.
The trays are disposable and are made at the Invisiline Laboratory.

Your Dentist verifies everything as a go-between. I do not know if a "retainer" is necessary after this form of aligning as they are if you had the older braces. Most likely yes. Teeth are still teeth no matter how you align them I suppose.

$ 3000.00 for this work.!!!!!!!!! I will have to wait until the Fall 2004 to see If I can fit this into my budget.

No, I am not made of money jusat like the rest of you. I am buying what I can afford for now. But this has been a good experience with a great Doctor and medical staff. They have made my time there very enjoyable under the circumstances.

Hugs

Danielle Marie La Belle

[Virginia]

Danielle, Honey you are so right. When we talk about going out in public and passing or not confidence is critical and a nice smile will get us a long long way!
Love,
Dborah

[Danielle La Belle]

I had the [Veneer] item added last night. The Doctor finished by shaping the surrounding teeh and checking and re-checking the fit. A true masterpiece of dental work.!!!

Everyone that I showed it to today wanted to know which tooth was with the veneer! I agree with them, it is a fantastic match! It just blends in so well that I am hard pressed to think that I really had anything done there.

So I am basically done until I can front for the re-alignment cost. That will take some time I am afraid, for cash and adjustment but it will be well worth the effort I think. If anyone reading this has not sought out a really modern dental office and needs work done they should really consider it today. Things have changed radically the past 5 years in the dental profession. I am super pleased with the result and would easily do it again if necesary.

I know there are those out there that are like my spouse, PERTRIFIED!!!
But if you can get someone to go with you and cheer you on, your courage will be rewarded 10 fold.!!!

Good Brushing girls.!!!! floss floss floss..and smile!!!!

Oh yes, consider buying the new Philips Sonicare Eliete sonic toothbrush with the curved head. I cannot wait to get up in the AM and use that super duper device. It has timing in 4 quadrants over a two minute period so you brush the right amount of time and the brush does the job not you. Grrreat.....science.....wish I had it 25 years ago....

Hugs

Danielle Marie La Belle

[SharonRose]

Danielle,

Thanks for filling us in. It sounds like you are making the right choices. I had my teeth professionally whitened a few years ago. Now, every time I have a cleaning, I use the tubes of bleach to restore my teeth to their whitest color.

Also, I have been using the Braun Oral B but I will be switching to the Sonicare as well based on the advice of my hygienist.

Which model number did you get?

Sharon

[Danielle La Belle]

I am using the Sonicare Elite HX7500. This was in a box that had 2 extra brush attachments, charger, wall mount holder. It was $111.00 at Sam's. They have the same model one level down at I think $89 or $99 but it is the same unit without the extra brushes. 2 brush attachments are $17.95 independently. Tha main thing is it is the "Elite" model with the curved head, and not the lower priced model with the straigh head. Makes it easier to get to the back teeth.

The dentist used the Zoom System with the "light" to activate the bleaching agent. They have made quick molds of my teeth to make custom trays for me to use when I want to do touchups.

I have used the store bought peroxide and trays that you set in hot water for 10 seconds and then custom fit to your teeth at home. They are okay I suppose, but these new trays fit much better, and reduce the amont of saliva build-up that occurs when doing this. Yuk! So anything that reduces that is okay with me.

Beauty has it's price I suppose. Remember to get the "Elite" model with the curved head to reach those back teeth and gums girl.

Hugs

Danielle

[Danielle La Belle]

A quick note. I purchased the Sonicare Model 7600, because it provided a few extras and 2 additional brush heads.

My work for now is done. It looks GREAT! No, I am not Hollwood bright white, I never will be unless I have them "paint" a white enamel coating on my teeth like they do for the Hollywood stars. That wears out after about a year and needs to be done again.

My whiteness is done by bleaching and I can do it on a milder level at home with trays that were made from impressions of my teeth. You get what you pay for gals. I have used drugstore systems with trays that you place in hot water for 5 seconds then put in your mouth and let shape around your teeth. Not nearly as good as the custom trays my Dentist made me. 10 times better, you can sleep with them it your mouth all night since the fit is so tight.

I am done in this thread for now. White teeth, polished and shaped the bottoms, a new custom tooth color matched enamel filling in one and a terrific matching enamel "veneer" on a bottom front tooth makes me look like a million dollars.

Iwill have to wait just a bit on the "Invisiline" method of teeth straightening, perhaps starting in the Fall of this year. If business is good, perhaps sooner.

Hugs

Danielle