AACD accredited dentist Archives - Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist

Can Bonding Be Bleached Back to It’s Original Color?

Posted on September 30, 2026 by writeradmin.

I have had my dental bonding on my two front teeth for almost ten years. They are in needs of some TLC. I know at this point that the best solution would be to replace them. That isn’t an option for me, at the moment. I am aware that dental bonding cannot be whitened to something whiter than it was made in originally. But, can it be whitened back to it’s original color?

Rachel

Dear Rachel,

For those who are reading this who may not know what dental bonding is, it’s uses a composite materials that a dentist can hand sculpt to form different shapes on your teeth. Bonding is great for making chipped teeth whole or closing a gap in teeth. Though, because it is done freehand it is important that you get an expert cosmetic dentist to do the procedure.

As for whitening the bonding. Using teeth whitening won’t work, even just to get it back to its original color. If the stains of surface stains, it is possible your dentist could polish it up to make it look better. I also recommend Supersmile toothpaste, which is a whitening toothpaste that is safe to use on both natural tooth structure and dental work.

If the stains are more internal, then the only solution is to replace them. If it’s not possible at the moment, then I would hold off doing anything until you can.

This blog is brought to you by a Hilton Head AACD accredited cosmetic dentist, Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

How Can I Get The Most Work Done in One Sitting

Posted on July 30, 2026 by writeradmin.

I’ve been avoiding the dentist for years, which has of course resulted in needing a lot of dental work. Part of it was finances, which have improved. Part of it was I’m not a fan of the dentist. It’s time for me to suck it up and get things done. My guess is I’m needing a minimum of five fillings and a couple of root canals maybe even a tooth pulled at this point. What is the best way for me to get as much done in each sitting as possible? And I’d like to get my teeth whitened. Would that need to be done with a specialist?

Rod

Dear Rod,

Because dentists vary in the amount of work they are willing to do in one sitting, you would have to ask around. I will tell you that the dentist willing to do the most amount of work in one sitting are sedation dentists. That is because the patient is more comfortable, so it is easier for the dentist to just get to work. The type of sedation that you choose, makes a difference. For example, if you chose oral conscious sedation, you could even sleep through the entire appointment.

If you don’t want to use a sedation dentist, then it will be more a matter of how much work you can tolerate in each sitting. It’s harder for you than the dentist. If you’re all in, some dentists would be willing to go four hours, but that would be pretty tough on you without sedation.

Of the things you mentioned, the root canals will be the most time consuming. If they’re on front teeth, then a general dentist could do several of them in one sitting. However, if they are molars, then you are better off seeing an endodontist, which is a root canal specialist. They can do molars much faster than your average general dentist.

As for the teeth whitening, pretty much any dentist who offers that procedure can do it. It’s not considered an advanced cosmetic treatment. If you were asking for something like porcelain veneers, then it would be very important that you had it done by an expert cosmetic dentist. In fact, I would suggest an AACD accredited cosmetic dentist because they are the best cosmetic dentists in the country. But for teeth whitening, any dentist will do just fine.

One caveat, make sure you have your teeth whitening done before you have any crowns placed on teeth which are visible when you are smile. This is because the crowns can’t be whitened once they’re finished, so you want to make sure that they match the color you’re looking to keep permanently.

It is awesome that you are trying to get your health under control. You’re going to find it life-changing. Many patients don’t realize that their dental health actually affects their general health. Once they have their teeth back in order they discover their body feels better in general.

This blog is brought to you by a top-rated dentist in Hilton head, Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

Will Medicaid Cover Veneers for Medical Reasons?

Posted on April 30, 2026 by writeradmin.

Cancer did a number on my teeth. Then, because of the hormone blockers they put me on I gained a ton of weight. I started feeling bad about myself and then the chemo kicked in and I started vomiting all the time. While it helped a bit with the weight, it also did a number on my teeth. They’re pretty much a disaster. I’d like to get veneers to help with the damage and wondered if Medicaid would cover that because it is a medical reason?

Angie

Dear Angie,

It is hard when things outside of our control make our lives miserable. I’m sorry about your cancer and hope the treatments are doing their job. The hard part about this is that Medicaid will not cover any cosmetic procedure, such as porcelain veneers.

What they will do is give you the cheapest solution possible for what you need. That means if your teeth are falling apart and damaged, they would cover you getting your teeth extracted and replacing them with dentures. Even then, they only pay the dentists about one third to one half of the actual fee. What this does is eliminate most of the skilled dentists from being willing to accept Medicaid patients.

My recommendation for you is just to have your teeth evaluated at your check up and cleaning. If the teeth are healthy but unattractive, start with an inexpensive cosmetic procedure, such as teeth whitening while you save up for the smile makeover you mentioned.

If you are still vomiting, most of the damage will be to the back of the teeth, which porcelain veneers doesn’t cover. But, if the backs are healthy, then veneers should serve you just fine.

The teeth whitening will make your smile look brighter and younger, while you save up for the smile makeover. Don’t look for the cheapest dentist with this. You want to really invest in your smile and find the dentist who can create a beautiful smile for you. This is an advanced procedure. While, technically, any dentist is allowed to do it, very few are actually qualified. The best cosmetic dentists are AACD accredited.

This blog is brought to you by a compassionate cosmetic dentist in Hilton Head, Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

Gum Inflammation

Posted on January 31, 2026 by writeradmin.

I had six porcelain veneers placed by an expert cosmetic dentist in South America who studied in New York. He did a good job. I like how they looked. I only have two problems. My smile is very wide, so I think I need to get four more veneers to make sure that all my teeth are covered when I smile. The second problem is that my gums by the six veneers I have already are still red and inflamed. They dentist said that would go away but it’s been over two weeks. Do you know how much longer it will take for that to calm down? I don’t feel like I can get the new ones while the first ones are still healing.

Eileen

Dear Eileen,

I have some bad new for you, I am afraid. Your gums being red will not improve without treatment. It may be that they’re just irritated from leftover cement, but it could also be more serious. You may have gum disease. It was likely brought on by your porcelain veneers not being properly placed. They should fit seamlessly and allow for no bacteria to be caught on their margins near your gums. Unfortunately, that leaves you in the position you are in.

If a case using porcelain veneers were to come before the accreditation board for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) that had reddened gums, they would not pass. I want you to see an expert cosmetic dentist. One who is AACD accredited. They can tell you what the problem is with the veneers. Hopefully, the solution is an easy one, such as removing some excess bonding cement.

Dental tourism rarely works out. I don’t think your dentist was the expert he purported. First, he allowed your gums to get inflamed and acted as if that were normal instead of a sign of a problem. Second, he only gave you six veneers when your smile is actually ten teeth wide.

Unfortunately, this is going to end up costing you more than if you’d just had it done by a dentist here to begin with. However, even though this ended up a bit of a disaster, there are some cosmetic dentistry horror stories relating to dental tourism that ended with the patient losing part of their jaw.

This blog is brought to you by an expert cosmetic dentist in Hilton Head, Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

Some Dental “Insurance” Plans are Just Schemes

Posted on October 15, 2025 by writeradmin.

I am hoping to get six porcelain veneers. I want to be smart about it because I know these are expensive. I recently found a Colonial Dental Plan that by paying $350 dollars for the plan. I can not only get free dental check ups, but also a 20% discount on dental procedures, including porcelain veneers. That leaves me with 15 in-network dentists from my area. If I sent you this list, is there a way you can point me in the direction of which dentist on this list would be best?

Maxine

Dear Maxine,

Most of these “insurance” plans are more like marketing schemes. They convince dentists to provide free dental check-ups and discount their services, then charge you $350 and pocket that. Now one of the things you need to ask yourself is why a dentist would give out those free appointments and discount their services when they are not getting any money from the insurance agency.

I know a lot of dentists, so this isn’t just coming from one. Dentists get these sales pitches all the time. They tell the dentists they can fill their empty chairs. Now, not all dental insurance plans are schemes, but a great many are. Sometimes those chairs are empty because the dentist is not skilled enough to keep patients around.

I am going to tell you that there are countless cosmetic dentistry horror stories by patients who’ve had their smile end up worse because of an unqualified dentist. In fact, a large portion of business for skilled cosmetic dentists is repairing disastrous work by other dentists.

When you’re doing a smile makeover, you’re not paying for porcelain veneers as much as you are the skill of the cosmetic dentist. Just like two artists can paint the same painting with completely different results, so it is with smile makeovers. You want to find the best cosmetic dentist you can to do your porcelain veneers. Believe me, that is worth the 20%. I would look to see if someone on that list you have is AACD accredited. Be aware that this is more than just being a member. Anyone can be a member. It takes a significant amount of skill to become accredited. That is who you want doing your smile makeover.

This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

Is a Cracked Crown a Dental Emergency

Posted on July 16, 2025 by writeradmin.

When I first got my crowns like about fifteen years ago, one of them had a slight defect. I couldn’t tell, but my dentist told me about it. He said that they’re fairly common, but it shouldn’t be a problem. Something has since changed. I can now see and feel the defect. It is a bit like a crack that I can feel with my tongue. It is horizontal. I’m not sure if this crack is considered a dental emergency or not. I’m sure it needs to be replaced. I just don’t know if it needs to be replaced right away or if it can wait. There are six crowns in total. Do I need to replace all of them at once or just the one that is having the problem?

Alana

Dear Alana,

These tiny defects are called craze lines. Your dentist is right that they are fairly common. They are not usually a problem, but it is obvious that yours has changed. You can now see and feel the crack. At some point this dental crown will fail. I would not call it a dental emergency where you would need to get in today, but I would go ahead and schedule an appointment with your dentist to get this replaced.

As to whether you need to replace all of them or just replace the cracked one, that depends. Your crowns are all 15 years old. My suggestion is that you just ask them to evaluate the health of the crowns. If they’re all fine except that one, then you have a couple of options. You could just replace the damaged one and then deal with the others as needed or you could do them all at once and be done with them. If a dentist tells you that you need to replace all of them in order to get them to match, that is a problem with the dentist. Any skilled cosmetic dentist would be able to match a single porcelain crown to the remainder of your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

Review of Premium Home Whitening

Posted on June 16, 2025 by writeradmin.

Can you tell me if Premium Home Whitening will work as well as the stuff I get at the dentist? I’m looking to whiten my teeth fast for a special event, but am hoping to avoid schedule a dental appointment.

Evelyn

Dear Evelyn,

I’m glad you wrote. The Premium Home Teeth Whitening does have a valid whitening ingredient. However, even with that, it is not going to be as effective as the professional teeth whitening you get with your dentist.

The biggest issue for it is the trays. When you have teeth whitening done with your dentist, they should custom fit teeth whitening trays to your bite. The trays you get with the kit will not be fit to your bite. That means that some gel will escape the tray. That weakens the effectiveness of the gel because there is less gel. It is also weakened because your saliva gets into the tray, which dilutes it.

There is a secondary issue with the gel getting out of the tray. That means it can get onto your gums, which can cause irritation. There is even one case I know of where someone ended up needing a root canal treatment as a result of over the counter teeth whitening products.

The most effective and safe teeth whitening is what you would get from your dentist. If you’re looking for something super fast because of an upcoming event, then I would like to recommend that you look into Zoom Whitening. This is an in-office teeth whitening that can get your teeth very white in just one appointment. Any dentist can do either types of these whitening procedures if they offer it.

If you’re looking for something more, like a complete smile makeover, then I would suggest you look into porcelain veneers. These can change anything about your smile, including the shape, size, and color. However, veneers are a very advanced cosmetic procedure that requires extensive post-doctoral training and an artistic eye. I would make sure whatever cosmetic dentist you had do them are AACD accredited.

This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

Why Is My Dentist Giving Me Dentures With Dental Implants?

Posted on May 28, 2025 by writeradmin.

I have had ugly dentures for years. My neighbor has dental implants and they look fantastic. I told my dentist and he said I could get dental implants but I’d need another procedure called bone grafting. Then, we’ll do the implants. After that has time to heal, then he’ll place dentures. I thought I was trying to get away from dentures to get a pretty smile. When I told him that, he said my friend probably has dentures too because that it what you use with dental implants. Is that true? If so, how do I get pretty ones?

Lisa

Dear Lisa,

I’m glad you wrote. When you’re getting an entire set of dental implants, the standard is to anchor dentures to them. There is another option of getting an individual crown on each tooth. However, that is prohibitively expensive for most people. But, don’t worry, the dentures can be beautiful. In fact, your previous dentures could have been beautiful, too. How your smile looks depends on the cosmetic skill of the dentist not whether or not they are dentures or crowns.

If this is the same dentist who did your original dentures, then you won’t like the next ones either. In that case, I would get your implants done with someone else. You’ll want someone with post-doctoral training placing dental implants, as well as in cosmetic dentistry.

You can start by finding an expert in dental implants and then looking at their cosmetic skills. Or, you can flip it around. The best cosmetic dentists are AACD accredited. They are in the top 1-3% in world when it comes to creating beautiful smiles. As for dental implants, if you look at Dr. Rothwell’s bio, you get an idea of what type of training you’re looking for there.

Benefits of Dental Implants

You may now be wondering if it is worth the cost of getting bone grafting done and dental implants if you can just pretty dentures made. It really is. I don’t know if your dentist warned you about the serious downside of dentures when you first got them, but the biggest issue you will face is facial collapse.

When your teeth were first removed, your body recognized that and began to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them elsewhere in your body, where they will be more useful. This is an amazingly efficient system in resource allotment. However, as the minerals are moved elsewhere, your jawbone begins to shrink. Eventually, there will no longer be enough of your jawbone left to even keep your dentures in place, leaving you a denture cripple and unable to eat solid foods.

Getting dental implants signals to your body that you still have teeth and it will leave your jawbone completely intact, preventing facial collapse. Plus, even the best fitting dentures reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. Once you have your dentures anchored to your implants, you will be able to eat anything you want.

This blog is brought to you Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

Bonding Looks Awful

Posted on March 31, 2025 by writeradmin.

My daughter (11 years old) fell and took out a chuck of her two front teeth. The edges or outline were okay, but the middle was pretty much knocked out. Her pediatric dentist suggested dental crowns on those two teeth. I wasn’t crazy about that idea so I took her to my general dentist. He suggested dental bonding. I liked that idea better, but it looks absolutely awful. It’s uneven (like bumpy) and the color doesn’t even match the rest of the tooth, let alone the teeth next to them. She’s humiliated and dreads going to school every day. Did we do the wrong procedure? Should we have gotten crowns?

Emily

Dear Emily,

Dental bonding was the correct procedure for this. The problem lies in the skill of your dentist. This is not a procedure that your average family dentist could do well. Dental bonding is an advanced cosmetic procedure, made even tougher by the fact that it has to be done freehand. I think she needs an expert cosmetic dentist to redo her dental bonding.

If it is as bad as it sounds, your dentist should have the integrity to recognize that and offer a refund. When you replace it, have it done by an AACD accredited dentist. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. They can give her a beautiful, natural looking result that blends in seamlessly with the rest of her teeth, similar to the picture above.

Do not do dental crowns. I’m concerned that her pediatric dentist suggested that. First, the pulp of the tooth in an 11-year-old is large and close to the surface. Doing a crown on it can damage the tooth pulp, which will markedly complicate the procedure and lead to the need for a root canal treatment. Additionally, her teeth, bite, and jaw are still developing. She’ll quickly outgrow that dental crown leaving gaps and exposing her to serious decay risk, not to mention looking weird, unless you replace it every couple of years. A good pediatric dentist should understand this.

I’d focus on getting her bonding replaced. Then, you can decide if it’s also beneficial to look for a better pediatric dentist for her.

This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

What Type Of Veneers Should I Get?

Posted on January 31, 2025 by writeradmin.

I have a set of porcelain veneers but have always been disappointed by them. I want to replace them with veneers that will have a much more aesthetic look. I’ve done consultations with several cosmetic dentists and keep getting different recommendations. One suggested Lumineers; another e.max crowns. Another zirconia. The final one suggested feldspathic. Now I’m completely confused as to which to use. Do you have a preference on these? I do know enough to discount the Lumineers.

Cindy

Dear Cindy,

I’m glad you wrote. While you are discounting the dentist suggesting Lumineers, please also discount the dentist offering dental crowns. Generally, a dentist offers crowns instead of veneers because they have not been trained in veneers. This does not bode well for you, plus it is a major overtreatment which will grind down and weaken your teeth.

In answer to your question, I am going to gently request you reframe what you research. The aesthetic result of your current veneers had much less to do with the materials used than the dentist who used them. It isn’t necessarily the materials that create a beautiful result with porcelain veneers, but the skill of the artist using those materials.

Look at it like sculpting. Two artists can be commissioned to sculpt the same thing with the same materials, but the results will not be the same. A gifted artist will give you a gorgeous result. But, a mediocre artist will give you mediocre results.

I would instead look into the skill of each dentist and then let them choose the brand and type of veneer. They will know the strength and weaknesses of each brand. Which they choose will depend on what you were wanting to do with your smile makeover.

So, how do you find those skilled, artistic cosmetic dentists? The easiest way would be to look for a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). In order to become an AACD accredited dentist, which is different from membership, a dentist has to pass stringent exams as well as demonstrate their artistry before an examination board. These are the best cosmetic dentists in the world. In fact, I’d put them in the top 1-3% in the world. They can give you the gorgeous smile you are dreaming of.

This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

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