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dentistry

Ugly Porcelain Veneers

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My girlfriend has what I think is a pretty smile but she’s always been uncomfortable with it. I understand it’s not perfect, but I like it. However, she’s determined to get porcelain veneers. Here is my concern. My sister got these several years ago and I actually thought her smile looked worse after the procedure. While they were whiter, they were so bulky to me it looked like she had horse teeth. I mentioned this to my girlfriend and she just shrugged her shoulders and said my sister probably had a bad dentist and we’ll need to do some research. How do we find the dentist that can give her the beautiful smile she wants?

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

It is so refreshing to see a young man caring about his girlfriend. What I love the most about this is you’ve tried to make her feel good about her natural smile and haven’t pressured her to “improve it”. You’ve also recognized that she has to feel as good about her smile as you do. This may mean some cosmetic dental work, but she’ll be happier with her smile, which in turn will make her more confident.

Let’s talk about your sister’s case first. Your girlfriend is correct that an ugly cosmetic case has more to do with the dentist than the procedure. However, I feel there is a combo effect going on with your sister’s case. You mentioned they looked bulky and described them as horse teeth. This is a fairly common complaint with a brand of porcelain veneers known as Lumineers. One of the reasons for this is they are typically marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place because they don’t need the tooth to be prepared, as they are thinner than some other brands.

However, as you saw with your sister’s smile makeover, this doesn’t always work out as advertised. Yet, the dentist doing the case doesn’t have enough training to know when or why the teeth need preparation.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

Porcelain veneers can look stunning. Celebrities know that as it is their go-to procedures. However, one of the problems patients face is there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry which allows patients to know who has had the training and who hasn’t. Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist regardless of the amount or quality of the training they’ve received.

To makes things even harder, doing smile makeovers isn’t taught in general dentist school. That means to get really good at it, dentists have to invest time and money in post-doctoral training.

One thing I suggest to patients looking for a great smile makeover is to go to an AACD accredited dentist. These cosmetic dentists are proven for both their technical knowledge and their artistry. In fact, they make up the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country because the accreditation process is such a high achievement, requiring the dentists to pass rigorous oral and written exams as well as provide visual evidence for a large number of cosmetic cases they have done proving their technique and artistry.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Cried After Getting Porcelain Veneers

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I have dreamed of getting porcelain veneers for years. I saved every penny I could, stashed away every tax refund, and hadn’t been out to eat in two years. I can’t express how much I was looking forward to finally having a smile I was proud of. But, when my dentist bonded them on, I was so disappointed. They look so thick. I feel like I have donkey teeth. Even though the color and shape are better than my old smile, I was expecting something else. To me, these look fake. My dentist says that’s a common reaction because I’m not used to them and I’ll like them in a week. I could barely see while I drove home, I was crying so much. It’s been a week. They still look fake. What do I do?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

Porcelain veneer being held up by a dental tool
Beautiful smiles require an expert cosmetic dentist

These type of stories absolutely break my heart. I’m so sorry you’ve made so many sacrifices to end up so disappointed. I can tell you what went wrong right away. You didn’t go to a true cosmetic dentist.

One problem for patients is that cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty. It’s an art form that any general dentist can dabble in. It sounds like dabbling is all your dentist has done.

True cosmetic dentists invest serious time with training, study, and practice into learning how to create stunning smile makeovers. All of that has to be done post-graduate school. Smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school.

How Do I Know Your Dentist Wasn’t a Cosmetic Dentist?

I could tell right away you were dealing with a dabbler. First, he just bonded the porcelain veneers on before getting your okay on the results. Instead, he should have used a try-in paste so you could have seen your porcelain veneers on your teeth and looked at them in several types of lighting.

Second, if you weren’t absolutely over the moon about your new smile, he would have gone back to the drawing board. Never, will a true cosmetic dentist say, “You’ll get used to them.” Nope. You paid for a beautiful smile and that’s what you should get. Don’t even get me started on his “That’s a common reaction.” That should tell HIM something.

Can These Porcelain Veneers Be Fixed?

This is the tricky part. Once they’re bonded in, no changes can be made. The entire case will have to be done fresh with new porcelain veneers. The first thing I would try is to ask your dentist for a refund. You didn’t get to approve the veneers before he bonded them on and that is standard practice with cosmetic dentists.

The problem you’ll run into is if he says, “No.” When it comes to what’s considered a “botched case” with the dental board is different than it should be in cases of cosmetic work. If the veneers are placed properly and your teeth function normally, they won’t force him to refund your money.

Here’s what I’d recommend in that case. Go to an expert cosmetic dentist for a second opinion. You can find one by going to aacd.com and doing a search for an ACCREDITED cosmetic dentist in your area. The accredited part is important. Ask his or her opinion of your case without telling them who the dentist was.

If they agree it was badly done, then solicit their help in getting you at least a partial refund. Sometimes a dentist will listen to a peer more than a patient out of professional pride.

Then, have the smile re-done by someone who knows what they’re doing.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.