Olivia- Wisconsin

Olivia,

I hope you won’t mind if I don’t actually answer the question you asked. Instead, I’m going to answer the question that you needed to ask.  It is not the material that makes for beautiful porcelain veneers. There are exquisitly beautiful veneers from every type and brand.  It is the dentist you choose that makes the biggest difference. So, intead of asking which veneers should I get, you should ask how do I know if my dentist is a skilled cosmetic dentist.

There are a many ways to research cosmetic dentists, but I’ll tell you about the two I think are the quickest and most reliable.

1.  First, see if there is someone who is AACD accredited in your area.  AACD stands for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. I’m not talking about just looking for someone with a membership in the organization, but instead accreditation.  It might be difficult, because very few dentists reach that level.  Though I will say that many excellent cosmetic dentists though not AACD accredited do a fantastic job and are very likely working toward accreditation.

2. If you cannot find someone who is AACD accredited, then I would go to the mynewsmile.com website. They research cosmetic dentists for both their training and their artistry, both of which have to be verified. Any one of them would be able to give you a gorgeous smile with porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Louisiana Cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Dr. Chal served also as President of the AACD for 2001-2002, a couple of years before Dr. Malone. Dr. Malone and Dr. Chal have known each other for about twenty years, and we here in Dr. Malone’s office have the highest respect for Dr. Chal, the quality of his dentistry, and his dedication to the profession. For patients who live in the Phoenix area, we consider him the best dentist in Phoenix. He has expertise in cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry, and TMJ treatment.

Congratulations, Dr. Chal

This blog is sponsored by Lafayette LA cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Karyn-Texas

Karyn,

You have a fantastic dentist, who obviously cares about you and values you as a patient. He is willing to do this again free of charge, which will actually cost him a significant amount of money in lab fees alone. Because your crowns are functional and the only problem seems to be you not liking the appearance, he is under no obligation to do anything. I hope this gives you some idea of what a generous, kind dentist you have.

You mentioned earlier that you think you’d made a mistake.  To be honest, the mistake wasn’t in agreeing to go to the lab, the mistake is in unintentionally putting your dentist in the position of needing to do a procedure he wasn’t adequately trained in  so that you would be happy.

Doing all-porcelain crowns requires artistry that takes significant post-graduate cosmetic training. You going to the lab won’t really help, because you don’t know any more than your dentist does what instructions to give the lab. Here is what I suggest. You’ll need to go to an expert cosmetic dentist and pay his consulting fee. Tell him the situation and ask him to advise you on what to ask the lab.  He may even suggest you go to a different lab depending on how he  feels about the quality of your dentist’s current one. Then you can tell your original dentist his advice.

The next step is for you to find an expert cosmetic dentist. First, I’d go on the website for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and look for a dentist who is accredited with them in your area. That is different from just being a member.  If you can’t find an accredited dentist in  your area I would go to the mynewsmile.com website and look for who they recommend from your state. This site only lists expert cosmetic dentists, so you’ll be safe with anyone on the list.

From now on I recommend going to your invaluable dentist for all your general dentistry needs, but to another dentist for cosmetic issues.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Louisiana dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Breanna N. from Wisconsin

Breanna,

The problem is your dentist is a general dentist who does cosmetic dentistry and not an expert in the field. It takes significant post-graduate training to become really skilled with cosmetic dentistry.

Here is what is happening. It dental school we are taught the whitest “natural” shade for most teeth is a B1. I suspect that is what he ordered from the lab. We can get teeth much whiter than that, but the lab has to be instructed properly.  I’m surprised the only thing you didn’t like about your Lumineers was the color. Many people find that brand of porcelain veneers to be a little bulky.

There is no way to change any brand of veneers once they are permanently bonded on. You can, however, get them removed and have another brand of porcelain veneers placed. However, don’t go to your family dentist again. Look for someone in your area who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, Louisiana dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Cindy- Mississippi

Cindy,

I can’t tell you how often we hear these type of stories.  There are very few dentists that can do a beautiful smile makeover, especially in a situation like yours. I’m assuming the stains on your teeth are from tetracycline.  These take a very skilled cosmetic dentist to get right.  For the beginning cosmetic dentist there is generally one of two mistakes. Either they are made normally, which allows the tetracycline stains to show through, or they make them too opaque to cover the stains and they don’t look natural.

If you had gone to an expert cosmetic dentist he would be appalled to hear you don’t want to smile anymore. True cosmetic dentists take steps to insure their patient is thrilled with their new smile. First, they make an acrylic smile for them to try on and see how they like it.  If they don’t like it, then they would go right back to designing the smile. Then, after the smile arrives, your dentist will put it in with a try-in paste.  You would get to look at them in different lights. You could even have a friend or family member come in to look at them and give their opinion. Only when the dentist was sure that you were pleased would they be permanently bonded on. You would never be pressured into liking them.

Generally, if you received a bad smile makeover, there isn’t much recourse. The standard for judging cosmetic dentistry for refunds is whether or not it is functional. Now, here is where you are at an advantage. Your veneers are not loose. I know that because if the veneers were loose they would just fall off. I suspect, based on your jaw pain that your teeth are loose because your bite has been thrown off. This could cause some serious problems for you, including TMJ Disorder. That entitles you to to compensation for getting this repaired.

Here is what I suggest you do. First, go to the AACD (The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry) website to see if there is a dentist in your area that is AACD accredited. That is different than just being a member. Any one of them could give you an opinion on the work that has been done and help you get the compensation you need to repair the damage if the porcelain veneers are what threw off your bite.  Then, you can get the smile makeover you had dreamed of.

If there is not an AACD accredited dentist in your area, then you can also find an expert cosmetic dentist by going to the mynewsmile.com website. They recommend expert cosmetic dentists by state. Anyone on their list will be safe. It will be worth it to travel if you have to.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Lousiana Cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Gail B.- New Mexico

Gail,

There are two ways to find a great cosmetic dentist. One is to go on the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD.com) website and look for someone who is accredited with them that practices in your area. There is a difference between accreditation and membership, so make sure you are looking up the right thing. Another avenue is to look on the mynewsmile.com website and see who they recommend in your state.

For a smile makeover you generally do porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns. Sometimes a mix of both.  Because of your grinding issue, I’m guessing the dentist you choose will recommend mostly porcelain crowns.  It is good you are not just going to your family dentist to get your work done, because you would end up out of a lot of money as well as disappointed in the results.  Not all highly qualified cosmetic dentists charge a fortune, but they won’t be cheap either. I would make a list of potential cosmetic dentists from those two sources, then call and ask them how much they charge for porcelain crowns. You’ll probably be able to find one who is both qualified and reasonable in their fees.  I hope this helps.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, Louisiana dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Karrie S.- Albany, NY

Karrie,

You didn’t say if your tooth with the dens in dente (a tooth within a tooth) is infected. If so, then a root canal treatment might be a good option. If not, then there is no point in doing the root canal.  The best treatment for this situation is to clean out the pit of the tooth really well, fill it, then cover it with a white composite material, like you’d get with white fillings. There is no reason to do anything else with this tooth unless there is a cavity or infection.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, Louisian Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Azida A.- Tulsa, OK

Azida,

I think you can probably get at least some of your money back if this is handled correctly, but first I want to clear up a common misunderstanding.  There is no recognized specialty is cosmetic dentistry. So every cosmetic dentist is actually a general dentist. What sets apart a dentist as an expert cosmetic dentist is the amount of training they have and artistry they’ve developed. I would not consider your dentist an expert cosmetic dentist for several reasons.

First, cosmetic dentists know that Lumineers tend to appear bulkier than other brands of porcelain veneers, because they are advertised as a no-prep veneer. Most teeth will need some form of preparation to keep that from happening.  Secondly, a true cosmetic dentist won’t try to convince you that the porcelain veneers look great. If you don’t like them, they wouldn’t be satisfied either. Period.

Here is what I recommend. Don’t let him do any more work. You know you’re wanting to get a refund and go elsewhere so it is only fair you don’t use anymore of his time. Next, talk to him about how unhappy you are with how things have gone. Let him know that you weren’t given the procedure you were promised. Also be sure to let him know everything your daughter went through with school as a result of his work. Be upfront with him about your desire to get a refund and be done with this procedure.  That may work on its own.

If not, and you need to enlist some help, go to the mynewsmile.com website and find one of their recommended cosmetic dentists in Oklahoma. Don’t go to another one in Tulsa, but another nearby city. Dentists don’t like to go up against their peers because they have to deal with them on a regular basis. It will be easier to get one from another area. Have him look at the cosmetic dental work and give his opinion.

Generally the standard for refunds on poor dental work is that it is has to be non-functional. That makes it hard to get a refund on poorly done cosmetic work. Ugly doesn’t mean non-functional. However, in this case, your dentist didn’t keep his agreement. You were told your daughter would get to see it in several lights before you agreed on the final bonding and that didn’t happen. With another dentist backing up your claim that the work is poor, you have a chance.

Hopefully, others will learn from your experience to check the qualifications of cosmetic dentists ahead of time. Two of the best ways are seeing if they are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and if they’re recommended on the mynewsmile.com website.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Jackson R.- Los Angelos

Jackson,

Generally when there is persistent pain after a crown it is because of one of two reasons. Either the crown is too high or there is an infection. I don’t think it is the bite placement for two reasons. One, you’ve already been back and had it adjusted twice. And second, with CEREC crowns the bite placement is designed by the computer that mills the crown, which makes it easier to place. The next step is to check for an infection with an x-ray. These can sometimes be tricky to find.

If you’re a little suspect of your dentist’s diagnostic skills, you may get an endodontist to look at it. The intensity of your pain along with the amount of time that has passed makes me wonder if that is the real problem.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, Louisiana dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Brooke K.- San Antonio, TX

Brooke,

I’m not sure what website you were reading, but I wouldn’t agree with it. Sonic toothbrushes are not only great for removing plague, but tests have shown that they are perfectly safe for use with porcelain veneers. If you’re interested, you can look up the 1998 survey from University of Missouri at Kansas City, where they tested sonic toothbrushes on porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Louisiana Cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone.