Dr. Mike Malone’s Blog

I’ve had three veneers on my front teeth for about 8 years and then they suddenly fell off one by one very fast. I even saved two of them, but, as I can guess, new ones will be needed. I do not think any artistry is required for this, just to restore what was there before. Besides,i’m in retirement at this point and have very limited resources.

So, my question: If a good professional can be found who can do this job within $2400 that i have at my disposal at this time. It actually took 4 years for me to save this amount, $50 each month. I’ll very appreciate your response,whatever it is. Thanks so much.

- Joe from New York

Dear Joe,
It looks like you’re a man who is very careful with his budget. I admire that.

A couple of points that will help you. First, I wouldn’t say, “there is no artistry required - just to restore what was there before.” Porcelain veneers are used to improve the appearance of the teeth. And getting front teeth to look good, even if it’s only a matter of replicating what was there, it’s art. A painter who paints landscapes is only reproducing what is in front of her eyes, and that’s still art. Bargains can be very expensive here. “No art” would be to leave your front teeth the way they are now.

So here’s what I’d do. Find an excellent cosmetic dentist. And discuss your situation over the phone to find out if they’ll work with you on this. You actually CAN have the old porcelain veneers re-bonded, IF you go to an expert cosmetic dentist who truly understands the procedures here. That would be the best way to save money - not to go to a bargain-basement dentist. While you can get bargains with basic drill-and-fill dentistry, you will get really stung if you try to get that with cosmetic dentistry - it’s a different marketplace for that. I think you could get done what you need to for the amount of money you’ve saved.

You can also save some money if you are willing to travel outside the New York City area, say, to the lower Hudson Valley or New Jersey. Fees vary quite a bit geographically, and New York City is one of the highest fee areas in the country.

Related links:
Lafayette cosmetic dentist
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Louisiana Lumineers

Dr. Malone,
I have a gap in my two front teeth in the top of my mouth. I want to close it but I don’t want braces. Are there any other methods I can use?
- Ashley from Alabama

Ashley,
There are several ways to close a gap between your two upper front teeth, and which way is best may depend on other conditions in your mouth.

If that is the only thing wrong, the easiest and nicest way to close it would be with tooth bonding. With tooth bonding, we add dental composite to the two front teeth and make them each a little wider, so that there is no more gap. I match the color and translucency of your teeth exactly, and shape and polish the composite so that you can’t tell anything was done to the teeth. You should be able to find an excellent cosmetic dentist in Alabama to do this for you. Don’t go to your family dentist for this - doing this right requires considerable artistic ability and special bonding materials and tints that many general dentists don’t stock. Look for a dentist who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Another option is to do porcelain veneers. This is more aggressive, because the veneer will cover the entire fronts of the two front teeth, and may even involve other front teeth. But if there are other defects in the teeth, this may be the best.

Another option is to use Invisalign invisible braces. You said you didn’t want braces, but these aren’t conventional braces. There are no metal brackets, and the teeth are moved about twice as fast as they are with conventional braces.

The tooth bonding is by far the least expensive way to go, and the nicest way, too, if the gap is your only problem.

Other links:
Lafayette Louisiana cosmetic dentist