Monthly Archives: March 2014

Cosmetic Dentistry

Terrible Cosmetic Dentist

I am in tears and hope you can help me. I spent more money than I even want to type to get a smile makeover. I hate it. The color is darker than my natural teeth, even though I picked the whitest shade the color specialist showed me.  Plus, there are some gaps between the veneered teeth. My dentist says they look great, but I don’t agree. He’s offered to do them again, but will have to charge me again. Is there any other recource?

Paige F. – Billings, MT

Paige,

I hate it when I hear these horror stories, especially knowing you’ve spent so much hard earned money.  You’ve had the unfortunate experience of going to a dentist who knows some cosmetic procedures, but really has no expertise in doing them.

A couple of things you’ve said stand out to me. First, is the “color specialist”. There really is no such thing. My guess is either he sent you to the lab, or he has someone from the lab the comes to his office.  It is supposed to be the cosmetic dentist who orders the coloring, based on the desires of his patients.

Those with an expertise in cosmetic dentistry, all have certain procedural commonalities. First, they have some method of learning what type of smile their patient wants. They’ll also do temporary veneers so their patients can try them on and make sure they are absolutely in love with them before the real ones are bonded on permanently.

The color issue also bothers me. If you’re natural teeth are whiter than the veneers, they couldn’t have given you very good color options. Even the most rudimentary cosmetic dentist knows that  when someone is getting a smile makeover, they want their teeth really white.

Unfortunately, there really isn’t a way to fix what your dentist has done. The entire case will have to be redone.  Whatever you do, don’t go back to the same dentist. You really need someone wtih expertise.  My suggestion if you look for someone in your area who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). You’ll be in fantastic hands that way.  It’s possible with their help you can get a partial refund from your current dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

Best Dentist in Tulsa

I have horse teeth!

I’m hoping you can tell me what to do.  I spent a small fortune getting Lumineers. My dentist had me all excited about them. But, once they were cemented onto my teeth, they are so bulky that I look like I have horse teeth. My dentist insists they’re fine. While they do look slightly better than my old teeth, with the amount of money I spent, I expected something better. Is there anything that can be done to repair this?

Danielle M. – San Francisco, CA

Danielle,

Unfortunately, once your porcelain veneers are bonded on, there is no way to change them.  You’re going to have to get a whole new set.  If he gave you Lumineers and they ended up bulky, it tells me he is not an experienced cosmetic dentist and just went with the Lumineers marketing about no prep being necessary.  Though that works in some cases, in most, some preparation is needed.

Another thing that tells me your dentist isn’t a  true cosmetic dentist, is the fact that he is telling you what to think about your cosmetic work. We’re taught in dental school that the dentist knows best, but in cosmetic dentistry that is not the case. The dentist may know more about cosmetic dentistry, but the results are judged by you, not your dentist. If you don’t love it, it isn’t good enough.

If you decide to get them re-done. The best dentist for you do go to is one who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Only the top dentists in the world reach accreditation. They’re highly skilled and artistic, so you can feel confident you’ll get a gorgeous smile.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.