Hope Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry

Archives for August 2018

Dentist Ruined My Front Teeth

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I had two front teeth which slightly overlapped. I decided dental bonding would be the more conservative route to go. Unfortunately, he ground the overlapping tooth down in the front and sides to make it look straight. Then, he ground down the adjacent teeth so far they were set back in the smile. He told me he’d build them back up with the bonding. Then, he proceeded to stain everything yellow to look “natural”. I argued with him about this but he did it anyway. So, now I’m in pain and have ugly front teeth. Honestly, the stain looks worse than my natural teeth. Is there anything which can be done to fix this or am I stuck like this?

Miranda

Dear Miranda,

Woman with beautiful smile

The key to a beautiful smile is going to the best dentist

The biggest problem here is the dentist. It sounds like you went to a family dentist who dabbles in cosmetic dentistry but isn’t skilled. Dental bonding requires a great deal of skill because it’s done freehand. After everything you’ve been through, you’ll be glad to hear I have some good news for you! Because your dentist ignored your instructions, you’re entitled to a full refund. Now you can get this done properly by a competent cosmetic dentist.

Finding the Best Cosmetic Dentist

You’ll need a top of the line cosmetic dentist. The mistakes your dentist made will take superior skills to repair. He or she will evaluate the best solution. They may re-do the dental bonding or, more likely do porcelain veneers. The benefits to the veneers over the bonding is longevity. Plus, porcelain will give a more stunning final result.

So, where will you find this miracle worker dentist? My suggestion is you look for a dentist who has reached accreditation level with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). AACD accredited dentists are the among the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the world. Any one of them can give you the smile of your dreams. You can find them on their website www.aacd.com.

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

Mismatched Front Teeth

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I had a root canal and the tooth needed a dental crown. My dentist has had a very hard time getting it to look natural. The first one looked way too white. Then he redid it. The next one was a more realistic shade, but still doesn’t match my adjacent teeth. He bonded that one on. At first, I thought I could live with it but I’m really uncomfortable having mismatched front teeth. He’s willing to try again. Do you think I’m being too picky? I can tell he’s getting frustrated, even though he hasn’t said anything.

Louisa

Dear Louisa,

Image of a crown being placed on a tooth

You’re not being too picky. You have every right to have matching front teeth, especially when they’re being crafted for you. However, you might be asking too much of your particular dentist. Matching a single front tooth requires cosmetic skills that are likely above his artistic and technical ability at this point.

Even many expert cosmetic dentists, will charge extra for matching a single crown to a front tooth because they know it could take three or four try-ins. A dentist should never permanently bond on the crown until they are 100% sure it matches the adjacent tooth absolutely. There are many subtleties in colors. It’s rare to get it spot on first time out of the box.

You have two choices. The first one is for you to continue to allow your dentist to try and get it right. He may and it won’t cost you any extra. However, there’s no guarantee he will.

Your other option is to find an expert cosmetic dentist and let them do your crown. They’ll be more likely to get the result you’re both hoping for and deserve. But, it will cost you some extra. It’s possible your dentist would be willing to give you a partial refund because you’re having to go elsewhere for the crown.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

How is a patient supposed to know which cosmetic dentists have the skills and artistry to create a gorgeous restoration? The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) realized the quandary many patients found themselves in. Because of that, they began an accreditation program. This requires the dentist to pass stringent oral and written examinations demonstrating their technical knowledge of their craft. In addition to that, they have to provide examples of a large number of specific cosmetic cases they’ve done within a recent time period.

Anyone who reaches accreditation level with the AACD can not only match your crown to your front teeth, but if you ever decided to go all out and get a total smile makeover with porcelain veneers, they’d give you an absolutely stunning smile.

If you were to pick a new dentist to do your cosmetic work, they should be on the top of your choice list. To find one in your area, you simply go to the aacd.com website and choose “find a dentist”. Make sure you click that you’re looking for an accredited dentist.

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

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