Hope Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry

Category: Porcelain Veneers

Figuring Out My Smile Makeover

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I want to get a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. My dentist said he wants me to get my teeth whitened first. I thought the porcelain veneers would change the color of my teeth. Why both procedures? I’m worried this dentist is doubling up procedures.

Cathy

Dear Cathy,

a porcelain veneer wafer being placed on a tooth

Believe it or not, your dentist is trying to save you money. Yes, porcelain veneers will change the color of your teeth, but unless you are willing to place porcelain veneers on every single tooth, teeth whitening is a better option for you. Of course, if you prefer to put a veneer on every tooth, I’m sure your dentist wouldn’t mind that.

The idea is to whiten your teeth to the color you’d want your porcelain veneers. It’s it is easier to match the porcelain veneers to the whitened tooth than it is to match whitened teeth to the color of veneers.

Additionally, unless there is something structurally wrong with your bottom arch of teeth, then teeth whitening is all you’d really want there. What shows when you are smiling is your upper teeth. Your bottom teeth are briefly visible while you talk, but as long as they match the color of your upper teeth, they look fine.

The Most Important Consideration with Porcelain Veneers

When you are considering getting a smile makeover, the most important factor is who does the smile makeover. You can have two dentists use the exact same materials and the smiles will turn out very differently. This is because cosmetic dentistry is actually an art form. One artist is bound to be better than another. So how are you to find the dentist with the right artistry who can give you a gorgeous smile?

If I were in your place, I’d look for someone who is proven. See if you can find an AACD accredited dentist in your area. They are among the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country. It is worth it even if you have to travel to see them.

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

Two Things She Needs to Know Before Her Smile Makeover

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I’ve been wanting to get a smile makeover. I decided for monetary reasons to go with bonding instead of veneers. I want to do six teeth and am having trouble choosing the color. Is that something I do or the dentist? On that matter, I’m having trouble choosing between two cosmetic dentists who have great ratings on YELP. Is there anything else I should look for?

Catrina

Dear Catrina,

a porcelain veneer wafer being placed on a tooth

I think I can help. Let’s start with choosing your cosmetic dentist. First, while YELP is a great tool for checking reviews and getting information, it isn’t a great way to choose a cosmetic dentist. One of the reasons for that is its algorithm in listing the best is in the reviews. However, it doesn’t distinguish in what they reviewed. They could be giving the good review for being nice while filling cavities. That isn’t going to help you with whether or not he does beautiful cosmetic work. There are a couple of ways to find a great cosmetic dentist. YELP just doesn’t happen to work in this instance.

Porcelain Veneers Versus Dental Bonding

First, most cosmetic dentists won’t do a smile makeover with composite bonding. There are a couple of reasons for that. It takes longer to do a smile makeover with bonding because of the method used. Because of that, if you find a dentist who will do it, you may find it costs more.

Secondly, bonding doesn’t last very long. It will begin to pick up stains in around three years. You may think, “Well, then I can just whiten them.” Nope. Teeth Whitening doesn’t work on dental work. It will only work on natural tooth structure. The only way to get dental bonding white again is to have it redone. Now you’re paying twice the amount you originally planned.

Porcelain veneers, on the other hand, are more stain-resistant than even your natural teeth. They do not really stain unless the glazing is damaged on them. They can last for a many, many years when well cared for.

Finding That Great Cosmetic Dentist

One very easy way to find an expert cosmetic dentist is to check one of two sites. The first is the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). The AACD has an accreditation program which tests a dentist’s technical knowledge and requires visual evidence of their artistry. An AACD accredited dentist is skilled and artistic.

Another site which does something similar is mynewsmile.com. The dentists who are recommended on there aren’t necessarily accredited. However, it is run by an accredited dentist who verifies both their training and their artistry. Either one of these sites can help you find someone who can give you a stunning smile.

Without those options, you could always check the dentist’s smile gallery to see if you love the results they get. Just be sure they’re putting actual cases they’ve done and not just stock photos.

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

Porcelain Veneers and Root Canal Treatments

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Is it safe to get a root canal treatment when you have porcelain veneers? I’m hoping it won’t damage them. I really like my smile now. I don’t know for sure, I just know there’s been some pain in one of my teeth. The last time I had a tooth feel like this it required a root canal treatment. I’m not sure what to do.

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

a porcelain veneer wafer being placed on a tooth

The first thing I’d like you to do is to see your dentist and have the tooth in pain evaluated. It may be nothing, but if it is you don’t want to leave it until it becomes a dental emergency. It is always much easier to treat something early on.

A root canal treatment can be done, even with porcelain veneers. It’s fairly simple to open a path to the canal of the tooth at the back of the tooth. This won’t affect the veneer at all. What you have to beware of is whether or not the tooth behind the veneer will turn dark, which can sometimes happen after a root canal treatment.

Fortunately, there is a way to prevent this. You just have to find a dentist who understands the right procedure.

Keeping a Tooth White After a Root Canal

Before agreeing to a root canal treatment, you’re going to test the dentist by following these instructions.
1. First, ask your dentist if the darkening of the tooth can be prevented. If he says yes, you can move on to the next part of the test. If he says no, he’s already failed.
2. Once you find a dentist who says the darkening can be prevented, ask him how. He or she should answer they will make sure any gutta percha and other root canal filling materials are cleaned out of the inside of the crown of the tooth.
3. If they say that, you’re in good shape and the dentist has a good knowledge of keeping this a true color for you. If they don’t say that, consider them failed. Whatever you do, don’t try to teach them about what you were listening for.

You want a dentist who cares enough about his or her patients to keep up with their continuing education and learn these developed techniques.

A dentist may try to insist on a dental crown to keep it from breaking. If it is a front tooth, either incisor or canine, a crown will actually weaken your tooth, not strengthen it. What you need instead, is a dental post. They’ll need to provide you with a flexible whitish post.

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

Dentist Stained my Lumineers

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I’m so upset. I spent a fortune on these Lumineers and they are an absolute disaster. First, I told him I wanted a very white smile. He said they could do that. When he bonded them on, though, they weren’t nearly as white as I asked for. When I mentioned that he said in order for them to look natural they have to add a slight stain. If I wanted my natural looking teeth, I wouldn’t have paid a fortune to have whiter ones made. I insisted that he make them whiter. He told me they couldn’t be whitened but he could remove the stain. I agreed to that not knowing he was going to essentially drill the top layer off. Now I’ve got misshapen, dull looking teeth. What do I do?

Caryn

Dear Caryn,

A porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

The dentist is more important than the brand of porcelain veneers

The first thing you need to know if your dentist isn’t a true cosmetic dentist. Cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty. Every cosmetic dentist is just a general dentist who enjoys doing cosmetic work. Unfortunately, skill and training vary. I don’t think your dentist truly sought expert training in cosmetic work.

A few things make me think this. First, he thought a stain was necessary. True cosmetic dentists understand patients want very white smiles. As you said, they’re not looking for natural color. They want clean and white. He didn’t understand that. Second, he thought he knew better than you. In general dental school we are taught dentists know best. However, when we study cosmetics, we know it’s what the patient wants that rules. It’s not repair we’re going for but beauty. That beauty is in the eye of the patient.

Finally, he didn’t understand what he was doing would ruin them. Or worse, he did and didn’t care.

You need a refund. Your dentist has ruined your smile makeover. Not that you were pleased with it anyway. In a small way, his drilling off the top layer is a blessing in disguise. Before he ruined them, it would have been hard to get a refund. The standard for dental work is functional, not beauty.

However, now, without their glazed layer, he’s ruined them and they are not functional. Tell him you want a refund. Your next step is to find a true cosmetic dentist.

Getting Gorgeous Porcelain Veneers

I’ll say one other thing first. If all you wanted was a whiter smile, your dentist would have better served you by offering you teeth whitening. Professional teeth whitening can get your teeth brilliantly white and is much less expensive than Lumineers. He didn’t, which makes me feel he was taking advantage of you.

I could be completely wrong about that. Maybe you wanted some other things changed about your teeth, such as their shape or size in addition to the color. In that case, a smile makeover with porcelain veneers would be the right course of action.

If you want a stunning smile, you should go the website of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. They have a link to find a cosmetic dentist. Make sure you check you’re looking for an accredited cosmetic dentist. These are the ones with the training and artistry to give you a smile you’ll be proud to share.

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

Peroxide Mouthwash for Porcelain Veneers

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I just received porcelain veneers and want to take great care of them. I’m afraid to use over-the-counter mouthwash. I came up with my own concoction which I think will be safe for porcelain veneers, but wanted to run it by you first.

My mouthwash is made up of filtered water, hydrogen peroxide, and kosher salt. Will that be safe for the veneers?

Amber

Dear Amber,

Woman with beautiful smile
A beautiful smile is worth taking care of

I’ll say right off the bat that I’m thrilled you are taking the care of your porcelain veneers so seriously. Your smile was a huge investment and you certainly want it to last and look its best for many years.

While the mouthwash solution you’ve come up with will not harm your porcelain veneers, it will do some damage to your mouth.

Hydrogen peroxide does a good job killing bacteria. Unfortunately, it does such a good job it kills both the bad and the good bacteria. If done in the short term, periodically, you shouldn’t have a problem. However, if you did it regularly (say a couple of weeks) you will likely develop a yeast infection.

Caring for Your Porcelain Veneers

Cosmetic Toothpaste:

When it comes to any type of cosmetic work, such as porcelain crowns or porcelain veneers, you’ll want to use a toothpaste especially designed for them. Most cosmetic dentists will recommend Supersmile. If you feel that you just want a regular toothpaste, that is fine. Just be certain you don’t use a whitening toothpaste. These leave micro-scratches in your veneers which permanently damage them and cause them to pick up stains.

Mouthwash:

You can use over-the-counter mouthwash. The one ingredient you want to avoid is ANY mouthwash which contains alcohol. Be certain to check the ingredients. Alcohol will eat away at the bond which holds your porcelain veneers in place.

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

Lumineers or Porcelain Veneers

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I’m FINALLY able to get a smile makeover. I can’t tell you how excited I feel about this. I’m just having a bit of a hard time choosing. I like the idea of the thin ones called Lumineers. Originally, I thought that would look more natural. But, I’m reading a bunch of reviews which seem to be mixed. Am I better off with porcelain veneers?

Karen

Dear Karen,

A porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

Which is more important the brand of veneer or the dentist who does them?

It’s great that you’re trying to research this. However, I’d like to redirect your question just a bit. The brand isn’t as important as the dentist which does them. A great cosmetic dentist could make any brand look stunning. But, an inexperienced cosmetic dentist could have the best materials and still create a subpar smile.

Lumineers Limitations

You should be aware that most expert cosmetic dentists aren’t extremely fond of the Lumineers brand. Much of that has to do with their lab. The DenMat company owns Lumineers and requires dentists to use their lab. Sadly, that lab isn’t known for its skill and artistry.

True cosmetic dentists will normally have a ceramist they prefer to work with that they feel produces the right results and follows their directions well.

While Lumineers brand does seem to heavily advertise as being no-prep because they’re’ ultra-thin it’s not always best practice to place porcelain veneers without any tooth prep whatsoever. The results can look bulky depending on the smile.

The Most Important Decision for Porcelain Veneers

More important than which brand of porcelain veneers you get is which cosmetic dentist you have design and place them. The artistry and skill of the dentist will make the biggest difference in the beauty of your smile makeover.

To find one of the best cosmetic dentists in your area, I recommend you go to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry website (aacd.com). The AACD has an accreditation program which helps patients looking for a good cosmetic dentist to know which dentists have the skills necessary to give them a gorgeous smile.

On their website, is a link to help find a cosmetic dentist in your area. Just be certain you check that you’re looking for one who is accredited. If there is not one in your immediate area it will be well worth a little bit of travel to get stunning results.

Best of luck. This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

Avoiding My Sister’s Porcelain Veneers Disaster

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My sister and I were both planning on getting a smile makeover. She beat me to the punch and I’m feeling glad she did because I’m hoping to learn from her disaster. I don’t want to sound mean but her teeth look like horse teeth. Is there a way I can make sure my teeth won’t look bulky? She said hers were no-prep. Is that the problem or is it something else? She’s pretty disappointed in her smile.

Elaine

Dear Elaine,

A porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

I wonder if your sister’s dentist placed Lumineers on her teeth. They’re a brand of porcelain veneers which are highly marketed as being no-prep. The problem is some smiles do need prep even with an ultra-thin brand of porcelain veneers. Otherwise, they look bulky. Your sister’s smile sounds like one of those.

Sadly, these are marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. Being easy to place is completely different than making them look stunning. There’s much more to porcelain veneers than just the prep of the teeth.

The key to a beautiful smile makeover is choosing the right dentist to design your smile. Cosmetic dentistry is an art form. If you were commissioning a portrait you wouldn’t just hire the first artist that popped up on your internet search. You’d do research to see if you like the type of work they do.

Getting Gorgeous Porcelain Veneers

You’ll want a dentist who’s passed accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are the top cosmetic dentists in the world. They’ve passed stringent oral and written exams. Additionally, they had to demonstrate their artistry by providing a large sample of specific cases they’ve completed.

Any accredited dentist can give you a truly stunning smile. In fact, most of them have a beautiful smile guarantee. You’ll find your smile makeover gives you increased confidence.

As for your sister, you can’t really “improve” veneers once they’ve been permanently bonded on. Her best bet is to have her case completely re-done. If her dentist cares about the quality of his work, he won’t want a patient to be disappointed in their smile. Hopefully, he’ll be willing to do it over or give her a refund.

If he does it over, make sure he allows her to look at her porcelain veneers carefully with a try-in paste before he bonds them on. She should give complete approval before allowing them to be permanently bonded.

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

Porcelain Veneers on Top of Porcelain Veneers

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I was disappointed in my porcelain veneers. I asked for a really white smile. They came back a bit dingy in my opinion. He said that’s because the tech said that’s the whitest available. I would have rather waited until they had the whiter available than get these. Is there a way to put whiter ones on top of these or am I stuck with the dingy ones?

Marilyn

Dear Marilyn,

A single porcelain veneer being held by a dental tool

First, I’m going to suggest you get a different cosmetic dentist. They could have made your porcelain veneers as white as you wished. Either he lied to you for a reason I can hardly fathom or he is totally incompetent about cosmetic dentistry and just listens to whatever his lab tells him.

While you could have new veneers on top of the ones you don’t like, I’m going to recommend you don’t for the following reasons:

  • It will cost you just as much money as if you had the case completely re-done.
  • They won’t last as long. Bonding porcelain to porcelain isn’t as secure as bonding porcelain to enamel.
  • You double your chances of the veneers having a problem and falling off. For instance, if by some miracle your new veneers stay bonded to the old ones, what if the original bond breaks?
  • The porcelain to porcelain margin is more prone to staining than the porcelain to enamel margin.

Finding the Cosmetic Dentist to Re-do Your Smile

If you really want a stunning smile makeover the most important decision you’ll make is which dentist you go to to have it done. Two cosmetic dentists can attempt the exact same smile makeover on the same patient, given the same instructions and they will turn out completely different. So how is a patient to know which dentists are artistic and which will do disappointing smiles?

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) set up an accreditation program for that very reason. Dentists have to pass stringent oral and written exams as well as demonstrate their artistry with a large number of cases they’ve personally done. Dentists who reach accreditation level are among the top dentists in the country.

They will create a stunning smile for you. In fact, most of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha. Check out his smile gallery.

Solution for Tetracycline Stains

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I have tetracycline stains. I’m finally in a financial position where I can do something about them. I’ve seen two dentists thus far. Both gave me vastly different suggestions. I’m hoping you’ll break the tie. First, I went to my family dentist. He recommended I get porcelain crowns to cover the stains. He’s done a crown for me in the past and I liked it. Though, this one was made to match the stains. Next, I saw a cosmetic dentist. He suggested I get porcelain veneers. They’re much more expensive, but I assume are more likely to give a pretty smile. Do you know which procedure would be a better solution?

Corrine

Dear Corrine,

A single porcelain veneer being held by a dental tool

I’m glad you wrote. Tetracycline stains are some of the more difficult things to treat. I’m going to have you switch gears just a smidge. While I think porcelain veneers will be a better idea than porcelain crowns for reasons I’ll explain in a moment, more important than what procedure is what dentist.

Porcelain Crowns Versus Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain crowns require a much more aggressive treatment than veneers. They require the dentist to grind down a great deal of healthy tooth structure. Plus, let’s say a few years from now you meet a top-of-the-line cosmetic dentist. It will be too late to get porcelain veneers. Once your teeth are ground down, you can’t undo that and switch to porcelain veneers. You will always have to have crowns.

A good thing to consider is why your dentist is suggesting a much more aggressive treatment than is necessary. Most dentists will suggest the least invasive treatment so as to preserve as much healthy tooth structure as possible. The one obvious reason he’d do that is he is more comfortable with crowns, which translates to not a lot of cosmetic dentistry training. I think even if you went with the porcelain crowns you wouldn’t be happy with the results.

Now, let’s discuss the cosmetic dentist who suggested porcelain veneers. While he’s suggested a good procedure, how do you know if he’s a skilled and artistic cosmetic dentist? Cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty so every general dentist can just call themselves a cosmetic dentist regardless of their skill level.

Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry recognized the problem which patients face in finding legitimately skilled practitioners. To help, they started an accreditation program. This tests both the technical skill and artistry. They have to pass stringent exams, both oral and written. In addition to that, they have to show a series of cosmetic procedures they’ve completed in order to demonstrate their artistry.

Those who pass reach what is known as accreditation level. Only about 1% of dentists in the world reach this level. This is the type of dentist you want to take care of your tetracycline stains. Not only are they incredibly skilled, but almost all of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.

Why Would Porcelain Veneers be the Price of a Home?

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I had a disastrous first smile makeover. Even the dentist who created it knew it was awful and offered me a full refund without me even asking. That should tell you how bad it was. So, now I’m off to get this fixed. You can imagine I’m not too willing to smile at this moment. The “makeover” is humiliatingly bad. I made a list of cosmetic dentists in my area. I’ve tried one who was highly recommended in fact, I heard that people fly in from other countries to have him do their makeovers. Unfortunately, he quoted me the price of my home. Is that what I’m looking at if I want this fixed?

Cora L.

Dear Cora,

A single porcelain veneer being held by a dental tool

I’m going on the assumption that your house is worth more than $100,000. That’s pricey even for the best of the best cosmetic dentists. Is it possible he quoted you a full mouth reconstruction? Did he say anything about your bite being off?

Some dentists only want to work on the “ideal” treatment, but a great cosmetic dentist can give you a gorgeous smile even if your bite is a bit off. Though, if it’s very off, you may want to look into TMJ disorder because you don’t want an additional problem.

What you were quoted isn’t a typical cost of getting porcelain veneers. I wouldn’t panic that you’ll have to mortgage your house to get this fixed. In fact, cost isn’t the biggest factor in determining who’s a better dentist. I know a couple of dentists in the area who might be able to illustrate this for you.

A Tale of Two Dentists Who do Porcelain Veneers

Dentist “A” costs a fortune. He gives gorgeous smile makeovers. Dentist “B” isn’t the cheapest but is less than dentist “A”. He gives gorgeous smile makeovers. It’s more about the skill of the dentist than it is the price.

In your place, because you’re already repairing a disaster, I’d say you need a highly skilled and artistic cosmetic dentist. See if there’s an AACD accredited dentist in your area. Most of them even have a beautiful smile guarantee.

If there’s not one within a reasonable distance, then look on the mynewsmile.com website. They list artistic cosmetic dentists by area. A dentist can’t buy their way onto the site. Either way you’ll get great results.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.

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