I had some porcelain veneers placed on my teeth. Since then, my gums around the porcelain veneers have been inflamed. The hygienist insists she’s never seen this before and is blaming me, essentially accusing me of not brushing my teeth well. Aside from how insulting this is, it is profoundly not true. At 42 years old, I know how to brush my teeth. When the dentist came in a little bit later, he removed some excess cement. Since then, it has been slightly better, but they are still red and inflamed. Now it hurts when I brush. I have never had problems with my gums before and don’t know how to handle the situation. My dentist sees no issues so I am not going to get any help there. Do you have any recommendations for me?

Laura

Dear Laura,

I am frustrated by the experience you are having. Whenever a patient has a smile makeover, it has been our experience that they take better care of their teeth. The fact that they are trying to pass whatever type of mistake they made on you is infuriating.
If you look at this image, you will see this patient is also suffering from inflamed gums. If a dentist were to submit this case to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the board would reject them from accreditation.

AACD accredited dentists have to prove that they can not only produce beautiful results but that they do it in a technically proficient way so the patient suffers no problems as a result of the work. Your dentist didn’t do that.

Possible Problems with Your Porcelain Veneers

Left Behind Cement

Though your dentist did make this error, I think it is only part of your problem. However, it will cause issues with gums. This is a mistake often made by dentists who do not do a lot of porcelain veneers. Skilled cosmetic dentists have a system to prevent this from happening. The best way is to tack on the veneer by curing the cement in the middle of the tooth. Then, while the remainder of the cement is still soft, the excess is removed. Your dentist should have done this the day your porcelain veneers were seated. Doing it at your follow-up visit tells me he didn’t even realize his error until you complained.

Improperly Done Margins

You likely wouldn’t have a way of recognizing this and I doubt your dentist will either. Or maybe he will but does not want to own up to another mistake. My recommendation is for you to get a second opinion on these veneers by an expert cosmetic dentist. Look for one that is recommended on the mynewsmile.com website. All of them have artistic and technical expertise. Make sure it is a blind second opinion. That just means you don’t tell him who the dentist is that did your veneers. You don’t want him influenced by whether or not he’s friends with the dentist.

This is a huge mistake because it can not only cause gum disease but will also lead to decay because food and other bacteria will get trapped.

If it is just a matter of more cement being left, that will be an easy fix. If the margins are the problem, this dentist can help you get a refund from your dentist and can get them re-done by an expert cosmetic dentist.

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