I received a substantial amount of money (at least to me) in an inheritance. I decided to spend it to finally get a smile I am not ashamed of. I decided to do it right and found the best cosmetic dentist I could, even though they were more expensive. I LOVE the porcelain veneers. Not only are they gorgeous, but they lengthened my teeth, which are normally pretty short. Now you can see much more of my teeth when I smile, which I’ve been doing all the time since getting this smile makeover seven months ago. My only problem is one of the veneers has developed a horizontal crack. I want to fix it but can’t keep going back to this dentist. I’ve not even picked up the phone when they call to schedule my cleaning and checkup because I can’t afford them. Do you think they will try to blame me for the crack? I’ve been so careful with these veneers because I’ve been so proud of them. I’m really worried this will fall off, otherwise I’d just ignore the crack.
Stephanie
Dear Stephanie,
I don’t think you have to be worried about them blaming you for the crack. When someone abuses their teeth, it usually results in chips, not cracks. In most cases, a cracked porcelain veneer will stay on just fine because of the bonding. However, you expressed they lengthened your teeth I am worried there isn’t much bonding there. Of course, that depends on the location of the crack, which I don’t know.
I would call them and tell them what’s going on. Don’t worry about the fact that you can’t afford them regularly. Most top cosmetic dentists are used to patients coming to them just for their cosmetic work. Some even have patients fly in from other countries to have their work done. If you tell them your financial situation they won’t continue to pester you for your regular cleanings.
The repair for this is to replace the porcelain veneer. I’m sure they didn’t give you any guarantees about how long they would last. That being said, seven months is definitely not long. I think they will repair it for you free of charge.
Tips For Follow Up Care with Porcelain Veneers
When you have to stay with your family dentist for cleanings instead of the cosmetic dentist there are some things you may need to make them aware of, especially if they’re not used to dealing with veneers. First, make sure the hygienist doesn’t use either a Power Prophy Jet or acidulated fluoride during your appointments. Both of these tools, while fine on natural tooth structure, will damage the glazing on your porcelain veneers. This will cause you veneers to pick up stains, essentially ruining them.
Second, while by no means required, I always suggest using Supersmile toothpaste when you have porcelain dental work. This safely removes stains using a special formula that collects and rinses the stains while keeping the glazing perfectly intact.
Some patients use traditional whitening toothpaste without realizing these use abrasives. While it will scrape and scratch off stains, it will also scratch the surface of your veneers causing them to pick up stains. So you are aware, teeth whitening will not fix stained veneers. It only works on natural tooth structure. Maintenance is the key to their longevity.
This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.
