Category Archives: Cosmetic Dentist

dentist didn’t get my color right

I went to get a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. I wanted a very white smile and was very clear with my dentist about that . In fact, I told him I wanted one of those super white Hollywood smiles. I heard him tell his assistant to make it an A1. I assumed that meant the whitest possible. I remember that specifically because my husband loves A1 steak sauce and I thought, he’d love his steak and I’d love my teeth. I know differently now that isn’t what he should have ordered. When the smile came back, the shape and size were fine, but I was disappointed in the color. I went home and did some research, because I felt sure he ordered the whitest. I thought maybe he didn’t remember that and the lab got it wrong. I’ve since found out that he should have ordered a BL 1. I went back and asked him about it. He said he ordered a BL 1 so that’s what I have. I’ve looked at pictures. What I have is an A1. I don’t know what to do. I feel like he’s just lying. Can this be fixed?

Paula

Dear Paula,

bleached tooth shade guide

First, I’m going to say I am super impressed with your research capabilities. There are a number of dentists who haven’t figured out what you have, as you’ve discovered with your current dentist.

You’ve also pretty much figured out that he is lying, though I know it pains you to think that of your medical practitioner. You could call him on it and ask to see the order he sent to the lab. I doubt he’ll give it to you. If he does and it doesn’t say what you very specifically remember, you can know he doctored it. Getting a copy from the lab should confirm that and things will not go very well for him.

A true cosmetic dentist would never be satisfied if his patient wasn’t. He would make the changes without hesitation. Your dentist may be decent, as you said he managed to get the shape and size correct, but he obviously is failing in his color theory.

The shades you see above didn’t use to exist. Dentists had A1 as the whitest shade. However, as teeth whitening became more popular in the 1990s, manufacturers realized they had to update their guides, hence the bleaching attachment.

In your place, I’d just tell your dentist you aren’t satisfied and ask him to re-do the porcelain veneers with the color you requested. You didn’t get the smile you paid for.

If he gives you a hard time, go to the mynewsmile.com website and find one of their recommended dentists in your area. Often a quick call from a peer will change their tune.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

gums inflamed after porcelain veneers

I had porcelain veneers placed on four teeth almost a month and a half ago. Since they’ve been on, my gums have been inflamed. I went in to see the hygienist and she said it is probably that I’m babying the teeth and not brushing well enough. I can assure you that is not the case. Then, at my one-month follow up the dentist removed some excess cement. That helped a little but it has been a week and a half since then and they are still inflamed. My dentist doesn’t seem concerned but I’m worried, not to mention in pain. What do you recommend?

Kay L.

Dear Kay,

Our experience has been patients love their new smiles so much, after getting porcelain veneers, they tend to take better care of them, not worse. Isn’t it a tad annoying when medical professionals blame the patient when they can’t figure out what is wrong?

Cosmetic dentistry is both an art and a science. The health of the gums is one of many things the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry looks at in evaluating cases when dentists are working toward accreditation.

The lateral incisors, in this case, received porcelain veneers. Because of the gum inflammation on these teeth, this case would be rejected as unacceptable by AACD accreditation examiners.

In the case above, the gum inflammation on the lateral incisors would be an indication this dentist did something wrong, causing the case to be rejected by accreditation examiners as a means of demonstrating competency.

While there are several reasons your gums could be inflamed, I’m leaning heavily toward your dentist not removing all the excess cement. You said he removed some at your one-month follow-up appointment. When done properly, all the excess cement would have been removed immediately after they were bonded. There shouldn’t have been any to remove at the follow-up appointment.

A couple of other possibilities would be uneven margins or the porcelain veneers going too far under the gumline. To truly know what is going on, though, you’re going to need to see an expert cosmetic dentist.

Getting a 2nd Opinion from an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

The first thing I want you to do is go to the website of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. (aacd.com). They have a link to find a cosmetic dentist. However, make sure you check the boxes for an accredited dentist. Membership is easy. AACD accreditation requires real skill.

Pick one which is reasonably close to you and schedule an appointment for a second opinion.

Finally, make sure when you go, you get a “blind” second opinion. This means you won’t tell them which dentist did the work or anything they said could be the problem. You want the accredited dentist to give his unbiased opinion without anything to sway him.

Best of luck.

This blog is brought to you by Lousiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

family dentist versus cosmetic dentist

I had composite bonding done on a chipped tooth. The dentist who did them retired. My new dentist said they couldn’t replace the bonding and suggested a dental crown. He said because it was a front tooth the only way to get it to match was to do two crowns. I trusted. him. Now I have two crowns on healthy teeth and, while the match each other, they’re grayer than the rest of my teeth and look fake. What do I do?

Cameron

Dear Cameron,

a before and after picture of dental bonding for a chipped tooth.

The biggest problem you have here is you’ve got a family dentist who doesn’t understand cosmetic dentistry. You needed composite bonding repaired. He didn’t know how to do that. Instead of telling you that, he says it can’t be done and you need crowns. Why crowns? Because those are what he’s familiar with.

A second issue is the fact that he said you needed two crowns in order to get them to match. A skilled cosmetic dentist can match a single crown to a front tooth.

In your place, I’d suggest you do one of two things. First, tell your dentist you need these crowns re-done. But, only allow him to do it on some conditions.

  • He’ll need to use a temporary try in paste so you can see the crowns in your mouth to make sure they’ll match and you are pleased with them.
  • If you’re not thrilled with them, he needs to be willing to re-do them until you are happy with them.

If he doesn’t agree to that, then my second suggestion is you ask for a refund. He told you the teeth would match and they don’t. He also lied to you about the possibility of just getting the dental bonding repaired. You have the right to a refund.

Once you secure that, it is time to find a good cosmetic dentist to do this properly.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

I’m going to suggest you look for an AACD accredited dentist. You can look them up for your area at aacd.com. These are in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country. There aren’t many of them, so it may be hard to find one depending on where you live.

If that’s the case, there is a second resource. Look on mynewsmile.com . They screen cosmetic dentists for both their technical knowledge and training, as well as their artistic ability. Any of their recommended dentists can provide you with two gorgeous crowns

You may want to consider whitening your teeth if you are going to get the crowns replaced, this will essentially give you a bit of a smile makeover.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

lumineers trouble

I had Lumineers placed on both my top and bottom teeth. The top ones did absolutely fine. It’s the bottom ones I am having trouble with. They’re in massive pain and I’ve already lost one tooth when a root canal didn’t help. My dentist is going to put on a bridge free of charge. He doesn’t know why there is so much pain. He’s trying to help but I’m living on pain killers right now. I don’t want this to be the rest of my life, especially knowing how addictive they are. Can you help? Have you heard of this happening before?

Margie

Dear Margie,

There are a couple of things going on here. First, Lumineers are often advertised to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. That gets many well-intentioned dentists in over their heads.

A lot of this is because the Lumineers’ company promotes them as being no prep. Sometimes that can work out well on top teeth, though not always. Many patients complain about them being bulky. The bottom teeth, however, are a completely different story.

Second, when you’re talking about a no-prep technique, the teeth are about two millimeters longer as well as sticking out a tad. On bottom teeth, this can throw your teeth out of their proper occlusion and cause lots of pain for you.

That is likely what is going on in your case.

Cosmetic Work on Bottom Teeth

When it comes to smile makeovers, unless there is something which needs to change structurally with your bottom teeth, we’ll put porcelain veneers on the top teeth, but only whiten the bottom arch. Though, there are times veneers make sense. In those cases, however, tooth prep is necessary.

It does sound like your dentist is trying to take responsibility and make things right for you. That’s a sign you have an ethical dentist who just happened to do a procedure he wasn’t ready for. Don’t be too hard on him. We all start somewhere with procedures that are new to us. It’s a good sign that he’s stretching himself and adding to his field of knowledge.

Make sure you are out of pain before the bridge is placed. If he’s having trouble with that, you can suggest he talks to an expert cosmetic dentist, who’s studied occlusion as well. I’d look for an AACD accredited dentist in that case. Feel free to show him this post.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

dentist ruined this man’s bite

I’m worried I made a horrible mistake having a gap closed. I had a large gap between my two front teeth. To fix it, my dentist did six dental crowns. Ever since then, I’ve been in a lot of pain, I can’t speak properly, and my mouth is dry all the time. Can I put the gap back? Would that fix this?

Peter

Dear Peter,

CEREC Crown being placed on a tooth
Sometimes a dentist gets in over their head

Your problem isn’t because the gap was closed. These large gaps can be fixed without any negative repercussions. Instead, I think your porcelain crowns were not done properly. This case was probably too challenging for your dentist. As a result, he has inadvertently damaged your bite.

This is rather serious and needs to be addressed right away. My suspicion is your dentist made your dental crowns too thick, which opened your bite too much. This led to the pain you are experiencing as well as lip incompetence.

When your crowns are too thick, it leads to your mouth staying agape. That will cause the dry mouth you are struggling with. It is absolutely imperative your mouth closes naturally. Without that, you won’t have enough saliva in your mouth. Saliva is a key component in fighting decay because of its bacteria fighting minerals.

Pain is also a result of a bite being opened too far. This can lead to problems with TMJ Disorder. Though, pain is enough of a reason to have this fixed.

Your dentist appears to have been in over his head fixing this gap. I want you to see an AACD accredited cosmetic dentist. They’ll have the expertise you need to fix this. They can also help you secure a refund from your dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

3 traits of a great cosmetic dentist

I plan on getting a smile makeover. I keep hearing the dentist is the key, but how in the world do you know if you’ve got the right key?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

Brunette woman with beautiful smile
Beautiful smiles require great dentists !

You’ve asked a great question and doing so will save you a great deal of agony. There have been countless cosmetic dentistry horror stories of patients from another practice who came to us in tears needing their “smile makeover” fixed.

The problem most patients run up against is there is not a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. That means any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist if they dabble in one or two cosmetic procedures.

Unfortunately, to get great results in cosmetic dentistry, it takes a lot more than dabbling. Here are three important things to look for in a cosmetic dentist.

Trait One: Empathy

This one is hard to quantify, but you can quickly tell if a dentist has it or doesn’t. Dr. Hall calls this trait, “The root of a good cosmetic dentist.” They know you want a beautiful smile and they will make sure you get one you can be proud to share.

In general dental school, dentists are taught they know better than the patient. Cosmetic dentistry is different. It’s the way the patient sees their smile that matters. They’d never let a patient leave unhappy and will make any changes necessary to make sure it is the smile of your dreams.

Trait Two: Training

How to do stunning smile makeovers isn’t taught in dental school. It requires a dentist’s willingness to invest in extensive post-doctoral training. They’d invest time and money in continuing education at reputable institutions.

Trait Three: Artistry

Smile makeovers are a type of art form. As with any art, some artists are better than others. The evidence isn’t necessarily in the art school they went to but the results of their work. Never hesitate to look at a cosmetic dentists smile gallery to see what type of results they get.

Especially look for specific examples of the procedure you’re getting. if you want porcelain veneers, ask to see those pictures. If you have tetracycline stains, see what type of success they’ve had covering those.

Where to Locate Dentists with these Traits

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry realized the predicament patients were in locating a great cosmetic dentist. Because of that, they began an accreditation program so dentists with the right skills could have a way of letting patients know.

They have to pass stringent oral and written exams as well as provide visual evidence and a large and varied number of cases demonstrating their artistry.

If you’re really looking for the best, go to aacd.com and do a search for an accredited cosmetic dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Can You Receive Cosmetic Dentistry If You Have Sensitive Teeth?

Photo of a middle-aged blonde woman smiling, for information on cosmetic dentistry despite sensitive teeth - from Lafayette, LA cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone.
Cosmetic dentistry is possible, even if you have sensitive teeth

Many people who have sensitive teeth are concerned about receiving cosmetic dentistry. They don’t want the treatment to affect their teeth in a way that increases sensitivity. If your teeth are sensitive, should you be concerned about whether or not cosmetic dentistry is for you?

Before you receive cosmetic dental treatment of any kind—including teeth whitening, dental crowns, or porcelain veneers—your dentist will examine your teeth and gums to ensure they are healthy. If you’re experiencing sensitivity in your teeth, the cause of it will be identified first.

What Causes Sensitivity?

Tooth sensitivity is common. There are several possible causes. The issues should be addressed before you receive cosmetic dentistry.

  • Exposed dentin – Dentin is the tissue beneath the tooth enamel. If the enamel is worn or decayed, sensitivity and pain can occur. And cold food or drinks, even cold air, can increase sensitivity. There are several factors than can cause enamel to wear away. Acidic foods and drinks, brushing your teeth too vigorously, or grinding your teeth can wear down the enamel.
  • Receding gums – Gum tissue protects tooth roots. When gums recede, the roots are exposed, and this can cause tooth sensitivity. Gum disease, genetics, or hormonal changes can cause gums to recede. Aggressive teeth brushing can also cause gum recession.
  • Trauma – Impact to your face and teeth can cause internal damage to your teeth. A tooth doesn’t have to break or crack for the pulp, or living tissue inside the tooth, to be disturbed. Irritation in a tooth can disturb the nerves and create sensitivity.
  • Teeth clenching or grinding – These habits put pressure on your teeth and can cause sensitivity and pain.

Can You Receive Cosmetic Dentistry?

After the causes of sensitivity in your teeth have been reasonably controlled, you should be able to receive cosmetic dentistry. Depending on what type of cosmetic treatment you receive, if left untreated, the sensitivity in your teeth could increase. If genetics are a factor, your dentist will take that into consideration and tailor your treatment accordingly.

How Can You Help?

  • Replace abrasive toothpaste with toothpaste for sensitive teeth, such as Sensodyne.
  • Avoid aggressive brushing and use a soft bristled toothbrush.
  • Let your dentist know if you clench or grind your teeth. A custom nightguard can be made for you to wear to relax your jaw and decrease the pressure in your teeth and jaws.

Cosmetic dentistry can still be an option for getting the smile you’ve always wanted, but take care of your oral health first.

This post is sponsored by accredited cosmetic dentist Mike Malone, D.D.S. in Lafayette, LA.

Cosmetic Dentistry Tourism Disaster

I had porcelain veneers placed on my top teeth and a dental implant and crown on my bottom arch. In the U.S. it would have cost me over $60,0000 but I was able to get it done overseas for around $11,000. At first, I was pleased as punch, but now I’m four months out and the veneers are falling off. I’ve been cutting up the food the way he showed me and not eating with my front teeth at all. In fact, the last one fell off while eating spaghetti. That’s hardly anything to stress about. Three of the veneers have fallen off. They’re all intact. Do I need to have these re-done or can another dentist put them back on?

Catrina

A single porcelain veneer being held up by a dental tool

So, here’s the thing. Those instructions your dentist gave you about eating are a huge red flag to me. There is absolutely no reason why you should have any restrictions at all on what or how you eat. When properly bonded on, porcelain veneers will allow you to eat anything.

This dentist doesn’t know proper bonding technique. That alone, makes me question the skill of the rest of his work. For health and safety reasons, I’d like you to get a second opinion on the dental implant and crown you had done. This is especially important about the implant. If an infection develops it can lead to serious consequences.

Regarding your fallen porcelain veneers. You mentioned they’re still intact. In that case, it is possible an expert cosmetic dentist could clean them up and get them bonded back on properly. However, this is beyond the skill of almost all cosmetic dentists. You will need someone in the top 2%.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

Cosmetic dentistry isn’t really taught in dental school so you’ll need to look for someone who invested the time and training into doing it well. In your place, I’d look for a dentist who has reached accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are in the top 1% of dentists. You can find them listed on aacd.com. Just make sure they’re accredited. They will know the right procedure to help you with your porcelain veneers.

The cost to get them bonded back on properly shouldn’t be too bad, if they can be saved. If they can’t be, these dentists will give you a list of options and let you determine which way you want to go.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

“Reputable Dentist” Destroyed My Smile

I had an accident which caused me to need a crown on a front tooth. I was nervous about this because it’s my front tooth. Everyone will see it. I looked up many dentists in my community to see who was highly reputable. I found one which everyone seemed to love. The first crown he did wasn’t even close to matching the other front tooth. Even he said he needed to do it again. The second one was closer, but I wasn’t thrilled with it. He was and was going to place it anyway. Fortunately for me it didn’t fit. He went back for a third run and when that one didn’t fit he told me I’d need orthodontics. I gave up at this point even though I have a horrible temporary crown which doesn’t fit right. I need help but I don’t know what to do. Help me please.

Tanya

Dear Tanya,

close up of teeth

These stories make me both sad and frustrated with the dental industry sometimes. First, you should know that a reputable dentist and an excellent cosmetic dentist can be two very different things. There are two different mindsets at play here. In dental school, we’re taught that the dentist knows best. Cosmetic dentists have a different mindset. They feel unless the patient is satisfied (in fact, more than satisfied), they haven’t properly done their job.

Dentists who haven’t done extensive training in cosmetic work see this as pandering to the patient.

All that being said, matching a dental crown to a single front tooth is a very challenging thing even for the best cosmetic dentists. In fact, if your smile is important to you (and it sounds like it is) you will want a dentist with both technical expertise and artistry.

Believe it or not, one of the teeth in the picture above is a dental crown. I bet you can’t tell which one. That’s the type of results a true cosmetic dentist gets.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

The easiest way to find a top of the line cosmetic dentist is to go to aacd.com. This is the website for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. They have a find a dentist link. However, you don’t just want someone who is a member. Any dentist can become a member. You want to find a dentist who is accredited.

In their search options, there is a box to check that you’re looking for an accredited dentist. These dentists have passed stringent oral and written exams as well as demonstrated their artistry in a large number of cases they’ve done.

Anyone of them are more than capable of matching your front tooth with a perfect physical and aesthetic fit.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Does Cosmetic Work “Grow on You”?

I’m trying to make a big decision. I paid a fortune to get porcelain veneers. These were supposed to be my dream smile. My dentist and I went over exactly what I wanted and he seemed to think it would be wonderful. When they came in, they looked fake. He wanted to bond them on but I could tell by how they looked when he showed them to me I wasn’t going to like them. I asked for a try-in. I’d read about those. He allowed me to do that and it confirmed my fears. They looked fake, bulky and chalky white. I told him I didn’t like them. He said that’s a common reaction because patients aren’t used to how they look with the new “teeth”. He said they’ll grow on me and I’ll come to love them. I told him I need to think about it. I’m just not sure I want a smile that has to grow on me. I was expecting one I’d love. Be honest with me. Am I overreacting? Will it grow on me?

Maggie

Dear Maggie,

Woman covering her mouth with hand.
A smile makeover from a great cosmetic dentist will make you want to share your smile—not hide it.

You are certainly NOT overreacting. In fact, you’re being pretty understanding given the circumstances. You were also wise to have asked for a temporary try-in of your porcelain veneers. If he’d have bonded them on, it would have been permanent.

My first thought is your dentist isn’t a true cosmetic dentist. There are a few things which draw me to this conclusion. First, when he said, “that’s a common reaction”, I was glad I wasn’t drinking anything because I would have spit it out. Maybe with his patients that is a common reaction, but it’s certainly not so for artistic cosmetic dentists. Most of the time their patients are absolutely thrilled with the results.

That leads me to the second reason. When a skilled cosmetic dentist does have a patient that isn’t thrilled, they certainly wouldn’t tell them they would “get used to it”. They go back to the drawing board. They wouldn’t stop until the patient was absolutely in love with their new smile.

The third reason is he didn’t suggest trying them in first. YOU had to suggest that. I would give him a couple of choices. First, he could give you a refund and let you have your smile makeover done by a more skilled cosmetic dentist or he can re-do the case until you are satisfied with the results.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

Let’s say you decide you want to go to a different cosmetic dentist. How do you go about finding the right dentist who can actually design the smile of your dreams?

The easiest way is to do that is to use the search link on the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s website (aacd.com). When you use their search tool, make sure you check that you’re looking for an accredited dentist.

These are the ones who proven both their technical knowledge and artistic ability.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.