Cosmetic Dental Emergency
I had a bunch of porcelain veneers put on my front teeth. They’re not “Hollywood” beautiful, but they are much more beautiful than my teeth were because I have tetracycline stains. I’ve had them for a few years. One of them fell off recently and broke. I called my dentist’s office and they had me come in. They glued it back on and told me to come back in a week. I feel like they put it on crooked and it is rubbing against my tongue a bit. I called and asked if I could come in sooner, but they said that it’s just a cosmetic issue and not a real emergency. They said if it had been a dental crown they could get me in sooner. I don’t understand this and feel it is and emergency. Would I be better off switching to a dental crown for the future?
Sara I.
Dear Sara,
I am sorry that they are handling this situation in this manner. First, do not switch to a dental crown. It removes much more tooth structure unnecessarily for your case. Plus, if they could get you in sooner for a dental crown then they could have gotten you in sooner for a porcelain veneer. A true cosmetic dentist would have first, glued it on straight, and two, understood that a cosmetic dental emergency is still a dental emergency.
The good news is that you do not have to wait on this dentist to have it redone faster. You can get all the notes on your porcelain veneers from your dentist and have another cosmetic dentist do it that can see you sooner. Your dentist is ethically obligated to provide that. But, even if he is unwilling to, an expert cosmetic dentist will be able to match them perfectly.
I paused when I read you say that while your smile was better, it wasn’t a “Hollywood Smile.” While tetracycline cases are one of the most challenging cosmetic cases, a highly skilled cosmetic dentist could have made your smile stunning. I would look for someone who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Dentists who are AACD accredited are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.
This blog is brought to you by the caring dentists in Lafayette, LA, Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.
