I would really appreciate your opinion and advice with regards to the situation I currently find myself in.

I am 23 years old and decided to have porcelain veneers placed last year to improve my smile. My front teeth were aligned well but I wanted to improve the shape and surface, whilst making them whiter.

The veneers were placed and were problematic right away. My bite felt very off and I thought it might settle down in time but it didn’t. The veneers were too large and did not resemble the size of the temporary ones I had worn and approved. I went back to the dentist that placed them and eventually he agreed they were too big for my mouth and to redo them for me without charge.

The veneers have now been redone, the bite is excellent, the size and shape exactly matches the temporories. However I am devastated because these ones are yellow! They are darker than my lower teeth and have a real yellowness to them which I hate. Making the veneers darker was not discussed, I expected them to be quite white like the original set and I was shocked to realise how off the colour is.

I am so worried about this as I now feel very self conscious and I don’t know where I stand with regards to them being corrected, if at all. As my teeth have been done twice already, I am concerned that I need to keep these or risk damaging my teeth even further by attempting to have it corrected.

A different dentist has told me that it would be foolish to consider further treatment, as to treat the teeth for a third time at my age would seriously risk damaging the nerves permanently and I could lose my teeth! Is this likely to be the case?

Just to add that I was told my teeth were prepared conservatively and I did my research beforehand and thought I had chosen a good cosmetic dentist.

I would be very grateful if you could give me any advice on this situation as I am so worried.

Thank you,
Millie in England

Millie,
It’s hard for me to evaluate whether or not your dentist is a good cosmetic dentist, but I will say that it doesn’t sound like it. I could be wrong.

Cosmetic dentistry is a very different field. It requires an artistic sensitivity and ability that the vast majority of dentists don’t have and don’t even appreciate.

If your dentist was willing to re-do the original veneers to meet your satisfaction, that shows honesty and good will. But that doesn’t mean that he’s an artist.

You’re in England. There are some dentists there with credentials from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. That’s what I’d recommend for you. I believe there is one dentist in England who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. That’s your best bet. Accredited cosmetic dentists have to pass stringent evaluations of their work. Go to www.aacd.com and look for an accredited cosmetic dentist in England. If that’s too far for you to travel, call his office and ask for a recommendation for someone closer to you.

And you don’t have to worry about the teeth being damaged, if the porcelain veneers are done right. A good porcelain veneer preparation is very shallow, and if your teeth were irritated at all by being prepared the first time, they have long since recovered, and they will likely be more resistant to irritation the next time.

Good luck.

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