I finally got the porcelain veneers I’ve always dreamed of. They’re the right color and the right shape, but they’re so shiny they look unnatural. It’s almost like a blinding light in photographs. Is there anything I can do to lessen the shine?
Margie
Dear Margie,
You’ve brought up something very interesting. Normally when we get questions about the shine on porcelain veneers is because the shine is gone. It’s the glaze on porcelain veneers which gives it the shine, which is important. That’s what makes the porcelain veneers so stain resistant. But, it has to be done correctly. It sounds like yours may not have been.
What Makes the Shine on Porcelain Veneers Look Natural?
When done properly, the shine on the glaze helps the veneers to look like your natural teeth. Our natural teeth reflect light. You want your smile makeover to do the same. Look at the picture above. All of the teeth in the picture are natural except one. I bet you can’t tell which. The difference is in creating the right texture.
If yours are too shiny, the dentist may have the veneers too flat. That wouldn’t look natural at all. In fact, it could be visually assaulting, which is what you seemed to indicate.
How True Cosmetic Dentists Prevent Porcelain Veneer Disasters
Expert cosmetic dentists will make sure you love your smile BEFORE they bond it on. They’d use a temporary try-in paste and let you get a good look at them in various lights. If you’re not thrilled with them, they won’t bond them on.
Unfortunately, the only way to lessen the shine is to remove it. The cheapest way to do that is to ask your hygienist to use a prophy jet on them at your next cleaning. In fact, most of our questions about veneers and shine have to do with inexperienced hygienists doing that without realizing they’re ruining the patient’s cosmetic work.
You don’t really want to do this. Your veneers will not only look flat and unnatural, but they’ll immediately begin picking up stains. Instead, I’d visit your dentist and ask him to re-do them. You paid for a smile you’d love and didn’t get one. Also, insist he uses a temporary try-in paste and get your approval before bonding them on.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.