Tag Archives: AACD accredited detnist

I swallowed a porcelain veneer

I’ve spent quite a bit of money getting a full-mouth smile makeover with porcelain veneers. I feel it has been a disaster since they were placed. First, while all of them seem bulky, one side of my mouth is significantly bulkier than the other which makes it look like two different smiles in my mouth. Second, you can see my natural teeth at the edges of the porcelain veneers. Third, they keep coming off, which forces me to rush to the dentist’s office to get them placed back on. Finally, yesterday, one came off while I was eating and I think I swallowed it. Can this be fixed?

Megan

Dear Megan,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

What a disaster. It seems to me like your dentist doesn’t understand even the most basic of cosmetic work, bonding the materials. If your dentist had bonded your porcelain veneers on correctly, you would never have to go back and have it re-bonded on, let alone swallow one.

Based on all the issues you’ve mentioned with your smile makeover, my guess is they never let you get a good look at your new smile before they permanently bonded them on? Given that you were paying to have a beautiful smile, they should have allowed you to give the okay to the porcelain veneers before bonding them.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dental care, which makes it extremely difficult for patients to know who can create a beautiful smile and who cannot. The dentist you went to obviously can’t. There are too many errors in your smile makeover to go over all of them, but two, in particular, entitle you to a refund, which will allow you to get this redone properly by a qualified dentist.

Mistakes Your Dentist Made with Your Porcelain Veneers

The standard for cosmetic work, sadly, is determined on whether or not your smile is functional. Fortunately, (if you can call it that) yours isn’t.

First , you have the bonding issue. If the porcelain veneers haven’t been staying on, the smile makeover isn’t functional.

Second, the margins. You said you can see your teeth from “underneath” at the edges. This means your dentist didn’t get the veneers flush against your teeth, nor did he go as far as he should have.

This creates a little shelf, where food and other types of bacteria can get trapped, leading to decay. So, he put the health of your teeth at risk with the poor way he did your case.

Tell him you want a refund.

Getting a Beautiful Smile ‘Makeover

Once you’ve secured your refund, it is time to get back on the horse. I would have an AACD accredited dentist be the one to do your smile makeover.

In order to become accredited, they had to pass stringent exams in order to show they have the technical knowledge about their field. Secondly, they also have to provide a large number of pictures, both before and after, which show what type of beautiful results they get.

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

Fixing long teeth

My two front teeth are insanely long. They also stick out a bit from the rest of my teeth. I feel like a beaver and hate all of my pictures. I’m trying to find a cosmetic solution but can’t find one. Do you think the only solution is for me to have my front teeth removed and have dental implants placed? I’m desperate.

Lucy

Dear Lucy,

Invisalign aligner
Invisalign can straighten teeth without anyone knowing.

Please don’t remove your front teeth!! There are always solutions. I am going to make a suggestion, but want to preface it with the precaution that I haven’t examined you. This is a solution based on my understanding of your description.

Your front teeth can be trimmed by an expert cosmetic dentist using diamond burrs and diamond strips. They can be filed down on the sides to narrow them and on the biting surfaces to make them smaller.

Once they’re a size you’re pleased with, Invisalign can be used to align them properly. An added benefit of Invisalign is the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This lets you get a mini smile makeover.

Depending on how much structure has to be removed, you may need porcelain veneers to cover any exposed dentin.

You Need an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

None of my suggestions matter, though. You need to see an expert cosmetic dentist and let them tell you what is the best solution. They’ll give you a smile you’ll be proud to share.

The best cosmetic dentists in the country are accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

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

problems with my porcelain veneers

I need some advice about my porcelain veneers. Things haven’t gone well for me with this. My dentist did ceramic veneers. The first time they came in they were way too white for the adjacent visible teeth (and even for my personal taste). II told him I wanted them to match the other teeth (which we determined was an A2) asked him to redo them and he did. When they came back the second time he bonded them on without me getting to look at them. When I did see them, they were again too white. I’m assuming I’m stuck with that color now and am hoping to get the teeth next to them to match so I don’t feel foolish. My other problem is one of them broke in half horizontally. My dentist is replacing it and said he would do so for 3 years. Should I be worried they won’t last longer than that? I did pay a pretty penny. Would I have been better off getting porcelain veneers? Are they stronger?

Mandy

Dear Mandy,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

Let’s start with the longevity and breaking of your porcelain veneers. These are tiny wafers, whether made of porcelain or ceramic. You could easily crush them in your fingers. Their strength comes from the bonding procedure, which your dentist obviously hasn’t mastered.

If you’d approved of the porcelain veneers before he bonded them, then yes, you’d be stuck with that color. The easiest solution to get the adjacent teeth to match is teeth whitening. Fortunately, only your natural tooth structure will whiten. It will have no real effect on your porcelain veneers.

That being said, I don’t think you have to accept the color you’ve been given. He bonded them on without your permission. Informed consent is the cornerstone of any practice–medical or dental. Without that, he committed malpractice. You have the right to a refund.

Getting Your Porcelain Veneers Done Right

When you have this case redone, I want you to have an expert cosmetic dentist do it. This way you will get a smile you’re not just satisfied with but proud of.

A true cosmetic dentist would never place a smile unless you are thrilled with it. Most of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

Look on the website of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (aacd.com). They have a link to find a cosmetic dentist. When you do the search, make sure you place a check mark on accredited. You want an accredited cosmetic dentist. These are the ones who can give you the right smile.

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