Tag Archives: cosmetic dentistry mistakes

Porcelain Veneers

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.

Cosmetic Dentist

Hate Mail Over Cosmetic Dentistry

I saw a post to Dr. Hall of mynewsmile.com where someone was complaining over the prices of cosmetic dentistry. Saying it was unfair to middle-class families who can’t afford such prices but still want beautiful smiles. Being in Louisiana, whose economy has suffered greatly after the hurricanes and oil spill we’ve suffered recently, I was interested in his response.

Why is Cosmetic Dentistry so Pricey?

A woman with a gorgeous smile created by cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone
A gorgeous smile created by cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone

The price generally depends on two things: the type of procedure you have done and the skill and artistry of the dentist who does it.

For example, if you’re getting dental bonding done, it would cost considerably less than something like porcelain veneers. The materials are different and the results don’t last for as many years as the veneers.

As far as the skill of the dentist is concerned, there are dentists who spend years in post-graduate training developing their artistic skill. They put equal time and detail work into creating the most beautiful smile they can for your which takes up a significant amount of time they could have spent on other procedures.

What Happens if You Go to a Cheaper Cosmetic Dentist?

Every dentist works out their own pricing. But some, with less training and artistry, will lower their prices as a means of drawing patients in. You’ll get porcelain veneers alright, but they likely won’t be what you were expecting.

There are many cosmetic dentistry horror stories by patients who had to go to a second dentist to get the work re-done because their “affordable dentist” gave them a disaster of a smile. Dr. Malone has had to fix quite a few patient’s smile makeovers who came to him in desperation after their dentist botched the work.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.