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Hates Her Porcelain Veneers and Wants a Refund

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I had porcelain veneers done. He put them in without me getting a chance to try them in. When they were in, I mentioned that they were too big. He didn’t agree and essentially said he’s the dentist and knows better. I didn’t have time to argue with him because I had to leave on vacation a couple of days later. I was heartbroken because I was hoping to go with a beautiful smile I was proud of. But, I soldiered on. While there, my mouth started hurting. I waited until I got back and went to see a different dentist because I was still mad at my first one. That dentist said that he’d never seen porcelain veneers look that thick. He felt the pain is because my bite is off. A month later, I went to another dentist who also said my bite is off, but that I also have a tooth that needs a root canal treatment. He even hinted that the porcelain veneers could be the cause. Can I get a refund for this disaster of a smile makeover?

Evie

Dear Evie,

woman covering her mouth

 

I’m sorry that this happened to you. One of the issues you are facing is that your dentist who did your smile makeover is more of a family dentist rather than a true cosmetic dentist. Two things stood out to my right away.  First, he didn’t do a try in. A true cosmetic dentist would always try them in with a temporary try in paste to make sure you like them. Which leads me to the second  thing. If you didn’t like how they looked, your dentist would have sent them back to the lab to make the changes, not said that he knew best.

One of the problems with getting a refund for a smile makeover is that not liking the way your porcelain veneers look is not something a dental board would consider a good reason for getting a refund. That is true even if the dentist did a horrible job that looked absolutely awful.

You may have a small advantage in that you’ve had a couple of dentists who’ve hinted there is a functional problem with your porcelain veneers. If they can document that the need for your root canal treatment was because of the veneers or that your bite is thrown off you will have a better chance.  If your bite is thrown off that can lead to TMJ Disorder which is serious.

I suggest you see a dentist who has post-doctoral training in TMJ so they can look at your bite. Once you have some documentation that the veneers are causing functional problems you can ask for that refund.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Restorative Dentist Dr. David Marion.

 

 

Did The Ultrasonic Scaler Damage Her Veneers?

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I have six porcelain veneers. In that time, I’ve had two cleanings. Each time, within a couple of days of the cleaning, I ended up with a veneer fractured. I asked what they’re using during my checkups and they told me it was a  magnetostrictive ultrasonic cleaner. Is this a common problem with these cleaners?

Dana

Dear Dana,

porcelain veneer being held up near a tooth

 

There are two different types of scalers  used in dental work. The first is a piezoelectric, and the second is magnetostrictive. The magnetostrictive scaler has been around for decades. While it is more gentle than the piezoelectric scaler, it is very dependant on the technique of the hygienist using it. Without proper technique it can cause more damage than the other scaler.

You said your porcelain veneers were fractured. For that to happen, your hygienist would have had to used the tip of the scaler on the surface of your porcelain veneers. That is completely unacceptable. That is a basic understanding. I do not believe that you should stay with this dental practice.

When you have cosmetic work done not only does it need to be created and placed by an expert cosmetic dentist, but the upkeep needs to be done by a practice that understands how to do it safely. My suggestion is that you ask them to replace the damaged veneers and then find a dentist who has trained their staff on how to care for your cosmetic work.

Two other things that can damage your veneers are acidulated fluoride as well as a power prophy jet. Never let a hygienist use them on any dental work. Not just veneers, but dental crowns too. They will take the glaze right off your dental work and they will look matte and pick up stains very easily.

I’m sorry this happened to you, but i think a skilled cosmetic dentist can fix everything.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Dental Floss is Getting Caught Under My Porcelain Veneers

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I have a porcelain veneers and there is a problem with the dental floss getting caught under my porcelain veneers. My dentist said it is not a problem, but I am worried that my food is going to get caught there. Won’t that cause some problems with decay under the porcelain veneer?

Greta

Dear Greta,

Upper image: a veneer with proper contours. Lower Image: a veneer with a margin overhangI am glad you wrote. I strongly disagree with your dentist here. Based on your description, it sounds like you have a margin irregularity known as an overhang. When this happens it means that the dentist did not get a good impression of the teeth after they have been prepared for the porcelain veneers. The impression did not get an accurate record of the end of the preparation.

This causes problems for the lab technician who is creating the veneer based on both the impressions and the detailed instructions the dentist sends over. When done properly, the porcelain veneers will match the original contours of the teeth at the gumline. The inaccurate preparation of the impression means that the tech cannot create a smooth finish line between the tooth and the porcelain veneer.

If you look at the two images stacked on one another, the top image shows a smooth contour of the veneer against the tooth. The bottom image show one with an overhang. When you have an overhang, the porcelain veneer needs to be replaced. I believe the dentist should be willing to do this for free as it was their impression that caused the problem.

The Problems with an Overhang on Porcelain Veneers

You are correct that this could cause decay on your teeth, especially just under the margin. While that is a possibility, something that will definitely happen is irritation to your gums leading to gum disease. They will get puffy and then they will be come red and bleeding. Gum disease, when left untreated, can cause you to loose your teeth.

I would ask your dentist to replace the veneer with the overhang right away. If he or she is saying it is not a problem, feel free to show them this post. In the meantime, do your best to floss in that area very carefully.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.
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Should I Buy Dental Veneers Online?

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I want to fix my discolored and uneven teeth. My dentist is suggesting doing  bonding on the ten top teeth for $2000. My concern is that I had a chipped tooth that I had my dentist fix with composite bonding a few years ago. It looked pretty bad and the new part of the tooth with the composite did not match the rest of the tooth. I’m still stuck with this and am worried that the rest of my teeth will be problematic if he does it. I spoke with him about porcelain veneers instead and that is pretty pricey. I can get them online a lot cheaper. Would that be the better option for me?

Breanna

Dear Breanna,

Before and After Dental Bonding repairing a chipped tooth

First, do not do the composite bonding, even though it is cheaper. I’ll get to the online veneers in a moment. When composite dental bonding is done correctly, then the results can look perfectly natural, as seen above. However, it has to be done by a dentist with the right training and skills. Both porcelain veneers and dental bonding are advanced dental procedures that require post-doctoral training. It does not sound like your dentist has this training.

Usually dental bonding when done over the full surface of the tooth, as your procedure would need would cost a LOT more than your dentist is asking because it has to be done freehand and would need more chair time. This gives me additional concerns about his skill level or understanding of the procedure. You didn’t mention the porcelain veneers price, but I would expect them to be quite expensive as well.

If you get online veneers, the one thing you will have going for you is that they are removable if you hate them. These do not get permanently bonded on your teeth the way porcelain veneers done by a skilled cosmetic dentist will be. These are not really made out of porcelain either. These online veneers are usually made of acrylic and do not look like natural teeth. They’re better suited to a photo shoot or a one night event.  If you want a beautiful smile, this is not the way to go. If you want something okay that you can pop in and out, this will do just fine.

If a gorgeous smile is what you ultimately desire, I suggest starting with teeth whitening. Bear in mind, the chip you had repaired will not whiten with the remainder of your teeth. It sounds like that needed to be redone anyway, which leads me to the second thing I want to suggest. Find a truly skilled cosmetic dentist. They can repair your bonding. Then, find out how much they charge for porcelain veneers. It will be expensive, but the teeth whitening will dramatically improve your smile and give you time to save up for any further work you may want done.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

 

Trying to Figure Out This Smile Makeover

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Can you help me figure out what is necessary for my smile makeover? I want to get porcelain veneers. My dentist said that I’ll need to get my teeth whitened first, which seems odd to me because the veneers should change the color, right? The other question I have is he wants me to get Invisalign first as well because I have one front tooth that is a bit crooked. I really just wanted the porcelain veneers. Is that possible?

Cadance

Hi Cadance,

porcelain veneer being held up near a tooth

I am glad you wrote. Your dentist’s advice here is about 50/50. His recommendation for teeth whitening before getting your porcelain veneers done is solid. It is actually to save you money. Most people cannot afford to get a porcelain veneer placed on each and every tooth. What you don’t want is part of your smile to look beautiful and white from the porcelain veneers and the others to look dingy and stained. That ends up making your veneers look fake.

So, unless you are planning on getting a porcelain veneer on every tooth, getting teeth whitening done helps the natural teeth to blend in with the veneered teeth, giving you a smooth, natural looking smile makeover.

The Invisalign is completely unnecessary in your case. A skilled cosmetic dentist can make a slightly crooked looking tooth appear straight when he plans your smile makeover. This begs the question “Is your dentist a skilled cosmetic dentist?” If he doesn’t know how to make that took look straight, then I would say he is not.

You will be better served getting your smile makeover done elsewhere by someone who does have the technical skills and artistry to give you a smile you will be proud of. I highly recommend looking at a dentist’s smile gallery to see if they can deliver the type of results you are looking for. If they do not have a smile gallery that is a red flag. Move on.

The other thing to look for is some type of beautiful smile guarantee. This means that your veneers are tried on with a temporary paste and you get to see them up close and in various lightings before approving them. If there’s something you want changed, the dentist should be willing to change that before any permanent bonding is done.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Concerned About My Porcelain Veneer Repair

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A couple of weeks ago I had some porcelain veneers placed. While I was there everything looked fine. However, when I got home I noticed a small horizontal scratch across one of them. I could even feel it with my tongue. I went directly back in and showed them. They got the dentist who said he could fix it right then. He sat me in a chair and smoothed it out, which was his description of the repair. I looked and couldn’t see the scratch and everything felt normal with my tongue so went home satisfied. Now I am noticing that the area he repaired seems duller than the rest of the tooth and I’m wondering if the fix could have changed the color at all. Should I be worried about this? I paid a lot of money for this smile makeover.

Beatrice

Dear Beatrice,

porcelain veneer being held up near a tooth

It sounds like when your dentist buffed out the scratch, he did it by removing the glaze on the veneer. This needs to be repaired as quickly as possible. It is the protective glaze that protects your porcelain veneers from picking up stains. Left the way it is, that area of your tooth will soon be a completely different color than the remainder of your smile.

Because he caused the damage, he needs to make this right. Generally, when this happens, the repair is simple, but it does require some technical knowledge and equipment that includes using a diamond polishing paste. Because he didn’t use this in the original repair, I suspect he does not do a lot of cosmetic dentistry and will not know how to do the repair this way.

In that case, you are better off asking him to simply replace the porcelain veneer. That should be easy to do because he already has the instructions ready from when he did it last time. Don’t put off calling him about this. The longer it stays this way the more stains the veneer will pick up and he may even try to blame you for it. Calling him now connects it with his repair.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Cavity on Tooth with a Porcelain Veneer

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I have several porcelain veneers. One of the teeth with a porcelain veneer has a cavity. The dentist wants to remove the veneer and place a crown on that tooth. I really think that is overkill. He insists it is the standard procedure. Is that right?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

A porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth.

I am not flat out saying that your dentist is incorrect here, but I would recommend a second opinion before going through with this. First, a crown would only be necessary for quite a large cavity. I would say at least 20% of your tooth should have decay. If the decay isn’t that significant I question why the dentist is wanting to do a crown instead of a veneer. Some dentists do not have the skill to do porcelain veneers so they steer their patients toward crowns. Here’s the problem with that. If he can’t do porcelain veneers, what are the chances that he can match a single crown to the remainder of your front teeth? Very few dentists can do that well.

I would go see an excellent cosmetic dentist and ask them if the tooth actually needs a crown. If not, don’t get rid of all that healthy tooth structure. When you have porcelain veneers, the most vulnerable place for decay is right at the margin where the porcelain meets your tooth. However, it is not too difficult to prevent that decay. There are two keys. One is the frequency of eating. Your saliva will do a lot of the work if you just don’t snack too much, giving it time to do its job. The second thing is flossing. Making sure to floss every day will get in the margins.

I’m not confident this dentist can give you an attractive result no matter which restoration you end up with. Instead, I would start looking for dentists who do beautiful cosmetic work. One of the things to look at is their smile gallery. If they do not have a smile gallery, they do not do enough cosmetic work. In their smile gallery, specifically look for before and after images of both porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns. If you love the results you see on there, make certain you take one additional precaution and call the office to ask if the gallery is populated with images of the dentist’s own work or stock images. You want it to be work the dentist has done.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David P. Marion.

360 Veneers Disaster

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I went to my dentist asking for e-max veneers. He said he thought I would be a better candidate for 360 veneers. I specifically asked how much tooth structure had to be removed for the 360 veneers. They assured me not much at all would need to be removed. I agreed to their suggestion. When I first got the temporary veneers, a few of them kept falling off. I noticed then that my teeth were down to small nubs, which was much more removal of tooth structure than they implied I would need. I expressed my concern about them falling out all the time. They assured me that when the permanent ones were bonded on that would not be an issue. Yet, like the promise about the tooth structure, this has not proven to be the case. So far two have fallen off. They tried a different cement, but yet some structures are still falling off. Now they’re talking about ordering a special stronger cement. I’ve just lost confidence in them. While I am relieved that I haven’t swallowed any of them while I have slept, I am living in complete fear of them falling off in public. Do you have any advice for me?

Emily

Dear Emily,

I am going to be blunt in telling you that you were taken advantage of and misled by your dentist. My first clue was when he told you 360 veneers. There is no such thing. Porcelain veneers only go on the front and hug the sides a little. If the restoration for your smile makeover went 360 degrees around your tooth, then it was porcelain crowns.

tooth prep for porcelain veneers A second hint of their unethical behavior was the nubs the created of your teeth. When your teeth are prepared for porcelain veneers, only a small amount of tooth structure is removed, as pictured to the left.

You described a small nub, which is what is used to prepare teeth for porcelain crowns. That is two times they have lied to you.

Often, when dentists steer patients toward porcelain crowns instead of porcelain veneers it is because they are not comfortable with the advanced cosmetic procedures. They tend to want to convince you of the procedure they are comfortable with instead of admitting the skills they lack. In this case, your dentist can’t even do the basic crown procedures. This is distressing because it is one of the first things dentists have to learn to do. You shouldn’t even be able to graduate dental school without having the ability to successfully place dental crowns. Most dentists go their whole careers without having a crown fall out. That has not been the case for your dentist.

So, what is my recommendation? You need to find another dentist. One with post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry as well as artistic skill. Look at the bio on their website. Then look at their smile gallery to see what type of results they create. They may even be able to help you get a refund on your badly done work. After all, a basic expectation is that the work will actually stay in!

This blog is brought to you by Dr. David Marion, who was honored by the International College of Dentists as being one of the top dentists in the world.

Porcelain Veneers While Pregnant

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I just found out I am pregnant. Before I knew that, I had complete porcelain veneers placed on my teeth. My aunt told me that you can’t have dental work while you are pregnant. Did I do something that will harm the baby?

Lydia

Dear Lydia,

porcelain veneers placement

First, congratulations on becoming a mother! What wonderful news. Now, I want you to take a deep breath. Your aunt is a tad confused. In dental school, we are taught to do our best to schedule dental work for pregnant women in the second trimester. That is because in the first trimester, things are a bit riskier and in the third trimester, women are usually too large to sit comfortably in the dental chair.

That being said, getting porcelain veneers will not have caused your baby any harm. The only medication used during this procedure is Lidocaine. This particular medication has been deemed safe for use on pregnant women. It is often even used during the delivery itself. Your baby will have no ill effects from you getting your smile makeover.

Best to you and the little one.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.