It seems that the older I get the less I like my smile. When my mouth is at rest, you can’t see any of my teeth, just empty darkness. Even when I am smiling, I have to force my teeth to show. I don’t know if this is connected, but my jaw hurts all the time, except when I’m wearing my mouthguard, which I got not too long ago when my son told me he noticed I was grinding my teeth. My dentist suggested Lumineers might help, but I wanted to get another opinion before moving forward.

Melanie

Dear Melanie,

I’m glad you wrote. Your dentist is going about this the wrong way. In fact, it is very likely to make things worse. Based on what you’ve described it sounds like your teeth are worn down to the point of being over closed. This can result in serious TMJ Disorder, if it hasn’t already.

Lumineers is a brand of porcelain veneers. This particular brand of veneers is often marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. The fact that he’s even suggesting this as a solution backs up my suspicion that he doesn’t know what he’s doing in this case.

The solution for this is a full-mouth reconstruction. This is a very advanced procedure that has to be done very carefully. It usually involves crowning every tooth. It is beyond the ability of most dentists. Just getting the function of your bite correct is a tall enough order for this however, you will want more than function. You’ll want an attractive smile too.

I want you to look at Dr. Marion’s credentials. This would be the kind of dentist you are looking for when it comes to something like this. Also, if a dentist went to one of the following post-doctoral training centers, they will be qualified as well:

• The Pankey Institute
• The Dawson Academy
• The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies

Do be careful with who does this for you.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.