Archives for November 2017

Emergency Dentist Refuses to Fix My Crown

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I’m not sure what to do at this point. I’ve had a crown for just a few months. It’s been nothing but trouble from the beginning. My dentist adjusted it several times because it’s been so painful. But, a piece broke off. I’ve been tired of dealing with this dentist so I decided to go to an emergency dentist. He did get me in fairly quickly which was nice, but then said he wouldn’t repair the crown. He is, however, willing to replace it. How lovely. He’s willing for me to spend a ton of money I’ve already spent. Is this legit?

Alice M.

Dear Alice,

A dental crown

It’s hard to say with certainty if the crown needs replacing or not without examining it. However, you mentioned it broke. Sometimes that can be repaired and sometimes it cannot. If you’re concerned the emergency dentist is taking advantage of you it may be worth it to get a second opinion. Some dentists will even give you a free second opinion.

I’m sorry you’ve had so many problems with the dentists you’ve been to visit. That’s not typical. One bad apple, maybe, but two in a row would be unusual. If it does need to be replaced, you’d be within your rights to ask for a refund. You haven’t had the crown long enough to even justify a minimum of usage.

You’re not bound to either dentist. I’m not sure why your first dentist had so much trouble with your crown.

If you’re in need of finding a new dentist, look on the mynewsmile.com website. They list out dentists by area. Additionally, the dentists are highly skilled. They can’t just pay to be listed on the site. Instead, they have to demonstrate both technical skill and artistry. So, they’d make fantastic cosmetic dentists as well.

I always recommend when patients are looking for a new dentist to determine what type of services they’re looking for in the long run. If you just need general dentistry services, any nice family dentist will do who does good work and has a pleasant chairside manner.

However, if you’re interested in other more specialized skills, such as a smile makeover with porcelain veneers, then choosing a dentist with incredible cosmetic skills is a must. In that case, look for a dentist who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.

With Porcelain Veneers My Teeth are Three Different Colors

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I’m feeling sick about smiling. I went to my dentist to get my teeth to not look so aged. He said he does a standard of 4 porcelain veneers when a patient wants that. I think my mouth may be bigger than most because my yellow teeth show on either side of the four veneers. To make matters worse, there is one of my veneers that has splotches of dark color. It looks like it’s coming from underneath, but now I have three colored teeth. What do I do?

Amanda N.

Dear Amanda,

Porcelain veneer being placed for a smile makeover

There are a few things going on here that have sabotaged your efforts at a beautiful smile. But, the overall factor is your dentist. I’m going to assume he’s a decent ethical dentist who is just over his head when it comes to smile makeovers.

The first problem is the number of porcelain veneers he did. The problem isn’t your smile. Even a standard smile would require six to eight veneers. Wider smiles require more. Sometimes, a patient can only afford four veneers. In those cases, we recommend they have their teeth whitened first. Then after two weeks when the color has settled, we’ll do the four veneers. That makes any difference between the teeth almost imperceptible.

The second thing that went wrong was the bonding on the tooth which has spotting. Based on your description, you have what is called microleakage. If it had been bonded properly, nothing would have been able to get behind it.

How to Fix Poorly Done Porcelain Veneers

If you’ve had your porcelain veneers permanently bonded on, there’s not really a way to fix it without just re-doing it from scratch. If your dentist is honest, he’ll realize he didn’t give you a beautiful smile which is what you paid for and give you some form of a refund.

You’ll want to go to a dentist with more expertise in cosmetic procedures. Ideally, look for a dentist who’s reached accreditation level with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). They’ve been thoroughly tested and examined to make sure they not only have the technical skill but artistry to create a stunning smile. In fact, most (if not all) of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.

Arnold Dental
699 Perimeter Drive, Suite 200
Lexington, KY 40517
Phone: 859-269-1000
Email: info@lexingtonsmiles.com
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