I think my dentist ruined one of my porcelain veneers. I got some great porcelain veneers, but one of the ones on the front teeth looked like it had a scratch on it. My dentist had already bonded it one before I saw them, so I couldn’t get it replaced. My dentist said he could buff it out. I was relieved. But, now that tooth looks duller than the rest of them and today it looks like it’s starting to stain. Can this be fixed?
Laura
Dear Laura,
Your dentist made a couple of mistakes here. First, you should always get to look at the porcelain veneers with a temporary try-in paste before they’re permanently bonded on to your teeth. This way you get to look at them carefully and make sure everything’s perfect before the bonding. Also, he could have replaced the faulty veneer instead of buffing it out. However, that’s not the second mistake. It was just another option.
He didn’t polish the veneer properly. That could have worked if he’d have known the right procedure. Your dentist buffed the glaze off the veneer. That’s why it looked duller than the others. It’s also why it’s picking up stains. It’s the glaze which repels stains.
You have three choices here.
First, you can ask your dentist to replace the porcelain veneer he destroyed. You are well within your right to do that. He shouldn’t have a problem with replacing it. If he does, show him this post. Sadly, sometimes dentists are willing to listen to their peers more than their patients.
Secondly, you can have him polish the veneer with the right procedure. I’ll list that procedure at the bottom of this post, so he’ll know how. My preference is he just replace it because he’d essentially be practicing the new technique on you.
Thirdly, you can just go to a more experienced cosmetic dentist to have it replaced. That will mean eating some of the cost and you’d need to go to a high end, expert cosmetic dentist who can match a single veneer.
How to Properly Polish Porcelain Veneers
Your dentist will need to invest in some specialized materials designed specifically for this. He’ll need diamond polishing instruments and polishing pastes, ending with an ultra-fine diamond polishing paste. Many expert cosmetic dentists prefer using Brasseler’s Dialite porcelain polishing system to get back that glossy shine.
If you do decide to go with a different dentist, you need to make sure they have some form of a beautiful smile guarantee. This way you’ll be certain to get the veneer you want the first time.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.
