Porcelain Veneers

Redness Around Porcelain Veneers

Posted on April 7, 2025 by writeradmin.

I went to Central America to have six porcelain veneers done. Since returning, the gums around my porcelain veneers have been red and swollen. I called the clinic and they told me this is normal and should resolve on its own. It’s taking quite a bit of time to resolve, so a friend of mine suggested I rinse with peroxide to speed up the healing. Will that damage the porcelain veneers?

Tammy

Dear Tammy,

While peroxide will not damage your porcelain veneers, using it more than once or twice can lead to you getting an oral yeast infection. This is because while peroxide kills bacteria it will not differentiate between good and bad bacteria. It will destroy the bacteria that protects you from an overgrowth of yeast in your mouth.

However, the redness and swelling of your gums around the porcelain veneers needs to be addressed. This is not normal and will not resolve on its own despite what the dentist told you. This is one of the risks of dental tourism, poor quality dental care. You have little recourse with it either. In fact, I know of a woman who went to Costa Rica to have some work done. When the work ended up being disastrous, she complained online, which is illegal there. The dentist put a warrant out for her arrest and she had to flee the country.

I realize people travel out of the country in order to save money on their dental care. Sometimes that works out, but all too often they end up spending a lot more money getting their discounted work repaired.

You need to see an expert cosmetic dentist and have them look at your porcelain veneers. If the underlying problem is not addressed, you will end up with gum disease that will put your teeth at risk. There are a few things that could be going on here:

One possibility is that the veneers don’t meet your teeth under the gumline precisely. This needs to been seamless and smooth. If not, you’ll have what dentists call an overhang that will catch food and breed bacteria.
Another possibility is that the porcelain veneer can be over contoured at the gumline. This will create a bulge at the gumline causing the same problem as the overhang.
Finally, there can be some hardened cement that is at the gumline that was not properly removed. This will irritate the gumline. This would be the easiest of the three problems to fix.

Don’t put off getting this addressed.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

What Is The Best Material for Porcelain Veneers?

Posted on February 12, 2025 by writeradmin.

I had porcelain veneers done a few years ago. They were never what I’d hoped and now they are starting to wear out. I’d like to replace them. This time I want a more aesthetic result and I’m hoping they will last longer. I’ve seen a couple of dentists for a consult. One recommended e.max. Another zirconia. Do you know what is the best material for either porcelain veneers or dental crowns?

Eden

Dear Eden,

I’m glad you wrote. I think I can save you from a possible cosmetic dental horror story. I can tell you are trying to do your due diligence in researching this. The material isn’t the most important factor, though there are exceptions where there is material you wouldn’t want. I’d like you to shift your thinking from looking for the best materials to looking for the best cosmetic dentist. Smile makeovers are an art. If you commissioned a painting, you wouldn’t be asking which was the best brand of oil paints, but who was the best artist.

Just like two painters can use the same subject, paints, and brushes yet produce completely different results based on their skill, so it is with cosmetic dentists. The best cosmetic dentists are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). There are also some great ones who are working toward accreditation. If you can’t find an AACD accredited dentist close enough to your area to reasonably get to, just make sure you check out that the dentist you see has advanced post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry, and that they are artistic. You can get an idea of that from their smile gallery.

As for the materials you mentioned, I have two concerns. First, don’t use zirconia. That will not be able to give the subtle differences our natural teeth have and will not look quite right. They are great for crowns on back teeth, but I wouldn’t recommend them for front teeth. Second, you mentioned crowns. If one of those dentists is suggesting dental crowns for your smile makeover, cross them off your list. That would require your teeth to be ground down to nubs. If you don’t NEED dental crowns, then the only reason a dentist would be suggesting it is because they are unqualified to place porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

This “Dental Insurance” is a Marketing Scheme

Posted on January 17, 2025 by writeradmin.

I was hoping to get a set of porcelain veneers from an excellent cosmetic dentist without having to pay too much money. I came across The Colonial Dental Plan. For just a one time fee of $300, this would give me a 20% discount from what your typical dentist chargers. They have about 15 dentists in their network. If I sent you my area, would you be able to tell me which of their dentists would be the best option for me? I know you’re not in their network. I think that is a plus for asking you because you aren’t in contention and will give me an honest answer.

Todd

Dear Todd,

I am very glad you wrote. The Colonial Dental Plan is not actually an insurance plan but a marketing scheme. Placing porcelain veneers requires a lot of post-doctoral training, plus a great deal of artistry, which also takes time and training. The dentists who do this well, do charge a bit more, but they are totally worth it.

I can point you to thousands of cosmetic dentistry horror stories from patients who thought they were getting a good deal but ended up with a worse smile than they started with. In fact, many expert cosmetic dentists spend most of their time redoing the poorly done cosmetic work from unskilled dentists. While profitable for them, it is hard seeing patients end up paying more than they would have if they’d gone to a skilled dentist to begin with.

You’re not going to get a skilled dentist with this plan. Here is how it works. They pocket the $300 fee and then turn you over to the dentists in their network. They get the dentists by telling them they can get patients in their empty chairs. They wouldn’t need help filling those chairs if they were skilled. It’s a good deal for them. Unsuspecting patients get prodded their way like cattle thinking they’re getting a good deal. What they are most likely to end up with is a disappointing smile makeover.

If you really want a beautiful smile, do it right the first time. I suggest you go to an expert cosmetic dentist, who will charge a little more, but will give you a stunning smile you will be proud of for years to come. The best cosmetic dentists are AACD accredited.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Gap Back After Three Rounds of Braces

Posted on December 6, 2024 by writeradmin.

I’ve had braces in my teens, and two other times in adulthood. I keep having tooth movement that requires a fix. This time, my front teeth feel too prominent to me and the tooth gap has returned. I don’t want to do braces again, but want to do porcelain veneers. I was wanting two veneers for the front teeth, but my dentist says I need six. Is there no way to do just the two?

Madeline

Dear Madeline,

I want to go over the tooth movement first. Adult tooth movement happens to many people. Your orthodontists should have provided you with retainers after your treatments. For some people, using these for the first year or so after treatment are enough to keep the adult movement in check. For others, you need to wear the retainer, at least overnight, for the remainder of your life. It sounds like you are one of the latter.

As for the porcelain veneers, there are three possibilities here. The first is that your dentist is a highly skilled, ethical dentist who knows that just doing the two front teeth will not give you the smile you want. There are several reasons this could be. The second reason could be that he’s just trying to get you to buy more veneers, which is unethical. A third reason is that he is not skilled enough to just do the two teeth and match them to your adjacent teeth. He’s requiring the six to make it easier for him. However, unless you have a narrow smile, six would not be enough in that case. Most smiles are eight to ten teeth wide.

That does not mean you should get more than you need because the dentist lacks the skill to match things. What you do in that case is find a dentist who is skilled enough.

Do you know the cosmetic skill level of your current dentist? Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. Any dentist can legally do cosmetic dentistry even if they have hardly any training on the procedures. Dental school alone will not be enough. Beautiful smile makeovers are not taught there. You need a dentist who invested in post-doctoral training as well as having an artistic eye. The best cosmetic dentists are accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). I would do an internet search for an AACD accredited dentist in your area and get a second opinion.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Inflamed Gums After Porcelain Veneers

Posted on October 18, 2024 by writeradmin.

I had four porcelain veneers done in Columbia. I took the precaution of making sure it was done by a N.Y. dentist that lived there now. I’ve realized that I probably should have had more than four done because my other teeth are showing when I smile and they do not match up. I want to get at least four more, but can’t get any more time off to get back to Columbia. I was wondering if you knew whether or not there was a dentist who uses my Emblem Health Dental Insurance. I also wondered if you can tell me how to fix the redness and inflammation that are affecting the gums with the porcelain veneers. I probably should get the gum problem under control before adding new veneers.

Ellie

Dear Ellie,

My guess is that you went to Columbia in order to save money on your porcelain veneers and that is also why you are looking for a dentist that gives discounts through your health insurance. This is actually what lead to the problems with your gums. This N.Y. Dentist thing doesn’t mean he had any skills or that he was actually trained in New York.

I looked at the list of cosmetic dentists in the area you went. Only a handful had a connection with New York and even those were tenuous and showed no actual training in cosmetic dentistry.

Two things signal to me that your dentist in Columbia does not have the training that you need. First, knowing that you only had four porcelain veneers done, your dentist should have suggested you do teeth whitening first. Most smiles are eight to ten teeth wide. That would ensure that the teeth blended in with your porcelain veneers. This is pretty much standard operating procedure.

Second, the problem with your gums indicates that he doesn’t have the technical skill needed to do them correctly. The redness and swelling indicate that you have gum disease. This is likely due to the fact that your dentist did not place them seamlessly against your teeth. This can lead to a ledge of sorts by your gums which will trap food and other bacteria. Guess what that does? Breed gum disease.

This has to be repaired before you can move on to getting your other teeth done. That repair may be a simple one like removing excess bonding that was not properly removed, or it could mean that the veneers need to be replaced.

In your place, I would get this checked out by an expert cosmetic dentist. If you leave gum disease unchecked, you can end up losing those teeth. Go to a dentist who is AACD accredited. This is completely different from being a member and will ensure that the dentist has expert technical expertise as well as artistry.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Floss Catching Under My Porcelain Veneer

Posted on September 28, 2024 by writeradmin.

I need some advice. I recently had six porcelain veneers done. They do make my smile look better, but whenever I floss, the floss string gets caught under the front two veneers. My dentist says it is not a problem because you can’t see the problem when I smile. However, I’m worried that if my floss can get trapped there, so can other things. The last thing I need is decay so close to the root of my tooth. Am I worrying over nothing?

Emma

Dear Emma,

It is a shame that your dentist either does not understand the seriousness of this situation or she just doesn’t want to take responsibility for her mistakes. It doesn’t matter if you can see a problem. It is still a problem. Just because you can’t see cancer, doesn’t mean you should ignore it.

You are correct that things can get trapped there and cause decay. Even more likely, though, is your gums will get red and inflamed. Eventually, you will end up with a serious gum disease problem.

It is important that your dentist fix this. It sounds to me like you have a margin irregularity known as an overhang. This happens when the dentist had problems with the impression taken after your teeth were prepared for the porcelain veneers. Because the impression did not accurately record the upper end of the tooth preparation. This creates a bit of a bump or lip that things, such as your floss.

As I said, your dentist needs to fix this. The only way to do that is by replacing the porcelain veneers that have the problem. If your dentist has a sense of ethics, he or she will take care of this quickly and at their cost. If they don’t, it is still important you get it replaced, even if that means going to see a different dentist to do it. While you are waiting to get this replaced, make sure you continue to carefully floss the area. I know that is a bit challenging, but it is important.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold, an AACD accredited dentist.

Can I Get Porcelain Veneers If I Have Two Dental Implants?

Posted on August 21, 2024 by writeradmin.

I hate the way my smile looks, and really want a smile makeover. A friend who had one, that turned out gorgeous, said they used porcelain veneers. I have two teeth that have been replaced with dental implants. Am I able to get porcelain veneers with that? Will they put the veneers over the crowns or will those teeth have to stay the same?

Andrea

Dear Andrea,

You can always get a smile makeover! Porcelain veneers, when done well, are the best way to get that gorgeous Hollywood smile. You don’t want the dentist to put the porcelain veneers over the crowns, though. The Lumineers company used to advertise something like this telling people it was a way to save their old, ugly crowns, but it was a bad idea for three reasons.

First, it takes just as much work to place veneers over crowns as it does to just remake the crowns. Second, veneers do not bond to porcelain nearly as well as they do to natural teeth. Third, you double your risk of failure because now both the underlying crown can fail as well as the insecure bond between veneer and crown.

What you want to do instead, is have porcelain veneers placed on all of the teeth you want veneered EXCEPT for the ones with dental implants. Then, have the implant crowns replaced to match the porcelain veneers.

Who Should Do My Smile Makeover?

You need to be very careful who you have do this for you. Smile makeovers are an advanced procedure which is not adequately taught in dental school. Your case is even more complicated because you are having to match crowns and veneers together.

What you need is an expert cosmetic dentist. A challenge you will face with this is that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, dental school isn’t enough to get really skilled in cosmetic procedures. In order to develop the artistry and expertise necessary, a dentist would have to invest significant time and money in post-doctoral training. Few do this.

So, how can you find the ones who have? One of the easiest ways to do this is to go to the website for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD.com). They have an accreditation program. In order for a dentist to get AACD accredited, they have to pass stringent exams that shows their technical expertise. Additionally, they have to demonstrate their artistry before a board of examiners on a large number of cosmetic cases. Very few dentists get through this. In fact, I would say those that do are in the top 1-3% of cosmetic dentists in the world.

If I were in your place I would look for an AACD accredited dentist. On the AACD website is a find a dentist link. Just make sure that you check the box that shows you’re looking for someone who is accredited.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Will Medicaid Cover Porcelain Veneers?

Posted on July 10, 2024 by writeradmin.

I have been bulimic since I was 15 years old, which has left my smile in very bad shape. I would like to fix it but I’m hoping to not spend more money than is necessary. Is there a chance that Medicaid will cover them because it is a medical condition?

Selena

Dear Selena,

I am sorry you are going through this. There are a couple of problems with the Medicaid. First, you will need to get them to agree that the problem is medical. Even if you do that, and that is a big if, Medicaid will only pay for the cheapest solution to the problem. In your case, when it comes to fixing your teeth, they are very likely to say that the solution they will pay for is to extract all your teeth and give you dentures. You do NOT want that. Even if you found someone to give you the most beautiful dentures in the world, in ten years or so, you’ll be dealing with facial collapse.

The effects of facial collapse on a person’s appearance

Facial collapse happens because when your teeth are removed, your body instantly recognizes that. It interprets that as you no longer needing the jawbone that was there to support your tooth roots. Because of that, it begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body where they will be of more use. This has the unfortunate side effect of shrinking your jawbone until there is not even enough left to support your dentures, leaving you completely without teeth.

The way to prevent facial collapse would be to get dentures that were supported by dental implants. The implants are surgically placed into your jawbone, signaling to your body that there are still teeth there, which means it will leave the minerals in place. However, this is super expensive and Medicaid will not cover it.

It will be much more cost effective for you to save your natural teeth. But, the cosmetic part will not be covered by Medicaid. It will be out of pocket. While porcelain veneers are the standard for a smile makeover, you will want to find out how much damage there is to the back of your teeth. With bulimia, the backs of your teeth are what receive the bulk of the damage. You did not mention if your bulimia was under control or something that you are still battling. As long as that is still happening, you will continue to damage your teeth. If you are still struggling, one thing that can help, but not eliminate the damage is for you to immediately rinse out your mouth thoroughly with water in order to neutralize the acid.

Getting the cosmetic work done on your teeth may take you some time. It is important that you don’t just try to find the cheapest dentist to do this. Unfortunately, cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. That means that any general dentist is allowed to do it regardless of the amount of post-doctoral training they’ve received in the procedure. There is no one that has verified their skill or artistry in this. Usually, the cheapest dentists have the least amount of training. There are countless cosmetic dentistry horror stories.

My advice to you would be to get a consultation with an expert cosmetic dentist. The best way to find them is to look for someone who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Dentists who are AACD accredited are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. This is different than membership. Any dentist can be a member. In order to become accredited, a dentist has to pass stringent exams as well as provide visual documentation on a large number of cases they’ve done to prove they have artistry and can provide patients with a stunning result. This dentist can give you the best advice on what procedure will give you the smile of your dreams. Then, find out how much it would cost and save up for it.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

These Weren’t Really da Vinci Porcelain Veneers

Posted on May 16, 2024 by writeradmin.

I wonder if you can help me. I wanted a smile makeover and my dentist said he would get me da Vinci porcelain veneers. I live in the deep south and it took a while for them to get in because they are out in California. The day they came in I was so excited and went to the office right away. Unfortunately, the office said that they didn’t like some of the results. Almost immediately, a man showed up to take them and work on them. This has me puzzled. how would he show up immediately from California like that when they just got in. This is making me wonder if these were not really da Vinci veneers. I’m worried about that because I have never had a good experience with a cosmetic dentist in the south. I only agreed to these veneers because my dentist assured me he was using da Vinci. What do I do if I don’t like them?

David

Dear David,

I agree with you that something hinky is going on here. You are correct that he would not fly out there immediately, as well as get there so fast. While there is a slight (highly unlikely) possibility that they had the original work done by the da Vinci labs and then hired a local guy to do the repairs, I have real reasons for doubting that. This is because da Vinci would have to fix it for free, while someone local would have charged them. The more likely scenario is that they never used da Vinci to begin with.

No matter how good a lab is, it will not make up for any lack of skill on the part of the dentist. Plus, in a large lab like da Vinci, only their top cosmetic dentists get the best ceramists. Others will get those with less skill.

So, how can you protect yourself here? My big suggestion is that you make sure they are first placed with a temporary try-in paste. This will enable you to get a good look at them in several different type of lighting in order to determine if you are thrilled with the results. If you are not, do NOT let him bond them on. They should go back to the laboratory to make any changes you deem necessary. Whatever you do, do not let him bond them in.

If he refuses to do that, then get a refund and go to an expert cosmetic dentist to have your porcelain veneers done.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Fixing a Broken Lower Front Tooth

Posted on January 6, 2024 by writeradmin.

About a year ago I broke a lower front tooth. It was irritating me the way it hit the soft tissue in my mouth, not to mention it made me uncomfortable. My dentist said he could repair it with a filling. Unfortunately, there have been two problems with the repair. First, it won’t stay on. It’s fallen off less than a week after he re-does the repair and he’s “repaired” it several times. This is an unrealistic way of keeping this tooth whole. The second issue is more of an aesthetic concern, but still valid. The repair does not match the rest of my tooth. The color is completely different. Is there any way to really repair this?

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

One of the problems you are facing with this composite bonding repair is the dentist. Your lower incisal edges hit the insides of the upper incisors constantly, especially when you close your mouth. This puts enormous stress on the repair. A dentist repairing this would not only need to be an expert cosmetic dentist to get this to look natural, but also understand the principles of occlusion (how your bite comes together) in order to minimize this issue. Based on your description, your dentist does not have either of these skills.

Here is an image of a patient who has a similar problem as you by another dentist. Notice one of the repairs fell off and the tooth next to it has bonding where the color is markedly different from the tooth. Also notice that the tooth with the chip is further forward from the other teeth. This caused it to hit before the other teeth putting additional stress on it.

Thankfully, this patient was able to get to an expert cosmetic dentist and have this fixed properly (image below). This dentist used porcelain veneers to repair the tooth. Notice that he also shaved back the tooth that was further forward so that it would line up with the other teeth and reduce the stresses.

What you need to do if find an expert cosmetic dentist. Look for someone who is AACD accredited. These are the best cosmetic dentists in the country.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.