Porcelain Veneers Archives

Do No-Prep Veneers Require a Certain Smile?

Posted on August 22, 2023 by writeradmin.

I want to get a smile makeover and have been looking at no prep veneers. My concern is that there seem to be very mixed results. I’ve wondered if the results had to do with the size of the teeth. One of the pictures where there are good results showed that the girl had very small teeth to begin with. Would I need tiny teeth in order to have a pretty result?

Janice

Dear Janice,

I am glad you wrote. It is good that you noticed there is a difference in the results when it comes to smile makeovers. Believe it or not, the biggest difference is not the type of smile the patient starts with or even the materials used (with one exception), but the artistry and technical skill of the dentist.

Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. This means any general dentist can do cosmetic procedures regardless of the amount of training they’ve received in those procedures. In order to become technically skilled, a detnist needs to invest in post-doctoral training. Additionally, there is the needed X factor of artistry. You can have two dentists work on the exact same type of smile, with the exact same type of materials and the results will turn out completely different. This is because, like painting or sculpting, smile makeovers are an art form and much of how it turns out depends on the artist.

Are All No-Prep Veneers the Same?

There are several brands of no-prep veneers. Remember when I said that the materials don’t matter that much? There is one slight exception to that. I would be wary of a dentist wanting to do Lumineers. These are heavily marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. However, the bigger problem with them is the company that makes Lumineers require dentists to use their lab. Unfortunately, this lab is not known for producing beautiful results. Most expert cosmetic dentists have their own lab and master ceramist they prefer to work with— one they know will give the results they expect.

Finding a Dentist for Your Smile Makeover

Focus on finding the right dentist. Then he or she will be able to tell you whether or not no-prep veneers would be a good option for you. Even if it is not, the amount of tooth structure that would be removed for traditional porcelain veneers is about the depth of a fingernail. It is not anything like the grinding that has to be done for dental crowns.

So, where do you find this elusive expert cosmetic dentist? The easiest way is to go to the the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and use their “find a dentist” link. Make sure you click that you want an accredited dentist. That is important. Any dentist can be a member. AACD accredited dentists had to pass stringent exams as well as demonstrate their technical skill and artistry on a large number of cases. They are in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country. You will be in good hands.

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

Treating Enamel Hypoplasia

Posted on May 31, 2023 by writeradmin.

I have rather severe enamel hypoplasia. I’ve been looking for a cosmetic solution. I’ve finally gotten my dream job. I wore a temporary snap on type of smile for the interview, but want something more permanent Preferably that looks more natural than what I used in the interview. Do you have any recommendations for me?

Rose,

Dear Rose,

Examples of mild and severe enamel hypoplasia

Examples of mild and severe hypoplasia.

For those who are unaware of what enamel hypoplasia is, I will give a very brief overview. Enamel hypoplasia is a defect in which the enamel of the teeth have not fully formed. It is generally a genetic defect. However, it can also be caused by disease during the formation of the teeth.

If someone has mild hypoplasia, it can generally be repaired by dental bonding. However, you said you have severe hypoplasia. That will require something more.

My suggestion in your position is to get porcelain veneers. This can do more than cover your hypoplasia. It can completely remake your smile. This is the go-to procedure for those in Hollywood wanting a smile to light up the screen. You can have the perfect Hollywood smile or something with more character. It is completely up to you.

The key to obtaining beautiful results is the dentist, so you need to be very careful whom you choose. Unfortunately, there is not a recognized cosmetic dentistry specialty. Any general dental can call themselves a cosmetic dentist regardless of the training (or lack thereof). Because of that, I recommend you look for a dentist who is AACD Accredited. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. Any one of them can give you a stunning smile makeover. When you go to your new job, your smile will blow them away.

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

My 360 Veneers Won’t Stay On

Posted on April 10, 2023 by writeradmin.

I need some help. I went to my dentist and told him that I wanted to get a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. He told me I was a great candidate for 360 veneers, which means they cover your whole tooth and not just the front. He said they’re more secure than regular veneers. I did ask if that meant they’d have to remove a lot of my tooth structure and he assured me they would not. Since getting the 360 veneers, I’ve had several fall off. Two things about this bothers me. First, when they did come off, the teeth were little nubs, which is not what we discussed. Second, they keep falling off even though I am chopping up my food very small and not eating anything hard, as I was instructed. I feel more insecure now about my smile than I did before because I am never sure if the teeth are going to fall out or not. Is this normal? Will it stop?

Kary

Dear Kary,

I am so sorry this has happened to you. The first thing I am going to say is that you need to ask for a refund on these and then see another dentist to have this done correctly. To be quite blunt, your dentist lied to you. In fact, he lied several times. First, there is no such thing as 360 veneers. What he gave you were dental crowns. Some dentists, who have not invested in much smile makeover training, don’t know how to do proper porcelain veneers. So, they steer their patients toward dental crowns, which is taught in general dental school. Unfortunately, he does not even seem to know how to do those right, which is something we’ll get into in a moment.

The second thing he lied about was the amount of tooth structure he would have to remove. Any dentist knows the difference between porcelain veneer prep and dental crown prep. Below, I have a picture of both.

As you can see, there is a dramatic difference in the way that teeth are prepped for porcelain veneers versus porcelain crowns. Any first year dental student should know the difference.

I mentioned that this dentist does not even know how to do a dental crown properly. These should not be falling out. Most dentists go their entire careers without a single crown falling out. You seem to have multiple that fall out. Additionally, they should be secure enough that you would not have to chop up your food into little bits or avoid certain foods.

As I mentioned at the beginning. I think you should get a full refund. If he has a problem with that, you can bring up the issues I have here. I’m sure you’d have a great malpractice case if you wanted to go that route. However, I think once you mention that to him, he’ll be glad to refund you. Then you can have this done by a skilled cosmetic dentist. Your safest option will be to go to a dentist who is AACD accredited. They have passed stringent exams and had to demonstrate their artistry on a large number of cases.

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

Why Are My Porcelain Veneers Turning Gray?

Posted on March 17, 2023 by writeradmin.

I am having trouble with my new porcelain veneers. I had them placed about eight months ago. Since then, they have started turning gray and I am really distraught about this. I spent everything I had to get them. I looked up some things on the internet and it sounds like I could have damaged them. I’ve been using Listerine after brushing. I did not realize that was a problem. No one gave me any instructions about how to care for them or what not to do. Is there anything I can do to get them back to the way they were?

Mason

Dear Mason,

I am sorry that your dental office did not give you any guidance on caring for your porcelain veneers. They should have. While using Listerine is not a good idea, it would not be the cause of your veneers turning gray. What can happen is the alcohol content in the mouthwash can damage the bonding. If you want to use a mouthwash, I recommend you use one that is alcohol-free. I believe Colgate has an alcohol-free mouthwash. Just look at the ingredients before purchasing to know with certainty.

I see a couple of possibilities for why these veneers are turning gray. The first is that you did not really get porcelain veneers and the surface is picking up stains. Some dentists will place composite bonding and call them veneers. This is unethical and just plain dishonest.

The second possibility is that something damaged the glazing on your porcelain veneers. You mentioned that it has been about eight months since they were placed. If you recently had a dental cleaning, then it is possible that your hygienist used something like a power prophy jet during your cleaning. If your dentist did not educate you on how to care for your veneers, then he may not have instructed his hygienist either.

A prophy jet will completely remove the glaze, which is what protects the veneers from stains. If that was removed, it would not take long for them to start changing color.

Either way, it sounds to me like your dentist is responsible for fixing this. Either his office damaged them or they did not give you what they said they did. I would insist they fix this. You may want to see an expert cosmetic dentist who can put eyes on your veneers and tell you exactly what happened. This will give you some leverage. Make sure you see someone who is AACD accredited for that second opinion. They are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

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

My Porcelain Veneers Look Fake

Posted on January 10, 2023 by writeradmin.

I don’t know what to do about my smile makeover. I went in telling my dentist I wanted to get a smile makeover and he seemed excited about it because he’d just finished training with Lumineers. I went ahead and got them but now my smile looks chalky and fake. It almost looks like I’ve glued chicklets to my front teeth. I mentioned this to my dentist and he said it is because I am not used to having a pretty smile and if I give it time I will love it. It hasn’t grown on me and now I seemed to have developed a lisp. Is there anything I can do about this?

Belinda

Dear Belinda,

I am so sorry you are having to deal with this after investing your money in what you hoped would be a beautiful smile makeover. As you have unfortunately discovered the hard way, cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. This means any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist and do cosmetic procedures. However, that doesn’t mean they have the technical knowledge or the skill.

When it comes to the dental board, if your work is functional that means your dentist has met the standard of care. This is unfortunate for patients who have cosmetic results they are not happy with. In those cases, you have to try and appeal to your dentist’s better nature and hope that he cares about how his patients feel about the results.

A true cosmetic dentist would bond your porcelain veneers on with a temporary try-in paste and then allow you to look at them in a variety of lightings to make sure you are absolutely thrilled with your new smile. If there was anything you didn’t like, not matter how minor, they would go back to the lab to be redone. It sounds like you were never given this opportunity.

The Lumineers brand is often marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place because they are considered ultra-thin or no-prep. The problem with that is it will make most smiles look bulky without some tooth preparation. This seems to be the case with your smile.

While I would start by appealing to your dentist’s pride in his work and care about patient satisfaction, you actually have another issue working in your favor. The way he placed the porcelain veneers has caused you to develop a lisp, which means they are not truly function. You have the right to have a refund so that you can go to a true cosmetic dentist to have your smile makeover done correctly.

Once you secure your refund, I would look for an AACD accredited cosmetic dentist. Cosmetic dentists who have earned accreditation are the top in their field and can give you a stunning smile makeover. One you’ll be proud to share with the world.

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

Porcelain Veneers for Tetracycline Stains

Posted on November 7, 2022 by writeradmin.

Both my sister and I have tetracycline stains. About five years ago, she covered them with porcelain veneers but her dentist said they had to be made opaque in order to cover the stains. As a result, they look sort of chalky and fake. I wondered if it is still that way or if there have been more modern developments in the porcelain veneers procedure. I’d really like to improve my smile.

Cynthia

Dear Cynthia,

Though good news for you, your sister probably won’t be thrilled to know that she could have had a more natural-looking smile herself. The key to this is the dentist. Porcelain veneers are an advanced procedure under any circumstances but when you add tetracycline stains into the mix and only about 1% of the cosmetic dentists in the country could do this right. That is because the veneers have to be made opaque enough to cover the stains, but translucent enough to look natural. Some dentists try doing dental crowns instead, thinking the added material will help cover the stains, but that ends up having the same problem. The only thing that is different is they had to remove a lot more healthy tooth structure than was necessary.

With cosmetic dentistry not being a recognized specialty, it is up to the dentist how much time and money they invest in cosmetic training. That makes it a bit tricky for the patients. How are you supposed to know if one general dentist invested in more training than another? Also, because cosmetic work is an artform, some dentists will have more artistic ability than others.

If I were in your place, I would only go to a dentist who has been accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists had to pass stringent exams demonstrating they have the technical knowledge necessary to do the procedures correctly. Not only that, they also have to provide visual evidence on a large list of cosmetic cases they have done themselves that are examined by an accreditation board for skill as well as artistry. They are the top cosmetic dentists in the country and you will get a beautiful, natural-looking smile makeover.

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

After My Porcelain Veneers I Have Tri-Colored Teeth

Posted on June 30, 2022 by writeradmin.

I had four porcelain veneers placed on my upper front teeth. I was so excited about the prospect of having a pretty smile and now it seems like my smile is even worse than it was before. First, I have my yellow, natural teeth that are next to the porcelain veneers. Then, I have the two white veneers. Finally, there are my two front teeth where one of the veneers has turned gray. My dentist said we can fix that by making that tooth thicker, but I’m worried that not only will I have tri-colored teeth, as I do now, but one of them will look like a donkey tooth it will be so thick. This is not the smile makeover I was hoping for.

Kristin

Hi Kristin,

It sounds like you went to your average family dentist to have this smile makeover done. She probably had the best of intentions but does appear to be in over her head. Smile makeovers are not adequately taught in dental school. Unless your dentist invests in a significant amount of post-doctoral training. It doesn’t sound like she has done that.

You paid for a beautiful smile and I’m not convinced she can give you one. Whatever you do, do not allow her to thicken that one tooth. Your instincts are correct. It will look stupid. Plus, If it has turned gray, it is either because the glazing was damaged, which will just keep getting worse, or there is some microleakage which is getting bacteria between your porcelain veneers and your tooth. This will lead to decay.

My recommendation is you ask for a refund and then have this case redone by a skilled cosmetic dentist. The top cosmetic dentists in the country are AACD accredited, so I would start there. It is very likely that he or she will want to start the case over, which is to your benefit. They will likely start with some teeth whitening, which your dentist should have done to begin with. You want the adjacent teeth that do not receive porcelain veneers to blend in color with the veneered teeth.

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

Why Do I Need Root Canals After My Smile Makeover?

Posted on April 1, 2022 by writeradmin.

I had a full smile makeover done with veneer crowns. I had twelve done on my top arch and ten done on my bottom arch. Then the problems started. At first, I had sharp pains on a couple of the teeth. He adjusted them a few times. Eventually, the pain went away but I am not convinced that was from the adjustments because a few weeks later they developed abscesses. After he did some x-rays, my dentist said the nerves had died and those teeth will need root canal treatments. I was shocked. He never mentioned nerve damage as a risk. When I asked about that he said it is incredibly rare and I am just unlucky. Since, then, three more of the teeth have needed root canal treatments. While my dentist has agreed to pay for half the cost of these additional treatments, I am more concerned that all the teeth are going to fail one by one. Have you heard of this happening?

Patty

Dear Patty,

I want to clarify some terms first, which I think will also explain the problem you have been having. There are porcelain veneers and there are porcelain crowns, but there is not something called veneer crowns. Based on what happened to you, I think your dentist actually gave you porcelain crowns and may have called them veneers. Some dentists do that to make it sound more like a true smile makeover.

There are a couple of ways you can know for certain. The first is the type of tooth preparation. The second is the shape of the restorations. These two things go hand in hand.

Porcelain veneer tooth preparation

Directly above you will see an image for what the tooth preparation for porcelain veneers will look like. This is minimal tooth prep because porcelain veneers are bonded to the front of your teeth only. Because of how little structure is removed from your teeth, there is practically zero chance of any nerve damage.

Tooth preparation for dental crowns

Dental crowns, on the other hand, are a completely different story. Because these have to go around your entire tooth, much more tooth preparation is necessary (as shown above). This has a much greater risk for damage, depending on how aggressive your dentist is in the tooth prep. Based on the number of root canal treatments you need, I would say he was extremely aggressive.

By the way, I don’t think paying for half of your root canal treatments is enough. He should pay the entire thing. This is especially true if he misled you as to what procedure you were getting.

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

Inflammed Gums After Porcelain Veneers

Posted on February 14, 2022 by writeradmin.

A few months ago I had four porcelain veneers placed on my front teeth. Since then, the gums have been inflamed on all the teeth with veneers as well as the gums on the two adjacent teeth. I spoke with the hygienist about it who looked at the gums and blamed the way I was brushing. That really irritated me. I am 52 years old and know how to brush my teeth. I was getting nowhere with her and just had to wait until my follow-up appointment with the dentist. When that finally arrived, he removed some excess cement which is said was normal and shaved down some of the rough spots in the back. While that did ease things some, it did not solve the problem. I honestly don’t know what to do. No one at the office is taking me seriously. Have you seen this occur before?

Agnes

Dear Agnes,

It is both infuriating and disheartening when a medical professional falsely blames the problem on the patient. In this case, the problem is likely the dentist. I have found that almost 100% of the time, after a patient gets a smile makeover, they take better care of their teeth because they want the beauty to last.

From what you described, it sounds like the inflammation you are experiencing looks something like what you see above, on the lateral incisors. My guess is your dentist is not an AACD accredited dentist. One of the things the examination board looks at is the health of the gums. If they saw something like in the case above, this dentist would not pass accreditation.

One thing I noticed right off the bat that your dentist did wrong is not to remove all the excess cement when he placed the porcelain veneers. Dentists who do a lot of cosmetic work will have a system to make sure this gets done efficiently. First, they will tack on the veneer by curing the cement in the middle of the tooth. This allows them to clean off all the excess cement while it is still soft. All of this should be done on the day of your procedure. He obviously didn’t know that or he would not have been removing it at your follow up appointment.

There are a few other possible issues that are causing your inflammation. There could be unevenness between where the veneer meets the tooth, called the margins. Another issue could be that the veneers are going too far under the gum. Finally, though rare, you could be having an allergic reaction to the materials. My suggestion is that you get a second opinion from another dentist, with two qualifications. First, it needs to be a blind second opinion. That means the dentist doesn’t know who did the work. You just show him your veneers and the inflammation and let him decide what is causing it without knowing anything else. Second, it needs to be an expert cosmetic dentist. Without that expertise, he or she will likely be just as clueless as the dentist who did your work. The best cosmetic dentists are AACD accredited dentists. I would look for one in your area or even one or two cities over.

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

Porcelain Veneers Disaster

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Travis Wachendorf.

I went to my dentist in the hopes of starting a plan to get braces. I have four misaligned teeth in the front. He told me that he could recommend an orthodontist and I could wear braces for three years or he could fix them in just a couple of appointments and make them look even better with porcelain veneers. That seemed like a no-brainer to me. However, when he finished, the porcelain veneers seemed too small because they had a gap at the top and the teeth still looked misaligned. Now, I do realize he told me they would still be misaligned, but they would look straight. They don’t. I’ve spent a small fortune and the changes I wanted are still necessary, plus he charged me a little extra because he said he reshaped my bottom teeth, which we never even talked about so I don’t see why I should be charged for that. When I asked why they still didn’t look straight he said that because as he did the case he realized I’d need two root canal treatments and dental crowns on those teeth so he was leaving things close to normal to allow for those changes. So, now, he wants me to spend even more money. I feel like I’m being taken for a ride. Can porcelain veneers even make teeth look straight or is that a lie too?

Joyce

Dear Joyce,

I’m going to start with your last question first. In the hands of an expert cosmetic dentist, your teeth can definitely be made to look straight. It would appear, because of a number of issues you mentioned, that your dentist is not qualified. Not only that, he appears to be unethical too. I say that because of two particular issues:

First, he did work on your bottom teeth without consulting you. Informed consent is a foundational principle in dental care. Your dentist ignored that.
Second, he did work that he considered unnecessary. Why do the porcelain veneers if he thought you needed dental crowns? That is double treatment.

The porcelain veneers that have gaps in them will need to be replaced. These are going to lead to food and other bacteria getting caught between your teeth, gums, and porcelain veneers, which in turn will lead to decay.

I’m not convinced those teeth need root canal treatments either. I am going to implore you to get a second opinion from a qualified cosmetic dentist. Look for someone in your area who is an accredited dentist with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. These are the best cosmetic dentists in the country.

Don’t tell them anything the previous dentist said or even who he was. It is always best to get a blind second opinion. If things are as bad as I think, he or she can help you get a refund on your work and then you can get it done correctly by a dentist who knows exactly what they’re doing.

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