I think I’ve made a terrible mistake. I thought it would be important to see a prosthodontist for a full-mouth reconstruction. When I consulted with him I asked if I needed a cosmetic dentist for appearance issues. His answer was, “I’ve been doing this for a long time. You need to trust me.” I figured I could. He has been doing it for years. The one thing I did do is bring a picture of the smile I had 30 years ago. Of course, he said. “Trust me. I’ve got this.” So, I went forward. When we went over the color he told me I picked the wrong color for what I want. All I kept hearing was trust him. When the crowns came back, I tried trying them on. The fit, but if I tried to open my mouth or smile to get a good look at them, they’d fall out. What I could tell when they were out was that the bottom teeth looked whiter than the top teeth. That really bothered me. They told me it was because they weren’t completed and when they were they’d look perfect. Again, I trusted them. When the permanent ones came back, again, I couldn’t see them in my mouth but I could tell the top and bottom didn’t match. I mentioned it to him again and he became annoyed. and said, “We’ve been very patient and done all we can for you. If you don’t like them, don’t get them and leave.” I was humiliated and felt trapped. If I left, I’d have no teeth! How could I go around (or even survive) with no teeth. I got them, but cried almost the whole appointment, which just annoyed them even more. Now that they’re permanently in I could tell that the top teeth are definitely darker than the bottom. If it were the other way around I think I could live with it. But, it’s not and my smile looks really odd. What do I do? I spent my entire savings on this. I’ve got nothing left to get it fixed.
Felicity
Dear Felicity,
Finding the Right Cosmetic Dentist is Important
I can see where you were trying to do everything right. You went to an experienced dentist. Truthfully, though, you were bullied. This is not how a true cosmetic dentist would work. However, you were wasting your breath from day one. Prosthodontists can be very good from a technical point of view. But, many of them tend to have a dental school mindset of they know best and you have no right to question their decision, regardless of how unfounded in aesthetics their decision is.
That being said, you can get this worked out if you’re tough. You’re going to have to be confrontational and it doesn’t sound like that comes easy for you. Your dentist forced this smile on you and did the work without your true consent. Find a lawyer who understands informed consent. It’s the cornerstone of dental practice and ethics.
The dentist who did your smile makeover may not understand this at first. I’m sure in his arrogance he feels you’ve consented and that’s enough. But, even if you signed a document, you did so under duress, which negates the consent in a court of law. A good lawyer will know this and make a great case for you.
Hopefully, it won’t get as far as court. I’m thinking a nice letter from a lawyer reminding him of his ethical obligations and the legal meaning of informed consent he’ll wise up. It’s to his advantage to give you a full refund rather than risk a jury awarding you punitive and emotional damages, in addition to a refund.
Finding a Cosmetic Dentist to Beautify Your Smile
Either way, you’ll get your money back. In the meantime, you need to replace this dentist with a skilled and artistic cosmetic dentist. Porcelain crowns can be made to be well-fitting and stunning. But, it requires an expert cosmetic dentist. There are two places you can look to find an incredible cosmetic dentist. The first place I’d go is the website for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (aacd.com). You’re not just looking for a member. Any dentist can become a member just by paying the membership fees and being licensed. You want an accredited member. These have passed stringent oral and written exams as well as demonstrated their artistic ability on a large number of cases they’ve performed. They’re among the top cosmetic dentists in the world.
A second place you can look is mynewsmile.com. Not every expert cosmetic dentist is accredited. Some are on their way to accreditation. This site lists the experts regardless of where they are in that process. It’s based completely on their skill and artistry.
Another way to check out a cosmetic dentist is if they offer a free remote smile consult like we do.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.