I have fluorosis stains. My dentist said he could do dental bonding on them, but it has been a disaster from the beginning. First, the color wasn’t good enough for them to cover the stains. He made them thicker which helped a bit, but they fell off the next day. So, he suggested I get a mouth guard, which I did, then he did them again. They fell off just three days later. When I went to see him about that again his reply was that he told me they weren’t permanent. I know that, but he did indicate 5 years, not a few days! Is there a way I can just get my money back and do these over?
Isobel
Dear Isobel,
I’m going to start with what fluorosis stains are for the benefit of those who are reading this, but may not know. If you ingest too much fluoride when your teeth are developing then you can develop mottled stains on your teeth.
These are mild fluorosis stains. Dental bonding can be done on these fairly simply by preparing the tooth and placing a translucent bonding material on.
These are more severe fluorosis stains. You can still have dental bonding on these as well, but it takes more preparation. You’ll also need a mild opaquer placed before the translucent layer.
The Bonding Process
The first step of course would be to grind out the discoloration. You won’t want to just place the bonding directly over it. For the bonding itself, your dentist will etch the enamel, rinse it, then dry it. Regardless, of the level of fluorosis stains, your dentist will know it is properly etched when the tooth has a frosty appearance.
Once that is complete a liquid bonding agent is applied and cured. Then, you can place the composite and cure it. The final step will be to bring it up to a high polish. Your dentist is obviously in over his head and probably didn’t have the right materials or skills to do this properly.
As for a mouthguard being required, unless you have a persistent grinding problem, that shouldn’t be necessary at all.
Most of the time it is difficult to get a refund for a cosmetic procedure, especially if the complaint is you don’t like how it looks. However, in your case, it shouldn’t be a problem. The basic standard of care is that they stay on. Yours are not doing that for even a minimum expectation. When you do get this re-done, I am going to suggest you see an AACD accredited dentist. These dentists are experts in cosmetics and will have the skill and artistry you need to get a functional AND stunningly beautiful result.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.