I chipped my teeth in a stupid fall. My dentist is suggesting putting two Lumineers on the front teeth. I asked him why two instead of just the chipped tooth, mostly because those puppies are so freaking expensive. He said you have to do two on front teeth in order for them to match perfectly. I guess I can fork out the money. I don’t want to go around with a damaged front tooth, but thought I’d just check and see if there are other options.

Patricia

Dear Patricia,

I’m glad you wrote. In general, if all you want to do is fix a chipped tooth getting porcelain veneers is a massive overtreatment. Porcelain veneers are used for complete smile makeovers. If there are other things you want to change about your smile, this is a good investment. It can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth simultaneously.

You said all you were interested in is the chip. In that case, there is a more appropriate treatment. I would go to an expert cosmetic dentist who does dental bonding. There is a picture above showing how well this can blend when done well. I wouldn’t let your current dentist do this. He’s not a skilled cosmetic dentist. There are a couple of reasons for me feeling confident in that statement.

First, he said you would have to do two Lumineers to get the front teeth to match. This is a dead giveaway he is not a skilled cosmetic dentist. What he should say is, you need two veneers for HIM to get them to match. Second, he’s suggesting Lumineers. This is a brand of porcelain veneers that is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. They say that because you can place them without any tooth preparation. While true, in most cases they end up looking bulky that way.

Dental bonding is even trickier because it requires the dentist to create the shape of the tooth freehand. It takes serious artistry. This may be why your dentist didn’t suggest it. He may not even know how to do the procedure.

Finding a Great Cosmetic Dentist

You have three different ways you can find a great, artistic cosmetic dentist. The first is to check a bunch of dentist’s websites to see if they do dental bonding, then look at their smile gallery to make sure they do beautiful, natural-looking work. This is a tad time consuming, but will work. Just make sure the work they’re showing is their own work and not stock photos.

Second, you can hit the easy button and just go to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s website and do a search for an accredited or accredited fellow dentist. AACD accredited dentists are the top cosmetic dentists in the world. They will give you beautiful, natural-looking results.

Finally, you can try mynewsmile.com. Sometimes it is hard to find an accredited dentist within a reasonable distance. There are incredible dentists who are in the process of being accredited but haven’t officially passed yet. That is not because they don’t have the skills, but rather because it takes years to get officially accredited. The mynewsmile website fills in the gap. They screen every cosmetic dentist who wants to be listed for both technical training as well as their artistry. They cannot pay to be listed. Their website lists both accredited and non-accredited dentists who have the skills.

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