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Cosmetic and
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dentistry

Archives for December 2019

Victim of Dental Tourism for a Smile Makeover

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I went to Croatia and was able to receive $60,000 worth of cosmetic work for just over $10,000, including airfare. I thought I was getting the deal of the century. When I asked them how they could afford to do that, they told me health care was more affordable in their country because they don’t have as many laws and restrictions. I fell for it hook line and sinker. I’ve been home two weeks and have followed all their instructions including not to eat with my front teeth for a few months. But, since then four of them have already fallen out including one of the front teeth. I promise I haven’t been eating with it. What do you recommend?

Stacey

Dear Stacey,

A woman smiling with a beauttiful smile

The most important factor in a smile makeover is the skill of the cosmetic dentist.

Dental tourism is a booming industry, especially for advanced cases like smile makeovers. Unfortunately, as you are discovering, it rarely works out the way the tourist hopes. While it is true we have more regulations in our health care system, most of that is to protect the patient from unhealthy or incompetent practices.

If they truly gave you porcelain veneers, telling you to avoid eating with your front teeth sends off huge warning bells to me. With correctly bonded porcelain veneers, you should be able to eat anything you want. It sounds to me like these “dentists” may not truly understand how to bond them. Though, there is always the possibility they didn’t provide you with true porcelain veneers.

Getting this Smile Makeover Repaired

You are going to need the expertise of a top of the line cosmetic dentist. Look for one who is AACD accredited. They are in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country.

The first thing you’ll want to find out is if they are truly porcelain veneers. That is your best-case scenario. If they are, an expert cosmetic dentist can bond them back on properly. This isn’t something any dentist can do. It requires techniques and skills most dentists don’t have. I’d recommend having the rest of them re-bonded as well if that is the case.

If they are not porcelain veneers, you can try to get your money back, but most of that will depend on the laws available to the consumer in Croatia. It’s not likely to be anywhere near as useful as what you have here.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Trouble with Porcelain Veneers

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I have this set of porcelain veneers and I’ve had nothing but trouble with them. First, they kept coming off. Then, once they started staying on permanently, I noticed one of them has a horizontal divot which I hadn’t noticed before. I called my dentist and graciously agreed to buff it out, but now that tooth looks more matte than the surrounding teeth. What’s going on? I thought porcelain veneers were the top of the line for smile makeovers.

Pamela

Dear Pamela,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth.

You say that your porcelain veneers are the problem. On the contrary, I’m pretty sure it’s your dentist who is the issue here. First, you said they wouldn’t stay bonded. This shows a lack of basic technique. Then, you came to him with a divot in your veneer. While he may have buffed out the divot, he simultaneously took off the glazing on the veneer as well. This has ruined your porcelain veneer and it will begin to pick up stains rather soon.

You have three choices here.

  1. Have the veneer polished.
  2. Have your dentist replace your veneer.
  3. Have another dentist do the work.

First, you can have your dentist polish the damaged veneer. It’s not complicated, but it does require knowledge and equipment your dentist likely doesn’t have. You start by using diamond polishing instruments and polishing paste, then end with an ultra-fine diamond polishing paste. I recommend Brasseler’s Dialite Porcelain Polishing System.

If you aren’t confident your dentist can pull this off or he’s not interested in investing in the right equipment, then you can require him to replace the porcelain veneer. This would require he has improved his bonding technique.

Finally, if you don’t have confidence in him to be able to do either of the above correctly, then you simply ask him to pay for the repair from a more qualified dentist, whom YOU pick.

Who Should Do Your Porcelain Veneers?

You were correct in thinking that porcelain veneers are the top of the line smile makeover procedure. However, to get that gorgeous celebrity smile, it also requires having a top of the line cosmetic dentist. I always recommend you look for an AACD accredited dentist in your area.

These are the dentists who, not only invested in advanced cosmetic training, but also have an artistic eye with the ability to craft stunning smiles.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Three Different Colored Teeth After Getting Porcelain Veneers

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Help me! I had four porcelain veneers placed on my teeth. As a result, I have three different colored teeth. My natural teeth are yellowish. The four porcelain veneers I received were all the same color, but now have a grayish tint in a splotchy way all the way down. I’m so frustrated because I paid a lot for these. What do I do?

Dania

Dear Dania,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth.

I’m sorry this has happened to you after investing in a beautiful smile. When you pay for a smile makeover, you expect it to be something you can be proud of. This isn’t what you received. My guess is your dentist is just your bread and butter general dentist, who hasn’t invested a lot of training in cosmetic work.

Unfortunately, this has its most negative impact on you. Most patients don’t realize that cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty in the dental field. Any dentist can do it and it is up to them how much time they invest in training Think of it as an art form. If one person had a year of violin lessons and dabbled in practice and another person studied for years and practiced diligently, which one would you want to play at your wedding?

Getting Your Porcelain Veneers Done Right

There are some solutions to your situation. Let’s start with the visibility of your yellowed natural teeth. You received four porcelain veneers. Most smiles, including yours, are wider than four teeth. To keep that smile as uniform in appearance as possible, you have two options. One is to get enough porcelain veneers to cover all teeth which are visible when you smile. The second, if you can’t afford that many veneers, is to whiten your teeth. This is typically done before getting your veneers, so they can be made to match the color of your new white natural teeth as closely as possible. However, you can still get your teeth whitened now. The procedure will not damage your veneers.

As for your graying veneers. It sounds like the bonding isn’t well done on those teeth. Because it is splotchy, I believe there is food and bacteria getting caught between your teeth and the veneers. The only solution to this is to have them re-done. In fact, you need them to be replaced. Otherwise, your teeth will begin to decay under the porcelain veneers.

In some way, this is actually good news for you. It gives you a case for getting a refund from this dentist. Then, you can invest that money in a dentist who has done more training and has an artistic eye as well as the technical skill. My suggestion is you find an AACD accredited dentist. They’re the top cosmetic dentists in the country. They’ll give you a stunning smile.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Form and Function with TMJ Disorder

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I am a mess. I had been grinding my teeth for years. Apparently, my dentist knew this and never mentioned it until my teeth were down to nubs. He crowned the worn teeth, but now I am in constant pain. Plus, I’ve worn those down as well. I don’t know how to stop doing that because I didn’t realize I was doing it to begin with. I went to get specialist help but learned there isn’t a specialist in this. It has been suggested I see a prosthodontist, but I’m worried the teeth won’t look good. Do I have to choose between functioning pain-free teeth and a pretty smile?

Amelia

Dear Amelia,

woman holding her her jaw in pain

I’m sorry you’ve been put through this. Plus, I hope you don’t mind saying I think you need to find a better dentist. This one doesn’t seem to have your best interests at heart. He knew you were grinding your teeth and never provided you with the simple tool to protect your teeth to keep from wearing them down.

Then he let you do it again with your dental crowns. I’m sorry, but that is like standing there watching a blind person walk off a cliff, charge them for the hospital bill and repairs, then watching them do it again. How were you supposed to know you were grinding your teeth, let alone what would help? He’s the professional.

Yes, a prosthodontist will typically have more training in treating TMJ Disorders than your average dentist, but as you mentioned not many of them are artistic. They are passionate about the technical aspects and don’t really care about appearance-related issues.

What you need is a dentist who is passionate about form and function; one who has invested in both TMJ training as well as cosmetic training. I promise they exist. They’re not as much of a unicorn as it might seem at the moment.

Finding a Great TMJ Dentist Who Can Create Beautiful Smiles

You’ll need to begin with the TMJ training. It will not matter how beautiful your smile is if you are in too much pain to share it. Here are some institutions which have great TMJ training. You’ll want to find a dentist who has trained with one of them.

  • The Dawson Academy
  • The Kois Center
  • The Pankey Institute
  • The Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies

From there, you’ll look to see if any of them have great cosmetic skills. The best are AACD accredited. These are hard to find. Dr. Weiss is one of six accredited dentists in the whole of Pennsylvania. If you can’t find one, that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. Many great cosmetic dentists are on their way toward accreditation. I would look at their smile galleries to see what type of results they get. Just makes sure it is images of their actual work and not just stock photos.

One other thing. You need to get a nightguard. This is like a sport’s mouthguard, but is custom-fitted to your bite. It will protect your teeth from the grinding you are doing while you sleep.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Micahel Weiss.