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dentistry

3 Reasons Porcelain Veneers Might Turn Dark and What You Can Do About It

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In January, I received six porcelain veneers. Two of them are turning dark. I am originally from Indiana, and I’ve been with my dentist for a little more than a year now. I asked him about the veneers, and his response was, “Hmm. I am not sure what’s going on.”  This is making me nervous. Why would my veneers be turning dark in just a few months? – Vivian

Photo of a single porcelain veneers being held by the tip of dental forceps.

Porcelain veneers can rejuvenate your smile

Vivian – Dr. Weiss would need to examine your porcelain veneers for us to identify the exact problem. We can tell you that porcelain is stain resistant and very hard—much more so than natural teeth. So why might they turn dark?

Reasons Porcelain Veneers Might Turn Dark

  1. A gap between the veneer and your tooth – If your dentist left a small gap between the two porcelain veneers and your teeth, bacteria can leak in and attract stain. Correcting the issue can be tricky, and only a highly skilled cosmetic dentist should attempt it.
  2. Excess composite – If your dentist didn’t polish away any excess dental composite when bonding on your porcelain veneers, it could cause them to look dark. Excess composite can easily be polished away by a cosmetic dentist who regularly creates beautiful smile makeovers.
  3. Power-polishing equipment – If a dentist or dental hygienist uses power-polishing equipment on your porcelain veneers, the glaze on them can be quickly destroyed. It only takes a few weeks for the damaged glaze to attract stains and make your teeth look darker. Trained cosmetic dentists and hygienists understand which tools to use on porcelain veneers and which tools to avoid. Ultra-fine polishing strips and ultra-fine aluminum oxide polishing paste help in several ways:
  • Keeps the area smooth
  • Helps it resist stain
  • Helps prevent plaque accumulation
  • Helps prolong the life of your porcelain veneers

Although your dentist or hygienist might have been negligent in the placement or maintenance of your porcelain veneers, we recommend that you only let a skilled cosmetic dentist correct the issue.  An expert cosmetic dentist has the tools needed to correct the problem. He or she also knows the techniques required to polish your veneers properly. Find an experienced cosmetic dentist to examine your veneers and recommend the options for lightening them.

Philadelphia, PA accredited cosmetic dentist Michael Weiss, DDS sponsors this blog post.

Root Canals Needed after Her Smile Makeover

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I had a complete smile makeover with veneer crowns. When I went in for my consultation I specifically asked about any risks involved. He told me there weren’t really any. I went forward with the procedure confident and excited. Since then, four of the teeth have needed root canal treatments. He suggested I see an endodontist. I did and was informed even more teeth are likely to need root canals soon enough. I thought there wasn’t much risk with these. What happened? Have you seen this before?

Ruth

Dear Ruth,

I think there is some confusion here. There are porcelain veneers and there are porcelain crowns, but there aren’t veneer crowns. So, I’m not sure which you received. However, based on the number of root canal treatments you received, my guess is it was porcelain crowns. I’m going to show you two photos below. The first image is what a tooth would look like with porcelain veneer preparation. The second with dental crown preparation.

Teeth prepped for porcelain veneers

Porcelain Veneer Preparation

Porcelain veneer preparation will take off maybe a 1/2 millimeter of tooth structure. It is rare for this procedure to end up needing even one root canal treatment, let alone the amount you are ending up needing.

preparation for porcelain crowns

Porcelain Crown Preparation

On the other hand, a porcelain crown preparation goes much deeper into the tooth structure, which puts you at a greater risk of exposing the pulp of your teeth. That in turn leads to a tooth infection.

What is a Smile Makeover

You said you were getting a smile makeover. Unless there are other issues such as extensive decay or TMJ Disorder, you would use porcelain veneers for this. Giving you the number of dental crowns he gave you is more of what would happen with a full-mouth reconstruction.

If you really only needed porcelain veneers than your dentist was much more aggressive than he should have been and should be liable for the damage he caused to your teeth. That means paying for the root canal treatments you need. This is especially true because he told you there weren’t really any risks. If he prepped for crowns, there are always risks.

Hopefully, you at least like how these teeth look.

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

Ugly Porcelain Veneers

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My girlfriend has what I think is a pretty smile but she’s always been uncomfortable with it. I understand it’s not perfect, but I like it. However, she’s determined to get porcelain veneers. Here is my concern. My sister got these several years ago and I actually thought her smile looked worse after the procedure. While they were whiter, they were so bulky to me it looked like she had horse teeth. I mentioned this to my girlfriend and she just shrugged her shoulders and said my sister probably had a bad dentist and we’ll need to do some research. How do we find the dentist that can give her the beautiful smile she wants?

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

It is so refreshing to see a young man caring about his girlfriend. What I love the most about this is you’ve tried to make her feel good about her natural smile and haven’t pressured her to “improve it”. You’ve also recognized that she has to feel as good about her smile as you do. This may mean some cosmetic dental work, but she’ll be happier with her smile, which in turn will make her more confident.

Let’s talk about your sister’s case first. Your girlfriend is correct that an ugly cosmetic case has more to do with the dentist than the procedure. However, I feel there is a combo effect going on with your sister’s case. You mentioned they looked bulky and described them as horse teeth. This is a fairly common complaint with a brand of porcelain veneers known as Lumineers. One of the reasons for this is they are typically marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place because they don’t need the tooth to be prepared, as they are thinner than some other brands.

However, as you saw with your sister’s smile makeover, this doesn’t always work out as advertised. Yet, the dentist doing the case doesn’t have enough training to know when or why the teeth need preparation.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

Porcelain veneers can look stunning. Celebrities know that as it is their go-to procedures. However, one of the problems patients face is there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry which allows patients to know who has had the training and who hasn’t. Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist regardless of the amount or quality of the training they’ve received.

To makes things even harder, doing smile makeovers isn’t taught in general dentist school. That means to get really good at it, dentists have to invest time and money in post-doctoral training.

One thing I suggest to patients looking for a great smile makeover is to go to an AACD accredited dentist. These cosmetic dentists are proven for both their technical knowledge and their artistry. In fact, they make up the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country because the accreditation process is such a high achievement, requiring the dentists to pass rigorous oral and written exams as well as provide visual evidence for a large number of cosmetic cases they have done proving their technique and artistry.

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

Malpractice Smile Makeover

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I feel like I’ve ruined my mouth and my hard-working husband’s finances. I had some chipped teeth and some other minor issues with my smile. I asked my dentist about possible fixes and she suggested I get a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. She said it is what the celebrities use to get their gorgeous smiles. My husband and I discussed it as it was a big chunk of change and decided to go ahead with it. I’ve regretted this decision ever since. I’m about to move and running out of time to get this fixed. Here are my problems:

1. The teeth (eight of them) were ground down to nubs. Disgusting little yellow nubs. This wouldn’t be such a big deal if it weren’t for the second problem.
2. They don’t stay on. In the course of this year, they have fallen off eleven times. One of them over a major holiday when I couldn’t get in to get them fixed. The humiliation of having those tiny, yellow nubs was almost unbearable.
3. She says I’m being too rough on them, but one of them fell out while I was eating pasta. How is that too hard?

Please tell me a way to get this to work. I’m worried after we move no one will help because it is another dentist’s problem.

Katy

Dear Katy,

I have to express how sorry I am for what has been done to you as well as the anguish you’re going through. It shouldn’t have happened. The good news is you have a pretty solid case for malpractice. Additionally, this can be fixed. The bad news is she has misled you and done some things which will affect the repair as well as how your teeth function for the remainder of your life.

Porcelain Veneers verss Porcelain Crowns

Based on your description, your dentist gave you porcelain crowns, not the veneers she said she would. I know that based on your description of the teeth being ground down to nubs. Look at the two pictures below:

tooth preparation for porcelain veneers

This is what teeth look like when being prepped for porcelain veneers. There is minor removal of tooth enamel, around the width of a fingernail. This is not what you described.

tooth preparation for a porcelain crown

This is closer to what you described and is the preparation for a porcelain crown. Yours may even be more aggressive than this. Here’s where she has done some permanent damage. We don’t currently have the ability to regrow tooth enamel. Because of that, even when this is repaired properly, you will always have to have porcelain crowns instead of the porcelain veneers you were told you were getting.

Here’s where some “good” news kicks in. First, she lied. You were told you were getting porcelain veneers, which incidentally is the go-to procedure for Hollywood celebrities, but instead received dental crowns.

Second, she’s had gross incompetence in her handling of the dental crowns. While smile makeovers, including the procedure of porcelain veneers, isn’t taught in general dental school and therefore isn’t a required knowledge for dentists, dental crowns are a staple. They should NOT be coming off at all, let alone as much as you’ve had them come off.

Her blaming you is unacceptable. You could have been eating steak and apples every day and your dental crowns should have stayed in place.

Getting this Fixed

She needs to pay to have this done correctly. I don’t want you just getting a refund, because it is very likely going to cost more than your original price. You can let her know up front what you want, but don’t get them fixed until you move. I want you under the care of a long-term provider for you.

After you get to your new location. I want you to look on the website for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (aacd.com) for an AACD accredited dentist. This is different from just being a member, so make sure you check the accredited dentist option. Accredited dentists are in the top of the cosmetic field and will give you a stunning smile.

If your current dentist refuses to make this right and you have to go to court, make sure to ask for additional money because giving you crowns instead of veneers has damaged your teeth and changed your care for the remainder of your life. I think her malpractice insurance will tell her to pay up quick, because if it ends up in court, you will likely get a substantial amount.

Again, I’m sorry this has happened to you. I don’t like dentists who give our practice a bad name either through incompetence or lack of ethics.

Keep your chin up. You will soon have a smile you will be proud of.
This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Why Is there Too Much Shine on My Porcelain Veneers?

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I don’t know why, but my porcelain veneers have so much shine on them, they look fake. My dentist disagrees and thinks they are beautiful. He says it is because of the whiteness I wanted that they are so shiny. I did ask for very white porcelain veneers. But, I don’t understand the brightness. I have seen other white veneers and, while they shine, they still look natural. Mine look like shiny pieces of chicklet gum.

Tanya

Dear Tanya,

It simultaneously amuses and annoys me when a dentist puts the problem off on the patient, like it was their fault he didn’t produce a nice result. While I wish I had an image of your smile to be certain, I do have a sneaking suspicion of what is going on here.

It takes an expert cosmetic dentist to get porcelain veneers to look natural. Unfortunately, cosmetic dentistry isn’t recognized specialty so any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. Even more unfortunate, smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. This means if a dentist wants to know how to create beautiful, natural looking smiles, they have to invest in post-doctoral training.

I want you to look at the picture below. Notice how the teeth have texture to them. If that texture isn’t added, the porcelain veneers will look flat, giving it an overly shiny appearance.

image of a smile after a smile makeover

The texture in the teeth needs to be varied as well. Plus, younger smiles have more texture because as we age, parts of that texture wears down. Believe it or not, one of the teeth in the image above is actually a dental crown. This is the kind of work a true cosmetic dentist does.

One thing I want to know is if your dentist bonded them on before or after you told him you didn’t like them. True cosmetic dentists will put your porcelain veneers in with a temporary try-in paste. They’ll have you look at them in various lights and make sure you absolutely love them. If you don’t, they’d go back to the lab.

If your dentist bonded them on and then you said you didn’t like them, you may not have much recourse. However, you could appeal to his ethics. You paid for a beautiful smile and should get one. If you got to try them on and told him you didn’t like them and he bonded them on anyway, then he didn’t have consent and you have the right to a refund. Ask for one.

Then, I would go to an AACD accredited dentist to get your smile makeover done. These dentists have proved their knowledge, skill, and artistry. In order to become accredited, a dentist has to pass stringent exams and turn in visual evidence on a large number of cases they’ve done.

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

Porcelain Veneers Over Fillings

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I have a couple of teeth which have fillings on the front of them. I’ve never been happy with their appearance and wanted to have a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. My dentist said that the veneers won’t work because of my dental fillings. He suggested crowns instead. Is this standard operating procedure for someone in my position or is there another option? The teeth are otherwise healthy.

Karen

Dear Karen,

A woman pointing at her smile

I’m very glad you wrote. No, dental crowns are not standard operating procedure. My guess is your dentist isn’t comfortable doing porcelain veneers so he made up some lame excuse about the fillings. The truth is the bonding agent works very well on teeth with fillings. Why would you want to place dental crowns, which will require your dentist to grind down your healthy teeth? For argument’s sake, let us say you couldn’t get veneers and crowns were your only option. I still wouldn’t let this dentist do them.

If he hasn’t gotten trained in porcelain veneers, he hasn’t had significant training in cosmetic work period. Smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. A dentist has to invest the time post-doctorally to learn how to do beautiful, natural-looking smile makeovers. Doing dental crowns, especially on front teeth, still requires that training. I truly feel you’d be disappointed by the results.

Here’s what I’m going to recommend. See if you can find an AACD accredited dentist in your area. Not only have these dentists done extensive cosmetic dentistry training, but they’ve taken stringent exams to prove their knowledge, as well as provided visual evidence on a large number of cases they personally did in order to demonstrate their artistry. These cases were scrutinized by experts for both their beauty and technical accuracy. Any AACD accredited dentist will give you a stunning smile with porcelain veneers.

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

Can Porcelain Veneers be Re-done?

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I had four porcelain veneers placed. When he did the temporary ones, they were too long. I asked them the make sure they were a little shorter. However, they ended up too short. I wish I had gotten to see them the second time before they bonded them on. Plus, the two lateral incisors are different shapes, which looks weird to me. Is it possible to re-do porcelain veneers? Is it hard to do?

Caitlyn

Dear Caitlyn,

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

Yes, it is possible to have your porcelain veneers re-done. It’s hard on your dentist, but if you are paying for a beautiful smile makeover, that is what you should get. One word of warning, though. Technically, if the porcelain veneers are functional he doesn’t have to replace them, so be nice about it (not that I think you won’t).

It seems like your dentist is likely a decent family dentist but he doesn’t do a lot of cosmetic work. A true cosmetic dentist would never bond on y our porcelain veneers until you had a good look at them and approved. There is a temporary try-in paste he can use.

I agree that your lateral incisors shouldn’t be two different shapes. You don’t want them to be exactly the same, but you also don’t want them different enough to be distracting.

If he gives you trouble about re-doing them, one thing which may help is to see an expert cosmetic dentist for a second opinion. If he agrees they need to be replaced it will put some pressure on your dentist. He won’t want to look unskilled to a peer.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

Because there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry, it is hard for patients to know who has the skills to create beautiful smiles and who doesn’t. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry recognized that and started an accreditation program.

In order for a dentist to get accredited, they have to pass exams that demonstrate their technical knowledge as well as demonstrate their artistry by providing visual evidence of a large number of specific cases they’ve done.

If there is an AACD accredited dentist near you, that is who I would get to help you if your dentist doesn’t want to fix the veneers.

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.

Cracked Porcelain Veneer

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I received a huge bonus and decided to invest it on my smile. I had porcelain veneers done about three months ago. My teeth were quite small the excellent cosmetic dentist I went to made them longer. My smile is gorgeous. I can’t tell you how often I smile these days. This morning I noticed a horizontal crack about a 1/3 of the way down the tooth. Will it fall off? I spent all my bonus to get these veneers. I don’t think I can afford to get it replaced. I honestly don’t think I did anything to it. I’ve taken great care of the teeth. What do you recommend I do?

Portia

Dear Portia,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth.

I truly don’t think your dentist will blame you for what happened to your porcelain veneer. If a patient abused their porcelain veneers, it would show up as chips, not a horizontal crack. Plus, as you’ve said, patients generally love their new smile makeover so much they take great care of their porcelain veneers.

While often a cracked porcelain veneer is in no danger of falling off due to the bonding procedure, based on the fact that they needed to make your teeth longer, I’d be a little concerned it doesn’t have much to hold on to, especially given where you said the crack was located. I think this veneer will need to be replaced.

I know you’re worried about money, however, given the short amount of time you’ve had the veneer, I think it is very likely they will not charge you to replace it, especially if you explain the financial situation and what allowed you to get your smile makeover to begin with, he’ll be compassionate about the replacement.

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

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