My twin sister and I both have tetracycline stains. Several years ago, she had porcelain veneers placed on her teeth, but they looked a bit fake. The dentist said the only way to adequately cover the stains was to make them opaque. I am hoping the technology has improved some since then and I can get a beautiful, natural-looking smile. I really do hate my smile.
Avery
Dear Avery,
I am not sure if you will want to tell your sister this or not, but the technology has been around for a long time to make porcelain veneers look beautiful on tetracycline stains. While your sister chose the right procedure, it sounds like she likely picked the wrong dentist.
Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. That means any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. To make matters even more challenging for the patient, smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. It is up to the dentist to invest in the post-doctoral training necessary to do the work properly.
While choosing your cosmetic dentist carefully is important for any smile makeover, tetracycline stains are among the most difficult type of cosmetic cases there are. You can tell by your sister’s case that it is a challenge to get the porcelain veneers opaque enough to cover the stains, but still translucent enough to look natural.
If I were in your position, I would only go to a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. They’ve passed stringent exams as well as an examination board that has examined a large number of cases the dentist completed for both technical skill and artistry.
You find an AACD accredited dentist, you’ll find a dentist that can give you a stunning smile.
This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.