I took my twelve year old daughter to the dentist in order to deal with some discoloration on her two front teeth. We’d decided on dental bonding. When the dentist put it on, it was yellow. I thought that was like a step one, but she declared it done. I told her we really can’t accept my daughter having two yellow front teeth. The dentist did it again. Still yellow. Now she is talking about a porcelain veneer. I thought she’d be too young for this. What do we do? She can’t go around with two yellow front teeth.
Miranda
Dear Miranda,
When done right, dental bonding should seamlessly blend in with the rest of your natural teeth. Your dentist is obviously unqualified to do this procedure. These types of cosmetic procedures are not really adequately covered in dental school In order to do them properly, your dentist would have to take significant post-doctoral training. Dental bonding especially is hard because it has to be done freehand along with understanding color theory.
The first thing I would do is ask your dentist for a refund. Even if your daughter were not too young, I doubt this dentist could do porcelain veneers either. What you will need, is an expert cosmetic dentist. The best are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). This is different than just being a member. AACD accredited dentists had to pass stringent exams as well as demonstrate their artistry in a large number of cases to a board of examiners. Those who pass accreditation are in the top 3% of cosmetic dentists in the world.
Schedule an appointment with one of them and he or she will be able to get your daughter’s smile shining beautifully.
This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.