I’m having trouble deciding on which cosmetic dentist to use for my smile makeover. I’m looking at the top three recommended in Yelp. I was thinking of doing composite bonding because it is cheaper, but I can’t tell which of them would be better for that over porcelain veneers. Any advice?
Hannah
Dear Hannah,
AACD accredited dentists are in the top 1% in the country.
I’m glad you are writing. I think I can save you a lot of grief and wasted money. Let’s start with the way you’re going about finding the dentist you want to do your smile makeover. While Yelp is a great resource for many things, I don’t think its algorithms are going to be useful in this case.
They make their recommendations based on reviews. However, they don’t really make a distinction on what type of dental work is done. For instance, if you were to look at many of the reviews of those dentists, how many are based on their work doing smile makeovers? Most are likely just about how friendly the office is or some of the general dental work they’ve had done.
I’ll discuss how to get the best cosmetic dentist for your smile makeover in a moment. Before we do that I want to talk about the two procedures you were considering. You won’t find many great cosmetic dentists who will do a complete smile makeover with composite bonding. It actually takes significantly longer to do it with composite than porcelain and get it to look beautiful. Because of that, they’d actually end up having to charge you more. Plus, composite doesn’t last nearly as long as porcelain, so your investment isn’t as durable. Dental bonding is best done with small areas, such as repairing a chipped tooth or closing a tooth gap.
If you’re going to invest in a new smile and want it both beautiful and durable, then porcelain veneers would be the better investment for you.
Finding a Cosmetic Dentist for Your Smile Makeover
There isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry, nor is doing smile makeovers taught in dental school. That leaves patients in a bit of a quandary. Because of that, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry began an accreditation program. Dentists who pursue accreditation have to pass exams demonstrating their technical knowledge. They also have to demonstrate their artistry by presenting visual evidence of a large number of cases they’ve done. Those are examined carefully to ensure they meet the highest standards. Only then will they be accredited.
If I were getting a smile makeover, I would look for an AACD accredited dentist.
This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.