I want to get a smile makeover and recently read about something called GlamSmile. It is supposed to be less expensive and the dentist can place them in just one hour. Have you looked into these? If so, what do you think of them?

Brooke

Dear Brooke,

 

I’m glad you wrote. I think I can help you and save you a major disappointment. Here are some things to consider with GlamSmile:

First, similarly to Lumineers, they are marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being super easy to place. GlamSmile tells them that the lab does all the work so they don’t need extensive post-doctoral training to place these. There are countless examples of cosmetic dentistry horror stories of patients from both Lumineers and GlamSmile, and even other brands of traditional porcelain veneers. where patients were distraught because they spent a fortune on a smile makeover that actually made their smile look worse. This is because the brand does not matter nearly as much as the technical and artistic skill of the dentist doing the makeover.

Second, they have another marketing push that is telling dentists that they can make five times their normal means in the same amount of time they normally would spend with a patient in the chair. Whenever you push how much you’ll make to dentists, it stops becoming “which is best for the patient” and tempts dentists to push certain procedures which can increase their profit.

Finally, I am quite skeptical about their suggestion that this can be done in one hour. In fact, even they say the dentist may need to schedule a second appointment to finish up removing excess cement. Generally, to do this well, would take around three or more hours.

So, what should you do? Instead of looking for a specific brand, I am going to suggest you change your thought process to looking for the right dentist. You need someone with extensive post-doctoral training, as well as technical skill and artistry. The easiest way to find a dentist like this is to go to an AACD accredited dentist. These have proven skills.

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