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Cosmetic Dentistry Disappointment

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I am in my 50’s with 5 grown children. I’d always put their dental health and appearance before my own. Now that they’ve all left the nest, I felt it was finally my turn to get a pretty smile. I have tetracycline stains so smiling was always embarrassing for me. My dentist gave me 8 Lumineers. First, they are way too white and bulky. It looks more like I have chicklets in my mouth than teeth. I did tell him I wanted a white smile, so that may be my fault. However, the other problems I can’t figure out. My mouth hurts all the time in an achy way because my upper teeth feel too long so I can’t really relax my mouth. I have to hold the arches apart a bit. Is there any way to change this?

LeeAnne

Dear LeeAnne,

Woman covering her mouth

After all these years, you deserve to have the smile of your dreams. It sounds to me like you went to your normal family dentist for this smile makeover. Unfortunately, most family dentists do not have the skills necessary to do beautiful smile makeovers. This is especially true when the patient has tetracycline stains, which makes your case one of the more advanced ones.

The big problem you have is your dentist is in over his head. I cringed a little when I heard he gave you Lumineers because I felt I knew what was coming. This is a particular brand of porcelain veneers that is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. However, smile makeovers are not taught in dental school and take a great deal of training. Without that, the results will be disappointing, at best, as you’ve experienced. Lumineers especially are known for making teeth too bulky when done by a dentist without the right training. There are other, better brands.

Only about 2% of cosmetic dentists in the country are skilled enough to create stunning smiles when dealing with tetracycline stains. Those who aren’t, generally make one of two common mistakes. The first is that they make the teeth too opaque in an attempt to cover the stains. This can make them flat-looking, which is what is probably giving them that chicklet look. On the other end of the spectrum are dentists who don’t do enough to cover the stains and they show through the veneers.

My suggestion is you ask your dentist for a refund. Your teeth aren’t functional if you are in pain so your case will need to be redone. Once you secure your refund, I want to you find a dentist who is AACD accredited. This is different than just being a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists have passed stringent exams and had their artistry closely judged by a board of examiners. They are the 2% of dentists I mentioned earlier. Find one and let them give you a smile you will be proud to share for the rest of your life.

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

New Lumineers Over Old Ones

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When I first got my Lumineers my dentist knew that I wanted them to be whiter than they were made, but his lab guy said that it wasn’t quite possible to do them that white. They could only do what he called “natural” looking styles.  These days I see people with very white teeth and figure they are now able to do them whiter. Is it possible for me to have new Lumineers placed over my old ones so I can have the smile I really wanted?

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

Should you place new veneers over old ones?

While it is possible for you to place new Lumineers over old ones, I am not going to recommend it. First, it is just as much work for the dentist to do that than to just provide you with a totally new smile makeover. to begin with. Second, it will be less secure. Porcelain bonds much better to natural tooth structure than it does to porcelain. That puts you at a greater risk of bonding failure for your new Lumineers, not to mention that you have double the risk because at some point your old Lumineers bonding could give out. I am going to recommend something completely different.

The first thing you should be aware of is that Lumineers is simply one brand of porcelain veneers. That particular brand is heavily marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists and I believe your dentist falls into that category. One reason I think that is he just agreed with the lab when they said your Lumineers could not be as white as you wanted. That was not true. Even then, you could get veneers of any brand as white as you wanted. The lab was wrong about that. That brings me to a second issue with Lumineers, which is their lab. The DenMat company, which owns this brand, insists you use their lab. They are not known for their artistic, quality work.

What I would like you to do is look for an expert cosmetic dentist and have them just re-do your smile makeover altogether. Do not be surprised if they suggest a completely different brand of porcelain veneers than the one you currently have. There are many brands that are far superior and will give more artistic results. The best cosmetic dentists are AACD accredited dentists. You can find them listed on aacd.com. They have extensive training and have passed stringent exams as well as proven their artistry before a board of examiners on a large number of their cases.

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

 

Can No-Prep Veneers Work for any Patient?

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I am considering getting a smile makeover and really like the idea of no-prep veneers, like Lumineers. I see that some people warn against them and say they end up bulky, but I saw on another blog a picture of a woman who had no-prep veneers and had gorgeous results. Can this happen with any patient or was that specific to her type of teeth, like maybe her teeth were smaller than other people’s? I also noticed he (the dentist) said that he used his own personal ceramist. Does that make a difference?

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

 

What a great question. Let’s start with the ceramist issue. Having his own ceramist works well if the ceramist is skilled, but the dentist will also need to be skilled. You can have a great cook who follows the instructions to a terrible recipe and guess what? The dish will not taste good. In the same vein, you can have a great recipe but a cook who does not have the skill to follow through well. You will still end up with a yucky meal.

It is the same with a ceramist. You need a skilled, artistic cosmetic dentist as well as a skilled, artistic ceramist in order to produce beautiful results. If the dentist whose blog you read used his own ceramist, then he did not use Lumineers. This is one of the drawbacks to that particular brand. They insist you use their lab. Unfortunately, their lab is notorious for creating bulky, and sometimes even chalky-looking results. The dentist you read about probably used a different brand of no-prep porcelain veneers.

Your Best Strategy for a Beautiful Smile Makeover

When it comes to smile makeovers, it is better to focus on choosing the right dentist and not the particular brand of porcelain veneers. Finding the right dentist means, he or she has the skill to create a beautiful recipe and he understands which ingredients (ie. the brand) will bring the flavor you want to your smile. In addition, he will know which ceramists are able to put his recipe together to perfection.

So where do you find such a celebrity chef? I would look for a dentist who has reached accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists have proven technical skill and artistry. You will love the results they get.

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

 

They Should Be Worried About Their Smile Makeover

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My husband and I went to a local dentist who advertised smile makeovers with Lumineers. We were both excited about getting our smile re-done. Our impressions were taken and we were told it would be two weeks. About the time they were supposed to be in, the dentist called and told us that the impressions were bad and we’d need to come in and have them re-done. It seems odd to me that they were still on the impression part when they were supposed to be done. Should I be concerned? Do you think we’ll actually get them? We’ve already paid upfront.

Miranda

Dear Miranda,

Lumineers Advertisement

I am not concerned that you will not get them. I feel certain you will get them. The thing I am concerned about though is whether you’ll be happy with them. There are some things here that concern me. The first is the impressions. It doesn’t bother me that the first impressions were not good and needed to be re-done. That can happen from time to time even at the best of cosmetic offices. What does worry me is how long it took them to tell you.

I obviously wasn’t with your dentist but I can tell you what it sounds like to me. The lab would have known fairly quickly that the impressions were not good, so why didn’t they call you then?  My guess is your dentist felt embarrassed that the impressions weren’t good.  Maybe he or she is insecure about their cosmetic skills and they don’t have a ton of experience. Maybe they didn’t realize everyone has bad impressions now and again. Either way, for it to go that long they would have had to try to tell the lab to try anyway. After some effort, the lab called back saying the impressions were unworkable. Now they have to call you to re-do them.

Lumineers are a particular brand of porcelain veneers that are often marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. However, doing smile makeovers is not taught in dental school; nor is cosmetic dentistry a recognized specialty. A dentist has to invest in post-doctoral training in order to learn how to create beautiful smiles. Lumineers just requires them to do a single seminar and then the dentist is officially “Lumineers Certified”.

Unfortunately, that isn’t enough. Most patients who go to dentists with this type of training end up disappointed at best. Here is how you can prevent that. When the Lumineers come in, tell your dentist you want them to try them on with a temporary try-in paste. This is to give you time to look at them and decide if you love them. If you don’t, they should go back to the lab to make any changes you request. They shouldn’t get permanently bonded on until you are thrilled with them.

I suggest you call the dentist now and ask them to agree to this. If they don’t, ask for a refund. Then go to a great cosmetic dentist with extensive cosmetic training. The best cosmetic dentists are AACD accredited. Don’t be surprised if they suggest a different brand of porcelain veneers.

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.

What If You Don’t Like Your Smile Makeover?

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I wanted a smile makeover. I asked my dentist if he was a cosmetic dentist and he said no one is actually a cosmetic dentist they’re just dentists who did cosmetic work. He then asked what procedure I wanted. When I told him a smile makeover he told me that he could give me Lumineers. He showed me before and after pictures that looked good. When my porcelain veneers were first placed. I didn’t like them. I could tell that before they even put them on. They weren’t the right color. I told him that and he sent them back. When they came in the next time, I had a hard time seeing them on my teeth because they kept falling out. He assured me they could make adjustments after they were bonded on. It turned out that isn’t true. When I finally got a good look at them at home, I was super disappointed. First, they were whiter, but it had a chalky flat looking white, not a shiny one I was hoping for. Second, they are way bulkier than natural teeth. It was shortly after this that the quarantine started and his office closed. I called and left a message, but he hasn’t gotten back with me. I don’t know if that’s because his office is closed or he’s ignoring me. I’m hoping to get this fixed, but what if he’s actually just avoiding me?  The answering machine does say they’re checking messages and will get back with us, but he hasn’t.

Carol

Dear Carol,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth.

While technically your dentist is correct, there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry, that doesn’t mean some cosmetic dentists aren’t more qualified than others. Doing smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. It is up to the dentist to invest the time and money into learning them well.  It doesn’t sound like your dentist has done that based on what you’ve described.

Problem One

The first thing that caught my attention was his recommendation of Lumineers. This is a brand of porcelain veneers that is highly marketed, especially to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. They say that because they are considered easy to place as they are an ultra-thin and don’t necessarily require any tooth preparation. However, they have two big problems working against them.

The initial problem is the inexperience of the dentist. Some smiles will look fine without tooth prep. Others will look bulky. A second big issue with Lumineers is their lab. Unlike other brands of porcelain veneers, the company that produces Lumineers require dentists to use their lab, which isn’t known for its high-quality work. In fact, many expert cosmetic dentists would consider it sub-par.

I know your dentist showed you before and after pictures, but did he say they were HIS before and after pictures. They may have been stock photos.

Problem Two

A second big problem I noticed is that your dentist either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about temporary try-in paste. If he didn’t know, he has done practically zero training with cosmetic work. If it is, instead, that he doesn’t care, then he is definitely NOT a dentist you would want working on your smile. So you’ll be aware for next time, a temporary try-in paste allows you to get a good look at your porcelain veneers on your teeth for an extended period of time, without them having to be permanently bonded.

Problem Three

Finally, he told you he could make adjustments after they were bonded on. Cosmetic Dentistry 101 teaches you that is not possible. Again an indication he either doesn’t know he’s doing or he doesn’t care. The good news is this last issue works in your favor. He told you something that absolutely wasn’t true. I think this can help you get a refund.

So, once you’ve got that juicy refund in your hand, who should you go to in order to have a beautiful smile crafted for you? Ideally, you’d get an AACD accredited cosmetic dentist. They are at the top 1% of their field. If that isn’t possible, my next recommendation is you go to the website mynewsmile.com. They recommend expert cosmetic dentists in every area. A dentist cannot just pay to be listed. They have to provide their cosmetic dentistry training as well as visual evidence with before and after pictures of cases they’ve done themselves in order to prove their artistry. Any one of the dentists listed there can create a stunning smile for you. Many of them are on their way to accreditation, which is a process that can take many years.

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

Horrible Solution for a Tooth Gap

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I have a tooth gap I want to fix. My dentist is suggesting Lumineers. I’ll do it if it is my only option but it is quite expensive. Can you give me a second opinion as to whether I have other options?

Susan

Dear Susan,

woman smiling with a gap between her two front teeth

Please run away from your dentist as quickly as possible. This is a horrible suggestion to fix a tooth gap. Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers, which are used for complete smile makeovers. They’re also a bit pricey. You’re asking for a solution to a tooth gap.

The simple solution for that is dental bonding. It is much less expensive and will only affect the teeth you want to close the gap on. What your dentist is suggesting is a massive over treatment. So why would he do that?

My first guess is he doesn’t know how to do dental bonding. Truthfully, that wouldn’t surprise me at all based on the fact that for your porcelain veneers he is suggesting the Lumineers brand. These are highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place.

They tell dentists that because they are an ultra-thin brand of porcelain veneers, leading the dentists to believe there will be no need to prepare the teeth the way many other brands of porcelain veneers require. Unfortunately, this often ends up looking bulky. Some patients have even described the results as horse teeth.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

If you were going to get a true smile makeover, then you would want a highly skilled cosmetic dentist, such as one who is AACD accredited. Let them pick the brand.

As for your tooth gap, again, you’ll want an expert cosmetic dentist. Dental bonding, the treatment I suggested, is done freehand and takes some serious expertise.

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

Can Dental Bonding by Safely Removed?

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I have dental bonding I’m not too thrilled with. I’m moving and want to find a better cosmetic dentist. However, before I do anything I wanted to ask if it is possible to remove dental bonding without damaging the tooth. Have you had experience with that?

Mazie

Dear Mazie,

before and after dental bonding case

Yes, it is possible to safely remove dental bonding on two conditions: First, you must go to a dentist who understands the procedure and has the equipment. Second, the dental bonding has to be attached to the enamel of your tooth and not the soft dentist which is beneath the enamel.

Here are three ways to safely remove dental bonding:

Sandpaper disks

Dentists use these to polish composites. These are probably the easiest for a dentist to use for this particular job. They are flexible enough to form to the shape of the tooth and leave a nice smooth, polished tooth surface.

Carbide Drills

These have a high-speed. If the dentist is able to use them with light pressure, they will do the job faster than the sandpaper disks. Their big disadvantage is they tend to leave streaks of material on the tooth. If a dentist uses this, they’ll want to finish up with the sandpaper disks to get that nice smooth finish.

Air Abrasion

It will be hard to find dentists who have this equipment. It’s not as commonly used as the other options.

Getting Your Beautiful Smile

Whether you just have a dentist re-do your dental bonding or you get a full smile makeover with porcelain veneers, you want to make sure you have an expert cosmetic dentist do the work. In your place, I’d look for a dentist who is AACD Accredited. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

Some, less experienced dentists, will try to tell you if you get Lumineers they will be reversible. This is absolutely not true. They say this because they are marketed as a no-prep veneer. However, the material in porcelain veneers, including the Lumineers brand is much harder than the composite material and the tooth will almost positively end up damaged in the removal process.

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

Why Can’t Lumineers Make My Teeth Longer?

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I’m so frustrated right now and need some advice. I’m looking at the Lumineers advertisement holding it in my hands. They show before and after pictures of teeth being made longer. When I went to see my dentist, he said it could happen. All I wanted was whiter, longer teeth. Yet, when the lab sent them back, they weren’t any longer. My dentist called and they said that’s as long as they can get. I don’t get it? Do they falsely advertise?

Mischa

Dear Mischa,

Lumineers Advertisement

So, your biggest problem here is your dentist. Think about this. If the Lumineers lab is right (which they are not) shouldn’t he have known this? Also, He’s the doctor. The lab workers are technicians. They follow the doctor’s instructions, not the other way around. So, what is going on here?

Smile Makeovers Aren’t Taught in Dental School

Many people don’t realize that dental schools are for general dentistry. If a dentist is interested in learning how to do smile makeovers, they have to invest in the time and training for that post-doctorally.

Some dentists do it. Some don’t. Some invest more time and effort into it than others. As a result, some smile makeovers end up beautiful and some end up a disaster.

The Lumineers brand, in particular, is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists in being easy to place. However, the brand forces dentists to use their lab, which isn’t known for its beautiful work. That means you have two things working against you– the inexperience of your dentist and the low-quality results of the lab.

How to Get a Guaranteed Beautiful Smile Makeover

Your dentist hasn’t provided the smile he promised. You specifically asked for longer teeth and he didn’t provide that even though porcelain veneers can accomplish that very request. In your place, I’d ask for a refund and start over with a true cosmetic dentist.

Then, go to aacd.com. This is the website of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. They have an accreditation program where dentists who truly want to excel in cosmetic dentistry can receive training and be tested for their skill and artistry.

They have to pass both oral and written exams as well as show visual evidence of a large number of specific cases they’ve personally done to demonstrate their artistry. Only then can they be accredited. Their website has a link where you can search for AACD accredited dentists in your area.

That would be the dentist I would go to in order to get a stunning smile makeover.

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

Which Brand of Porcelain Veneers

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I’m going to be getting a smile makeover and am trying to decide between brands. I can’t decide if I should get Lumineers or the regular porcelain veneers. I hear with the regular ones you have to get your teeth shaved down. I’m not sure I like that idea. But, Lumineers have mixed reviews. Do you have a recommendation?

Kaleigh H.

Dear Kaleigh,

a single porcelain veneer being placed

Congrats on the fact that you’re getting a new smile. It’s an exciting time filled with possibilities. You will love the confidence it brings. While it is great that you’re doing research, you are asking the wrong question. While brands of porcelain veneers have different qualities, the biggest difference comes from the skill and artistry of the dentist.

A Tale of Two Dentists

You could have two dentists work on the same smile using the same material and they will end up with completely different results. One may create a stunning smile. The other, an average one… or worse.

There are way too many cosmetic dentistry horror stories. We’ve had quite a few people come to our office hoping we could fix the damage done by their cosmetic dentist. You don’t want to invest money in a smile makeover you end up disappointed in. Cosmetic Dentistry is an art form and requires an artist to bring you beautiful results.

Finding a Great Cosmetic Dentist

When it comes to getting a stunning smile, you want to make sure you find the right dentist. Be sure to check out their smile gallery. This is usually a page on their website which shows examples of cases they’ve done. Always ask if it is their actual work or if they are showing stock photos instead.

If you like their work, then you can check their reviews to see what type of experiences other patinets have had with them. Additionally, you want to make sure they are willing to stand behind their work with some form of a beautiful smile guarantee.

You’ll find the best dentists are accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, as Dr. Weiss is. AACD Accredited Dentists are in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country.

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