Call Us: (267) 763-1500

261 Old York Rd, Ste 517, Jenkintown, PA 19046

Banner image on site front page
Cosmetic and
restorative
dentistry

My Smile Makeover is a Disaster

Posted on by .

I don’t know what to do. I had four porcelain veneers placed on the teeth adjacent to my front teeth on either side. My front teeth look great and didn’t need any work, but the adjacent teeth have always bothered me. Here’s the problems I have with the work. First, the canine teeth are very bulky. I mentioned that so he tried to shave them down, but on the first one he tried shaving ended up with a dark spot. I decided to leave the other one bulky. I thought I could live with this. Here is the big problem. At the office, with the windows open and sun shining through, the porcelain veneers matched my teeth. However, when I got home, in the artificial light, they don’t match at all. The veneers are much darker than my natural teeth. I spoke to my dentist about that and he said I saw and approved them and he doesn’t know how he can change the color. Is there anything I can do about this?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

Woman covering her mouth

The biggest problem you are facing is your dentist. He is not a true cosmetic dentist. Worse than that, he is apparently learning as he goes. Let’s start with the canine teeth. He makes them too bulky. Then, he tried makes one smaller, but discovers that changes the color so he stops. Now you have one miscolored tooth and one bulky tooth.

His next discovery is that the teeth look different in different lights. In cosmetic dentistry, this is known as color metamerism. He would have known that had he had any real training. Finally, he says he doesn’t know what to do about the color. I’ll tell you what he can do, he can replace them!

However, I am going to recommend that you don’t let him replace them. He is not the best dentist to do any cosmetic work on your teeth. I would ask for a refund and then look for a dentist with post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry. Also, check out their smile gallery to make sure their work is beautiful. If possible, see an AACD accredited dentist. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

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

How Do I Avoid My Sister’s Veneers Problem?

Posted on by .

My sister and I had planned on getting smile makeovers for years. She saved up faster than I did. She didn’t want to wait. At first, I was bummed because I’d really hoped we could do it together. Now, though, I am really glad it didn’t. Her smile looks really fake, chalky, and bulky. On top of that, one of them fell off. She said she got Lumineers. I haven’t told her how fake they look. I am worried that mine will look that way as well. I know they can actually be beautiful because I have seen them on other friends of mine. So, how do I get those porcelain veneers? Is it a matter of not getting Lumineers? In that case, what brand should I get?

Mirrabella

Dear Mirrabella,

a porcelain veneer being placed on teeth

I am sorry this happened to your sister. The good news is that it will be completely preventable for you. The most important thing is not the brand. It’s the dentist. Think of a smile makeover as a work of art. If you have two artists of varying skills and give them both a canvas, the same subject, and the same brand of paint, I can assure you the results will be drastically different. This is what happened to your sister. She went to a sub-par cosmetic dentist.

If you want to have a beautiful smile makeover, you need to go to an excellent cosmetic dentist. The problem patients face is knowing who is qualified. This is difficult because there is not a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. Any general dentist can call himself a cosmetic dentist.

Because of that, I would recommend looking for an AACD accredited dentist. In order to receive accreditation, a dentist has to pass stringent exams as well as demonstrate their artistry in a significant number of specific cosmetic cases. It takes years and a great deal of skill to pass. Only the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country actually achieve accreditation. If you want a stunning smile with porcelain veneers, that is the type of dentist I would go to.

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

Can I Get Porcelain Veneers with a Missing Front Tooth

Posted on by .

I have a removable partial denture on a front tooth, which looks absolutely awful. Even having my dentist redo the work a couple of times made no difference. My two front teeth look totally different. I’d like to get a pretty smile, but don’t know if it is even possible to get porcelain veneers when I am missing a tooth. Help!

Deanna

Dear Deanna,

Diagram of a dental implant

Dental Implant

 

There are some great options for you. I should tell you off the bat, you will probably have to go to a different dentist to have them done, though. Even your removable partial denture could have been made to look beautiful if your dentist and the lab he used had artistic ability. Most family dentists are of an engineering rather than aesthetic mindset. You need one with both.

If you are perfectly happy with your teeth, other than the replacement, your first and cheapest option is to just replace the partial using an expert cosmetic dentist. I’d suggest someone who is AACD accredited, which is different than just a membership with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. If, however, you want the best tooth replacement, you could upgrade to a dental implant (pictured above). This places a prosthetic root in your jaw and then a dental crown on top. It’s the most secure replacement you can get.

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

Porcelain Veneers

As for a smile makeover, if you are not pleased with the remainder of your teeth, then yes, you can still get a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. A great cosmetic dentist will be able to seamlessly blend all the materials used to create a uniform, beautiful, and natural looking smile. Just make sure you go to the right dentist to do it. Otherwise, you are just spending more money for poor results.

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

 

Discolored and Crooked Teeth

Posted on by .

I finally have money to do something about my hideous smile and wanted to find out what my options are. My teeth are both stained and crooked. What are some ways I can approach this?

Mindy

Dear Mindy,

You actually have a couple of good options. The first is porcelain veneers and the second is Invisalign combined with teeth whitening.

Option One: Porcelain Veneers

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

 

A skilled cosmetic dentist can use porcelain veneers to do a total smile makeover. This can make your teeth look straight while making them any shape, size, and color you want. The key to this is the dentist who does the procedure. You need someone who has advanced training in cosmetic dentistry. This would need to be post-doctoral training because it is not adequately taught in dental school. Unfortunately, it is not a recognized specialty. This means any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist regardless of the amount of training they have invested in. So, how is a patient supposed to know whether or not a dentist is truly qualified to give them a smile makeover?

The simplest way is to look for a dentist who is AACD accredited. This is different than just being a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. To receive accreditation, they not only have to pass difficult exams on the procedures and technique but also have to demonstrate their artistry in a demanding number of cases with visual evidence of their results. These are among the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country.

Option Two: Invisalign and Teeth Whitening

teeth whitening trays being put on teeth

 

Invisalign uses clear aligners to straighten your teeth. They are a huge improvement on braces. No one will even know you are straightening your teeth because they are even invisible at a conversational distance. Additionally, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays, which means you can do them simultaneously instead of one at a time.

This is something I would recommend if you can’t afford (or don’t want) porcelain veneers. They don’t need someone with special cosmetic training. You simply have to find a dentist that offers Invisalign.

Enjoy your new beautiful smile whichever procedure you decide on.

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

 

Porcelain Veneers are Too White Again

Posted on by .

I am frustrated and need an objective opinion. I went to a dentist because I wanted my lower teeth to match my uppers that had porcelain veneers placed on them a couple of years ago. The upper veneers were an A2. My dentist placed 8 veneers on the lower teeth. The first set was obviously too white and I asked him to send them back and make sure they match the uppers. When the second set came in, he placed them without me getting to look at them. I thought he was just putting them on with temporary stuff the way he did the first time, but he just bonded them on. He said he did that because he knew they were the right color this time.  They still do not match. They’re still whiter than the upper teeth which is very noticeable to me and makes the top teeth less attractive. To top it off, less than a month later, one of them broke off. He said he’s willing to replace them free of charge for the first year. I’m having doubts about this whole thing. What do I do?

Neva

Dear Neva,

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

 

I’m glad you wrote. Your dentist placing these porcelain veneers without your permission puts him in some trouble. Consent is a very important concept in both the medical and dental fields. You did not give yours, therefore he should not have placed them. He said he “knew” they matched. That obviously wasn’t the case. It sounds like he knew they didn’t match and didn’t want to have to send them back again.

It’s one thing if your upper teeth are whiter than your lowers, but the opposite is unacceptable. Additionally, one of them broke already. They don’t break because they’re not strong enough. They break because the dentist does not bond them on properly.

I’m wondering why your dentist didn’t just suggest whitening your lower teeth, instead of placing eight expensive veneers. Teeth whitening is the standard for lower teeth unless there is some structural changes you want.

Go to your dentist and ask for a refund so you can get this done properly. If he fusses, let him know you’ll be talking to the dental board and an attorney if necessary about him bonding them on without consent. That should sober him up a bit.

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

Can’t Floss My Porcelain Veneers

Posted on by .

I recently had porcelain veneers placed a week and a half ago. I have a couple of questions because they were a huge investment for me and I want to take good care of them. First, is Oral B Pro Expert Toothpaste good for them? Second, I’m having trouble flossing the porcelain veneers. Is there some special tool for them?

Carol

Dear Carol,

a porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

Let’s start with the easy one. There is nothing unique or special about the Oral B toothpaste. However, there is nothing harmful in it either. One of the things I do warn against is most whitening toothpastes. This is because they use an abrasive to remove your tooth stains. The big problem with that is that it will scratch your porcelain veneers, which in turn will damage the surface and cause them to pick up stains.

There are exceptions. In fact, there is a toothpaste I specifically recommend to use with porcelain veneers because it is designed to be used with cosmetic dental work called Supersmile Toothpaste. While this is whitening toothpaste, it is not made with abrasives. Instead, it uses a chemical ingredient that causes your tooth stains to attach to a protein pellicle that the chemical breaks down.

The flossing is a more complicated issue. It is important that you should be able to floss your teeth with your porcelain veneers. The fact that you can’t means either the lab did something wrong in designing them or your dentist did by not cleaning off the excess cement. This could lead to you developing gum disease. Your dentist needs to look at this to repair it.

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

Does the Dentist Matter If They Outsource Their Porcelain Work?

Posted on by .

I am getting a smile makeover, which will include porcelain veneers on the top arch and some dental bonding for some broken teeth on the bottom arch. I understand that they outsource their porcelain work, so I don’t have to worry about that as much, but the dental bonding is done by the dentist in the office. How do I know if they can do quality bonding work or not?

Billy

Dear Billy,

before and after dental bonding

 

You are correct that dental bonding is tricky and that the dentist really needs to know what he or she is doing. Not only is it done in the office, but it is done freehand. However, be careful about thinking the dentist won’t matter for the porcelain veneers. That is like saying it doesn’t matter what doctor you go to because it is the pharmacist who gives you the medicine. The reality is the pharmacist can only do what is precribed. If the doctor makes the wrong diagnosis and prescribes the wrong medicine, the result will be a disaster even if the pharmacist fills it perfectly.

With porcelain veneers, the cosmetic dentist prescribes the map for the ceramist to follow. He can do the work perfectly according to the dentist’s instructions, but unless the dentist is skilled and artistic the results will be disappointing. So, I would say you will need to find an expert cosmetic dentist for every part of the smile makeover.

How to Find an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

The hands down easiest way to guarantee you will have one of the best cosmetic dentists in the country is to look for a dentist who is AACD accredited. In order for a dentist to reach accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. They have to pass oral and written exams as well as have a large number of cases they’re required to do examined in front of a board to ensure they have artistry. You can be assured that they will give you both stunning porcelain veneers and dental bonding. It will be the complete package.

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

Dentist Said I Cannot Have White Crowns

Posted on by .

I had eight dental crowns placed two decades ago. I wanted whiter crowns then they gave me but they insisted they wouldn’t look natural with the white color I wanted. Now, I want to replace them, this time getting the white color I’d always wanted. However, my new dentist said the whitest we should do is B1. The temporaries in that color are hardly whiter than what I have. His reasoning is that there are posts that would show through with a whiter color. I’m so disappointed. Before I have these permanently bonded on I want to see if there is a possibility I could get a BL4 without the posts showing. Just something a little brighter.

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

Woman with a beautiful smile

I don’t know who your dentist is, but I get the impression he isn’t really an expert cosmetic dentist. He is confusing color with translucency. If the posts are not seen through on a B1, they won’t be seen through the BL4 or if you want really white crowns, as it sounds you do, you could even get a BL1. I am not saying you have to switch dentists at this point, but I would insist your dentist give you the color you want for your porcelain crowns.

Additionally, you need to insist he do them with a temporary try-in paste and you get to see and approve them before they are permanently bonded on. If you don’t like them, they should go back to the lab until you do. Sometimes, it is helpful to have a friend with you during the try-in to give you courage and be a second set of eyes for you.

If he cannot or is unwilling to get them the way you want, then it will be time to switch dentists. If you do need to switch, the best cosmetic dentists are accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists have proven expertise and artistry. They will have not only the skill to give you the smile you wanted two decades ago, but the right mindset that it is about what kind of smile the patient wants that matters.

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

360 Wrap Veneer Scam

Posted on by .

Before the holidays, I went to my dentist to have a smile makeover done in time for Christmas with my family. When I went in for my consultation she told me that I was a good candidate for 360 Wrap Veneers. My big concern was that going all around the tooth they would need to take off more tooth structure than I was comfortable with. She assured me they wouldn’t need to take off much. So, I agreed. The temporaries seemed okay, but the permanent ones have had varies “teeth” fall out three different times. Once the wrap veneer came off, I noticed my tooth was just a little nub. This is not what I was expecting. I’ve followed all of their directions religiously. I don’t eat anything hard. I cut things up into tiny pieces and make sure things are further back when I chew. I even wear a nightguard when I sleep. They’re talking about getting a more powerful cement, but wouldn’t they have a good cement to begin with? I am beginning to feel taken for a ride and don’t know what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Regina

Dear Regina,

I hate to say this, but you have been taken for a ride. Porcelain veneers are thin wafers of porcelain that go on the front of your tooth. The tooth preparation is minimal, similar to what you see in the image below.

Teeth prepped for porcelain veneers

Porcelain Veneer Preparation

This is not at all what you’ve described. I believe there term 360 Wrap veneers is a deceptive way of saying dental crowns. Crowns go around your entire tooth and would require more tooth structure to be removed in order to make room for the entire restoration. The fact that they can’t keep them in is another issue as well. While creating and bonding porcelain veneers is not taught in dental school, placing dental crowns is the bread and butter of dentistry and no dentist graduates (or at least should not graduate) without knowing how to bond them on properly.  You should not need to take any of the precautions they prescribed for you either. When dental crowns are done correctly, you can eat anything you want. A stronger cement is not likely to fix this. My guess is it has more to do with how they shaped your crowns to begin with.

Instead of just asking for a refund, I want you to tell them you want them to pay for a dentist of your choosing to fix this. Their practice was deceitful in how they handled this so if they give you a hard time about your request, let them know you will be going to the dental board about their ethics violations. That should sober them up.

Who Should Fix This Smile Makeover

You will want an expert cosmetic dentist to create a truly beautiful smile for you. While it is unfortunate that you will be stuck with dental crowns from now on because that tooth structure is gone permanently, you can still have a gorgeous smile. My recommendation is that you look for a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are the top cosmetic dentists in the world.

I am sorry this has happened to you.

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

Adult with Baby Sized Teeth

Posted on by .

I need to figure out if there is anything I can do to improve the appearance of my teeth. I am a 33-year-old adult with baby-sized teeth. It is very embarrassing to smile. One of the things I am considering is dental bonding to make the babyish teeth look better.  Is that a good solution? Is there a better one?

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey,

before and after dental bonding

While you could use dental bonding for this, there are drawbacks. First, dental bonding does better on tiny repairs, such as a chipped tooth. For larger repairs, such as what you are facing, you will be much better off with porcelain veneers. Compared to your natural enamel, dental bonding is quite soft. It will scratch and stain easily, making it only a short term solution.

Porcelain veneers, on the other hand, are stronger than your enamel when they are bonded to your teeth. They are also much more stain resistant. When well cared for, you can expect them to last a lifetime in many cases.

Who Should Do Your Porcelain Veneers?

It is important you find an expert cosmetic dentist to do this. Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty so any general dentist can “do” cosmetic dentistry. On top of that, smile makeovers do not get taught in dental school. If they want to learn how to do beautiful cosmetic work, dentists have to invest in post-doctoral training on their own.

So, how will you know which dentists have this training and which do not? The easiest way is to use an AACD accredited dentist. These dentists have passed stringent exams on both their technical skill and their artistry. They are the top cosmetic dentists in the country and any one of them can create a stunning smile for you.

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