Dentist Said Porcelain Veneers Won’t Work for Me
I want to get my smile makeover redone. I had dental bonding put on my upper and lower four front teeth. Back then, they looked okay, not great, but better than my normal teeth. Since then, they’ve gotten really worn. I asked my dentist if we could replace them with porcelain veneers, which I have seen images of and they look very beautiful. But, my dentist said that because I have already had dental bonding done that I can’t have porcelain veneers. He suggested I replace them with dental crowns. Is that my best option? The teeth are healthy so I’m not crazy about grinding them down for crowns.
Ethan
Dear Ethan,
Please do not let this dentist put dental crowns on your teeth. Even if your teeth needed crowns you would not like the results of this smile makeover. His response is, sadly, an all to common thing that happens when a dentist does not have advanced cosmetic dentistry training.
In dental school, dentists are taught that they need to give off an air of confidence in order to put the patient at ease. Sometimes a dentist is worried their patient will lose confidence in them if they can’t do something. Rather than risk you going to another dentist, they steer you toward another procedure which they are comfortable with.
The problem you have is that just placing a dental crown is one thing. Creating a beautiful smile makeover is a completely different skill set. One that isn’t taught in dental school. A dentist would have to invest in post doctoral training.
The good news is that having dental bonding on your teeth does not prevent you from having porcelain veneers. You can get those. The bad news is that you will need to find another dentist to do it.
You’ll want to find a dentist who has received the training to create a gorgeous smile. It’s important that they understand both the technical skill to do them well, and the artistry to create the beauty.
While there is not a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry, there is a way to make sure that you get an expert cosmetic dentist. I would look for a dentist who’s achieved accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). They are the best cosmetic dentists in the country. In order to reach AACD accreditation, dentists have to pass extensive exams and demonstrate their artistry on a large number of specific cases.
This blog is brought to you by a top-rated cosmetic dentist in. Cincinnati, Dr. Fred Smiles.