I have chipped a few of my teeth due to teeth grinding. I’m going to get a smile makeover and am thinking of dental bonding because they’re likely less expensive than porcelain veneers. I am aware they take an expert cosmetic dentist. I’ve been going through Yelp! and found two in my area with very high ratings. Is there something else I should be looking for to help me choose between the two?

Jennifer

Dear Jennifer,

It is great that you are trying to do research for you cosmetic dentist but I don’t think Yelp! is the way to go for this particular thing. It is a great resource for finding a decent dentist, but based on the research I’ve done, it doesn’t appear their algorithm judges based on the types of procedures. So they may have a lot of high ratings, but it has nothing to do with their ability to do beautiful cosmetic work. Those high rankings could be simply because they are a friendly office.

Before we go into a better way to find a great cosmetic dentist, though, I want to go over your procedure. You said you wanted a smile makeover which I’m assuming you mean to cover the tooth the way porcelain veneers would. Dental Bonding is much better for small amounts of work, like fixing a chipped tooth (as the images above show).

If you’re looking to cover the tooth the way porcelain veneers do, you will find that it will end up costing you more. Dental bonding is done freehand, which would take forever over larger surfaces. In fact, very few dentists will even do it. So depending on what you’re going for, you may want porcelain veneers.

Whichever procedure you choose, you will need to get a nightguard. This will protect your new dental work from the grinding you do at night. Without that, it will damage your veneers or bonding just like it did your natural teeth.

Choosing Your Cosmetic Dentist

There isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. That makes it hard for patients to know who is good and who isn’t. One way to help with this is to go to the mynewsmile.com website. This is run by an expert cosmetic dentist who is retired from practice. He screens dentists who want to be listed for their training, technical skill, and artistry. A dentist can’t just pay to get listed on his site.

Any dentist recommended there can give you a gorgeous smile and are among the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.