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My New Porcelain Veneer Is the Wrong Color

Posted on by AllSmiles.

My new porcelain veneer is the wrong color. I’ve had veneers since 2009, but one broke last month. Although the veneers looked good in the dental office, I could see that the shade did not match my other veneers and teeth. My dentist returned the veneer, and I returned to the office when the new one came. I thought my dentist used temporary paste, but she bonded the veneer because she said it was a match. Although my current dentist did not do my veneers in 2009, shouldn’t she be able to match one veneer with the others? Do you have a tip I can give her to get it right this time? I am thinking about getting a Lumineer from another dentist to be done with this. Thank you. Terah from Arlington, VA

Terah,

Thank you for contacting Dr. Lim’s office. We understand your concerns and frustration.

How Can You Color Match a Porcelain Veneer?

Trained cosmetic dentists color match a porcelain veneer with several steps, starting with using the correct lighting. When the veneer color does not match, a skilled cosmetic dentist understands how to manipulate the tint on the veneer, but a dentist should refrain from attempting to do it. Color-correct fluorescent lighting in the dental office can help a dentist achieve a perfect match.

An advanced cosmetic dentist may use this technique when veneers return from the dental lab in the wrong color:

  • Send photographs of your teeth to help the ceramist see the shade difference
  • Send a detailed description of the desired shade
  • Collaborate with the dental ceramist and try as many times as needed to correct the color

Using Polishing Techniques to Correct Veneer Color

Specific diamond polishing wheels and pastes can correct the color of a porcelain veneer. Still, if your dentist lacks the training, tools, and materials to polish veneers, please do not insist on this technique.

We recommend getting a second opinion from an advanced cosmetic dentist to examine your veneer and determine whether they can correct the color or if you need a new veneer. If you need to switch dentists to correct the color of your porcelain veneer, ask for your dental records and a history of your veneers, including the details of your 2009 veneers case. Don’t randomly seek another dentist for a single Lumineer. The results can be disastrous because Luminners’ quality will be inferior. The dental records will help your new cosmetic dentist and the dental lab achieve a perfect match.

Dr. Duane Delaune of Metairie, Louisiana, sponsors this post. Read why Dr. Delaune’s patients consider him one of the best dentists in town.

Before and after minimal prep porcelain veneers photos

Porcelain veneers photos of Dr. Delaune’s patient

 

Should I Replace Dental Bonding with Veneers?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

After having bonding on four front teeth since 2001, my dentist wants to replace the Lumineers because he says it’s easier. I am not sure what makes veneers easier, though. The bonding is yellowing. It didn’t help that I whitened my teeth and home and made the bonding more noticeable. I know Lumineers are supposed to be no-prep, but I am worried about tooth enamel damage if my dentist decides I need a little preparation. Should I insist on bonding? Thank you. Tyrelle from Chicago

Tyrelle,

Thank you for your question.

Can You Remove Dental Bonding?

A dentist with advanced cosmetic dentistry training can remove and replace dental bonding. Dental bonding removal may include one or more of these techniques.

  • Flexible sandpaper discs to maintain tooth shape while removing the bonding
  • Carbide polishing drills and a sandpaper disc to remove any streaks left
  • Air-abrasion equipment for gentle removing

Replacing Dental Bonding with Lumineers

A single porcelain veneer - for info on Lumineers

A skilled cosmetic dentist can determine whether veneers or dental bonding is best for your front teeth

A dentist can replace your dental bonding with Lumineers, but it is your choice. If you do not need to conceal any significant imperfections in your teeth, your dentist should not try to convince you to get Lumineers. Your dentist may say that he prefers Lumineers due to his discomfort with dental bonding. Although Lumineers are famous for not requiring preparation, without preparation, your teeth may look bulky with veneers bonded to their fronts.

Placing dental bonding requires advanced training and an artistic eye. Dentists apply it by hand. Only skilled cosmetic dentists have the bonding materials and tools to match any patient’s teeth perfectly. If your dentist lacks advanced cosmetic dentistry training or is uncomfortable with dental bonding, we recommend getting a second opinion.

A skilled cosmetic dentist will examine your teeth, discuss your options, and explain the results you can expect with dental bonding vs. porcelain veneers.

Will No-Prep Veneers Work for My Teeth?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

I have seen and compared no-prep veneers before and after pictures on several dental websites. Sometimes they look good and other times they do not. I am concerned about how they will look on my teeth. I do not know whether it is a coincidence, but it seems that the pictures that look good are mostly of people who wanted to make their small teeth larger. Only a few dentists’ patient photos look good in every case. My tooth size is fine, but I would like veneers to correct the shape of three teeth and another tooth that slightly overlaps the tooth immediately to the left. Will no-prep veneers work for my case? Can anyone get no-prep veneers? – Thanks. D’Andre from TN

 

D’Andre,

Thank you for your question.

Although Dr. Delaune would need to examine your teeth to determine whether you are a candidate for no-prep veneers, we will answer your question in general.

Will No-Prep Veneers Work for Your Teeth?

Although many patients ask for no-prep veneers, it does not mean that they will look good on your teeth or improve your smile. Skilled cosmetic dentists are careful with patient cases when asked to place no-prep veneers. Most often, without preparation, teeth can look large and bulky. Advanced cosmetic dentists are upfront about how no-prep veneers will look on you.

What Are Minimal-Prep Veneers?

Minimal-prep veneers require a cosmetic dentist to reduce only 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm of tooth enamel. Removing a tiny amount of enamel allows your veneers to fit nicely over your tooth and around your gum line. Minimal preparation can help veneers look natural on large, misshapen, uneven, or misaligned teeth.

If one of your teeth slightly overlaps, a cosmetic dentist must trim the tooth to get a beautiful result. Without preparation, the tooth will stick out even further.

Ultra-Thin Veneers

A skilled cosmetic dentist completes beautiful smiles by blending ultra-thin veneers with conservative tooth preparation. They choose veneer brands based on stunning results—not because they are popular no-prep brands, such as Lumineers, advertised on TV. Remember, even an ultra-thin veneer often requires tooth preparation depending on the condition and position of your natural teeth and the look you want to achieve.

Schedule Porcelain Veneers Consultations

We recommend scheduling consultations with two cosmetic dentists to compare their treatment recommendations for improving your smile with conservative tooth preparation and veneers. Each dentist should explain whether they would prepare your teeth and why.

What you can do:

  • Look for dentists with advanced cosmetic dentistry training.
  • Prepare your questions for the consultations and take notes.
  • Ask to see each dentist’s smile gallery of their porcelain veneers patients.

Dr. Duane Delaune, an cosmetic dentist in Metairie, Louisiana, sponsors this post.

Before and after minimal prep porcelain veneers photos

An example of the results Dr. Delaune achieves with minimal-prep porcelain veneers

Can I Trust This Dentist for No-Prep Veneers?

Posted on by AllSmiles.

I understand that Dr. [name withheld] [ is a premier Lumineers dentist. His Instagram page is highly active and has thousands of followers, too. And it seems that some people travel to his office for Lumineers. I am researching Lumineers and other no-prep veneers because I do not want my teeth shaved down. I want to go with a brand that is known for preserving my tooth enamel. Do you mind checking the doctor’s credentials and letting me know if I can trust that he has enough cosmetic dentistry training to know how to give me Lumineers or other veneers without tooth prep? I would hate to travel five hours and be disappointed. Thank you, Karson from Georgia

Karson,

Unfortunately, we cannot find evidence on Dr. [name withheld]’s website or otherwise about his cosmetic dentistry training. We even checked for membership with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. If you want to pursue treatment with the dentist, you can call the office or schedule a consultation and ask for information about his post-graduate training in aesthetics. But we have insight to share with you.

Porcelain Veneers and Shaved Down Teeth

We are interested in your concerns that a dentist will shave your teeth down for porcelain veneers. When expert cosmetic dentists place veneers, they preserve as much tooth enamel as possible.  Shaving down teeth describes the dental crown process—not porcelain veneers.

About tooth preparation for porcelain veneers

  • If your teeth require preparation a dentist will remove a fraction of a millimeter of tooth enamel
  • From a conversational distance, people cannot tell your teeth are prepared
  • Teeth are only prepared to prevent your veneers from looking bulky and to produce natural-looking results

Results with No-Prep Veneers

Sometimes conversative preparation will prevent bulky looking veneers. Lumineers are known for looking pasty and bulky. An expert cosmetic dentist will explain the result you can expect with or without preparation.

Rather than choosing a brand of veneers, look for an experienced cosmetic dentist. Schedule a consultation with one or two cosmetic dentists and discuss your options.

Dr. Duane Delaune, a cosmetic dentist in Metairie, Louisiana, sponsors this post.

Before and after minimal prep porcelain veneers photos

Porcelain veneers photos of Dr. Delaune’s patient

 

The Secret to Very White Teeth

Posted on by writeradmin.

I have been using whitening toothpastes for years and never seem to get very white teeth. I’ve about given up and am now looking at getting Lumineers at the suggestion of my dentist. It looks like it can give me very white teeth, but I wanted to make sure I am on the right track with this before investing that much money. Any advice?

Melissa

Dear Melissa,

Zoom Whitening

You have a few good options. Before we get into that, I’d like to discuss why your whitening toothpaste hasn’t worked.  These don’t actually whiten our teeth as much as scraping them clean. Whitening toothpaste uses an abrasive on your teeth, which removes the stains. However, it also will scratch the surface of your teeth. This has the unfortunate effect of damaging the surface of your teeth, in turn making them pick up stains more.

I’m a bit concerned that your dentist jumped from whitening toothpaste straight to Lumineers. It is massively more expensive than some of your other options. Lumineers are one brand of porcelain veneers. It’s a highly marketed brand. Unfortunately, it is mostly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. This rarely goes well for the patient. Plus, porcelain veneers are not intended for simply whitening your teeth. Instead, they are for total smile makeovers. If that is what you want, then great. Get porcelain veneers. They can be made as white as you’d like. They can also change the shape and size of your teeth. It’s important you choose an excellent cosmetic dentist to do that procedure.  If you decide to go that route, I suggest you look for a dentist that is listed on the mynewsmile.com website. These dentists are pre-screened for their training, technical knowledge, and artistry. They cannot just pay to get listed.

If you are not looking for anything quite that expensive, then you can get your teeth very white by doing professional teeth whitening. Doing bleaching trays can get them very white and you can do it at your convenience. If you want them white super fast, then you can go with Zoom Whitneining which will whiten your teeth in just one appointment. Unlike with porcelain veneers, you won’t need an exceptional cosmetic dentist for either teeth whitening procedure. Pretty much any dentist who offers the services can do them without any problem.

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