porcelain veneers second opinion Archives

How Can I Find a Dentist to Bleach My Porcelain Veneers?

Posted on June 19, 2024 by AllSmiles.

How can I find a dentist to bleach my porcelain veneers? I got my teeth whitened before getting porcelain veneers. My family dentist assured me she could match the veneers to my teeth. However, when my dentist showed the shade tab for veneers, the whitest shade was darker than my teeth. So, now I have veneers and am self-conscious because the four veneers on my front teeth do not match the teeth around them. Can I get my porcelain veneers bleached? I’m afraid to ask my dentist because she would want to bleach the veneers, and I no longer trust her. Thanks. Sydneigh

Sydneigh,

True cosmetic dentists are sensitive to aesthetics.

How Can You Find a Dentist to Bleach Your Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneer

Porcelain veneers are colorfast, and bleaching will not lighten them. Although you won’t be able to find a dentist to bleach your veneers, a cosmetic dentist and ceramist can make your porcelain veneers as white as you want—even brighter than bleached natural teeth.

Understanding Dentistry Shade Guides

Many dentists are not artistic and lack the training and experience to match your veneers and teeth. A supplemental shade guide for bleached teeth is four shades brighter than B1, which dental schools teach is the brightest. Some dentists are unaware of the supplemental shade guide for bleached teeth.

If you want a beautiful smile makeover and porcelain veneers matching your natural teeth, schedule consultations with at least two cosmetic dentists. Look for dentists with post-graduate training in aesthetics. Visit the smile gallery on the dentist’s website to see before-and-after patient photos of cases like yours.

During the consultation, each dentist should explain, in terms you understand, how they will color-match new porcelain veneers to your teeth.

Ask Your Dentist for a Refund

Your dentist didn’t deliver what you wanted—porcelain veneers that match your whitening teeth. Ask your dentist for a refund. If she refuses, you can explain that you will leave a negative online review on Google, Yelp, or Facebook. You can also report the issue to the state dental Board. Although the Board may not reprimand your dentist, your complaint will be on file.

Best wishes for a smooth resolution.

Metairie, Louisiana, dentist Dr. Duane Delaune sponsors this post. Read how Dr. Delaune strives to be among the best dentists in Metairie.

Will a Porcelain Veneer Tooth with a Cavity Need a Crown Instead?

Posted on May 26, 2023 by AllSmiles.

Is replacing a porcelain veneer with a dental crown necessary if I have a cavity in the tooth? My dentist found a cavity on my top left incisor during my dental cleaning and exam last week. I have veneers on my 8 front teeth and prefer not to have a veneer replaced with a crown. Isn’t this aggressive? How could a crown match the veneers? Thank you. Jillian from White Plains, NY

Jillian,

We wish we had your dental records and knew more about your case. We recommend getting a second opinion from a skilled cosmetic dentist. We will explain why.

Can You Match a Dental Crown to Porcelain Veneers?

Although it is possible to match a dental crown to porcelain veneers, only about two percent of cosmetic dentists have the skills and artistic talent to do it. Most dentists and their laboratories don’t understand how to achieve a match. Your concerns about a mismatch are valid.

What Is the Size of the Cavity of the Porcelain Veneer Tooth?

If a cavity is so large that restoring the tooth would result in losing at least 20 percent of the tooth’s structure, you might need a dental crown. Otherwise, a dentist would shave every side of your tooth to accommodate the crown. We suspect your dentist is more familiar with dental crowns than porcelain veneers and offering your treatment options on their preference.

A dentist can fill a cavity on the edge of a porcelain veneer’s tooth with dental bonding. Again, only advanced cosmetic dentists have the training and equipment to use composite filling and ensure it matches your porcelain veneers.

Can You Keep Your Porcelain Veneer Instead of Getting a Crown?

Porcelain veneer

You may be able to keep your porcelain veneer depending on the condition of your tooth. If the tooth is savable, understand that a general family dentist cannot achieve what you want. Although most family dentists claim to practice cosmetic dentistry, only a dentist with post-graduate (and ongoing) training and experience can produce beautiful work with crowns or veneers.

We recommend scheduling consultations with at least two skilled cosmetic dentists. Look for dentists with extensive cosmetic dentistry training.

Meanwhile, try to limit how often you snack during the day. Porcelain veneers can be susceptible to decay at the margin where a veneer and tooth meet. Each time you eat, you expose your teeth to bacteria-producing acid. Floss daily to clean the margin.

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

Another Lumineer Popped Off My Tooth. It’s the Third Time.

Posted on February 27, 2023 by AllSmiles.

I got Lumineers placed on 8 teeth upper teeth in 2022. Last July, two of them popped off for no reason. I returned them to my dentist, and she bonded them back at no cost. Last night another one popped off. Fortunately, I was at home this time. The previous times I was in public, and really embarrassed. I can’t return to the same dentist now because I moved over 200 miles away, although I am still in Texas. Why are the Lumineers popping off, and what should I do now? Will I need new Lumineers? Thank you. Dinah from Sumter, SC

Dinah,

Thank you for contacting Delaune Dental in Metairie about your Lumineers. We understand your concerns and the embarrassment of faulty cosmetic dentistry.

Why Are Your Lumineers Popping Off?

A single porcelain veneer - for info on Lumineers

A skilled cosmetic can inspect your Lumineers for stability.

If your Lumineers periodically pop off, it is likely because your dentist did not correctly bond them to your teeth. With proper bonding and proper care, porcelain veneers should remain in place for the life of the veneers—15 to 20 years or longer.

In addition to veneers falling off, improper bonding can result in veneers staining, discoloring, and sensitivity in the veneered teeth. Some people experience decay in teeth behind the veneers due to faulty boning techniques.

Schedule an Exam with an Experienced Cosmetic Dentist

It is vital to the longevity of your cosmetic dentistry treatment to find an experienced cosmetic dentist who is skilled with current bonding techniques. Make an appointment with an experienced cosmetic dentist to restore the Lumineer that fell off and examine the others. The dentist will recommend a treatment plan to ensure all your veneers are stable and stop the Lumineers from popping off individually. You should only need new Lumineers if the dentist determines that yours are defective.

Metairie cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune sponsors this post. Read details about how Dr. Delaune strives to provide some of the best dental care in Metairie.