I asked my dentist for bonding on my canine teeth because they were noticeably shorter than the teeth on either side. I also wanted my teeth whitened, so my dentist completed it last November before bonding. My appointment for bonding was in January. Although my dentist assured me that she would blend shades to match my teeth, the bonded teeth were yellow when she asked me to look in the mirror and smile. Neither she nor I had time to correct it that day.
I returned to her office later in the month, and she took off the original bonding and replaced it. She kept saying how much I would love the results as she was applying them. I was almost in tears to see yellow bonding again that looked somewhat DARKER than the original bonding she placed. I’ve been fortunate to work from home, so no one I see on video conferences can look at my teeth long enough to notice how yellow the canines are.
My dentist’s office called me to schedule an appointment. I declined, but my dentist called me two days later and said that she might need to replace it with porcelain veneers if the bonding didn’t work this time. I politely told her that I was not getting porcelain veneers. I didn’t reschedule with her because I’m skeptical. Is it possible that my dentist has ruined my teeth by adding and removing bonding, and I need porcelain veneers? Carlton from NV
Carlton,
We agree that you should be hesitant about letting your dentist correct the bonding on your canine teeth. No doubt, the bonding is even more noticeable because your natural teeth are even whiter after getting them bleached. We recommend that you find an advanced cosmetic dentist to do it.
Although you may not be able to legally force your dentist to compensate you for getting the work corrected, you can politely ask her and mention any of the possibilities below—whatever you think might get a response from her:
- Hiring an attorney
- Complaining to the dental board
- Submitting a negative online review
Direct Dental Bonding
Only an artistic dentist achieves beautiful results with direct dental bonding. Any dentist can remove the bonding on your canine teeth and reapply it, but it takes an artist and specific technique to make bonding look natural and blend with the surrounding teeth.
Porcelain Veneers vs. Bonding
Although veneers produce beautiful results, you asked for dental bonding. A skilled cosmetic dentist can lengthen your canine teeth with bonding. It’s doubtful that your dentist ruined your teeth. It’s more likely that she doesn’t understand how to manipulate bonding to match your natural teeth.
Cosmetic Dentistry Is an Art
- Dental school training isn’t enough – Dentists need advanced training to understand color, translucence, and gloss and achieve natural-looking results with bonding. It takes advanced training to become skilled in cosmetic dentistry, and few dentists are dedicated to refining their skills.
- It takes an artist – Most people who become dentists want to fix things, but 95% of dentists aren’t artistic. They often don’t think extra training is necessary. And they are satisfied when the results look okay. However, the artistic dentist wants your smile to look natural and beautiful. Some dentists may not be concerned about yellow canine teeth resulting from dental bonding.
- It takes advanced training – Although cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty, it takes time to study it and achieve good results. Artistic dentists aren’t satisfied until you love your smile. They have a lifetime commitment to receive training that helps them refine their art.
How Can You Find a Top Cosmetic Dentist?
Follow the steps listed below to find a top cosmetic dentist who will enhance your smile.
- Ask friends or acquaintances for recommendations.
- Visit the dentists’ websites to confirm that they participate in ongoing training.
- Look for the dentists’ affiliation or credentials with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
- Find the smile gallery of patients’ before-and-after photos on the website. If the dentist doesn’t have a smile gallery, maybe they aren’t proud of their work.
- Schedule a consultation with at least two cosmetic dentists, ask questions, and ask to see photos of dental bonding.
Best wishes for a confident smile.
Dr. Duane Delaune, an cosmetic dentist in Metairie, Louisiana, sponsors this post.
An example from Dr. Delaune of how a cosmetic dentist can product beautiful results with dental bonding.