I am really hoping you can advice me. I am at my wits end. I just saved up several thousand dollars to get Lumineers. I had six ready to put on my top front teeth when i went in for my try in, but they looked very bulky to me. When I told my dentist that he said I was being unrealistic and that it was a gorgeous smile. He even indicated that because my own teeth are so stained and unattractive that the Lumineers were a big improvement. I dont agree. They are better than my natural teeth, but they’re definitely not worth the thousands of dollars I’ve spent. I’d look like I had round teeth. I left without having them put in, but I dont’ want to lose my money. I also don’t want to take the Lumineers if I’m not happy with the results. What should I do? That was an awful lot of money.
Karen D.- Maumelle, AR
Karen,
What you’ve described is becoming more common. Any dentist can get certified to place Lumineers just by passing a written test. They do not have to be a qualified cosmetic dentist who is skilled in the artistry it takes to place veneers. There are a couple of things that lead me to believe your dentist fits that category. First, cosmetic dentists are taught to listen to the patient’s feelings and take them seriously. If the patient doesn’t feel it is attractive, then it is not attractive. Our job is to help you love your smile. The fact that your dentist is not taking your feelings seriously is a real red flag to me.
Secondly, a good cosmetic dentist would have explained to you that with your teeth being really stained, you would need eight Lumineers instead of six. The reason for that is people generally show eight or ten teeth when they smile. In dental school they teach that the front six teeth are anterior teeth and the rest are posteriors, so a general dentist might think all you need to do is fix those six teeth. However, cosmetic dentists know you show some of your posterior teeth when you smile. Therefore if they are very stained it will look very strange having these beautiful white teeth, next to a couple of dark ones on either side. To avoid that, you could either get eight veneers, or if that is too expensive, have your teeth bleached before placing just six of them. You didn’t mention this step, so I’m assuming it was skipped.
My recommendation to you is to find a truly qualified cosmetic dentist and explain your situation. Many of them do a free complimentary consultation, so it won’t cost you anything to talk to them. He or she may be able to help you get some of your money back (though probably not all). They’ll also be able to give you quality porcelain veneers that give you a smile you are proud to wear. This time make sure you know what kind of dentist they’re getting. Ask about their cosmetic training and look at their smile gallery to see what kind of work they’ve done. Good Luck!
This blog is brought to you by Seattle Cosmetic Dentist Dr. McKay.
