I went to see a cosmetic dentist because there was a small chip in my dental bonding. This was a new dentist for me since my original dentist has retired. When he examined my teeth and noticed I had fillings, he told me that I needed to have porcelain crowns done on my front teeth. He insisted that would make my entire smile uniform.
I’m not an expert and have always trusted my dentist, so I let him do the work. I wish I hadn’t moved forward with it. I look ridiculous. I have six porcelain crowns on my front teeth and the ones in front look grey. None of the cosmetic dentistry work blends in well. Is there anything that can be done at this point?
-Linda in Nebraska
Linda,
This sounds all too familiar. Now you find yourself in your very own cosmetic dentistry horror story, where it’s likely you feel like you are worse off than before you had any work done.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much that can be done to fix the porcelain crowns. That said hopefully the dentist that did the work will redo it until you are satisfied. However, as you now know, not just any dentist can do beautiful cosmetic dentistry. It requires an artistic eye, extensive training beyond dental school and a true passion for aesthetics.
Since you have spent a lot of money, you can try to have them redone. Then, you should absolutely insist that you have a try-in before they are permanently bonded in place. Most excellent cosmetic dentists have what they like to refer to as a beautiful smile guarantee. This means that the patient will have multiple times to see exactly what the cosmetic dentistry will look like before they are permanently cemented. So, being able to view them for a try-in is a reasonable request.
Also, you can request a clear try-in paste. This will help to transmit the tooth color under the crowns. Now, you shouldn’t have to tell him this, but if he doesn’t have a clear try-in paste, clear glycerin or a water-soluble gel, which will do the trick. This will ensure you have a full picture of what the final product will look like. But, honestly, it is silly that you would have to instruct your dentist.
So, if you get a sense that the dentist is not comfortable or willing to accommodate your requests, it may be best to see an expert cosmetic dentist that will be able to get these front crowns right.
If the crowns look bad enough, a new cosmetic dentist may be able to assist you in getting a refund of some kind. However, it is imperative that you be careful about finding a new cosmetic dentist. Ask about their credentials, ask to see similar cases to yours and ask about any kind of guarantee that you will be happy with the work.
I hope this is helpful and that you get them fixed. You should absolutely love your smile, especially when it comes to your front teeth.
Thank you for sharing. Hopefully, it helps someone else that is in your same boat.
This post is sponsored by Lexington cosmetic dentist Hamburg Expressions.
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