Is my porcelain veneer compromised after repair?

The porcelain veneers I had done looked great at first. Then, after about a month, I noticed that one of them felt rough. Sure enough – there is a scratch on the surface. When I told the dentist, he had me come back in and said it was not a big deal. He smoothed it out and sent me on my way. It felt much better.

When I inspected it more closely, I noticed that the area he buffed out now looks dull. It has lost the uniform shine. So, now I feel like it doesn’t really match. Am I being too picky or can I call back in to see if it can be fixed again?

-Marianne in Iowa

Marianne,

The shine on porcelain veneers is a protective coat that is baked on the surface of the veneer. Unfortunately, the glaze is applied at the lab. So, once it is removed, it is gone.

Now, your cosmetic dentist should have known better and you should be able to request that the porcelain veneer is redone. Or that the pair of them is redone. Without the protective glaze on the veneer, it will be vulnerable to stains and it will end up becoming more noticeable. It would be wise to call him sooner than later so he remembers the specifics of your case.

An experienced cosmetic dentist may be able to accomplish the look with some polishing. However, it does require some special tools and products. A diamond polishing instrument and polishing glaze will work if it is in the hands of an expert cosmetic dentist. Your current dentist doesn’t sound like he fits into that category since he made the mistake of buffing the glaze in the first place.

So, see where you get with the original dentist. Then, it may be in your best interest to find an excellent cosmetic dentist in your area.

This post is sponsored by Lexington cosmetic dentist Hamburg Expressions.