Can Lumineers Fix My Lumineers?

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I got Lumineers a few years ago. They were never the color I wanted, but looked a tad stained to me. My dentist said they didn’t make them as white as I wanted. Now I’m seeing people who’ve had smile makeovers with much whiter teeth so I”m thinking the technology has changed. Can I get Lumineers placed over old ones to make them whiter? My dentist said teeth whitening won’t work.

Andrea

Dear Andrea,

single porcelain veneer being held up by a dental tool

Your dentist was mistaken about the first set of Lumineers. Any porcelain veneers (and Lumineers are just one brand of porcelain veneers) can be made as white as you want and that has been true since their inception. This tells me your dentist is an inexperienced cosmetic dentist who was trying to make sure your smile looked “natural”. It doesn’t surprise me he recommended Lumineers. They’re highly marketed to beginner cosmetic dentists as being easy to place.

Years ago, the Lumineers brand tried marketing itself as a way to “fix” old, ugly looking crowns. The reviews were horrible by those who had it done, which may be why they no longer market for that.

It is just as much work and safer for you to just have your porcelain veneers re-done than it is to place new veneers on top of old. Otherwise, you have two bonding procedures. If one fails, they both fail. It’s more secure to bond porcelain to natural tooth structure than it is to bond porcelain to porcelain.

Getting Your Porcelain Veneers

I don’t think you should go to the same dentist to have your porcelain veneers re-done. He doesn’t seem to understand how smile makeovers work. It’s not actually taught in dental school so dentists have to invest time and money for additional training to develop their skills.

I would look up some dentists who advertise as cosmetic dentists in your area. Before doing anything, check out the smile gallery on their website. If they don’t have one, they don’t take cosmetic dentistry very seriously. If you love the results they create, the next step would be to check their reviews.

This helps you know what other patients have felt about his or her practice. Once you are satisfied with both of those things, make sure they have some form of a beautiful smile guarantee. This way you can be certain you’ll get the smile you really want.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Tri-Colored Porcelain Veneers

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I’m really disappointed in my porcelain veneers. I spent a fortune and now I have three different colored teeth. My natural teeth are yellowed. Then, I have four porcelain veneers, but two of them have splotchy gray patches. They look to be from underneath the veneers and shining through. Will teeth whitening help this?

Vera

Dear Vera,

a porcelain veneer being placed
Porcelain veneers are a great option for smile makeovers…when done by an artistic cosmetic dentist

There are a few things going on here. The biggest issue is you have a dentist in over his or her head with porcelain veneers. Smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. In order to do it well, dentists have to invest years of post-doctoral training on their own time to become skilled.

Your dentist has made three pretty basic mistakes, which tells me they didn’t do that.

Porcelain Veneers Mistake #1

You said you were provided with four porcelain veneers. You also said that you can see your natural, yellow-stained teeth. This means you were not given enough porcelain veneers. Most smiles require six to eight porcelain veneers. Wider smiles will require ten.

Sometimes, getting fewer porcelain veneers is the choice of the patient, even though the dentist recommends more. Often, this is for budgetary reasons. When that happens, there is a good solution. This leads me to the next issue.

Porcelain Veneers Mistake #2

When you don’t have enough porcelain veneers to cover the teeth which are visible when you smile, the most affordable solution is to have your teeth whitened.

This makes the teeth white and closer to matching what your veneered teeth will look like. This would have kept your yellowed teeth from standing out against your veneers because the stains would be gone.

Porcelain Veneers Mistake #3

The two veneers you have which have splotchy gray stains sounds to me like they’re not bonded properly. This causes what is known as micro-leakage. When the veneers aren’t bonded on properly it allows things to get between the veneer and your teeth. This shows up as blotchy stains.

If this is the case, you have a very good case for a refund. This isn’t functional for you. Not because of the unattractiveness of the veneers, but because of the danger of decay. You have food and other bacteria getting trapped in there. Your teeth will develop cavities as a result.

Where to Go from Here

The first thing I want you to do is ask your dentist for a refund. If he or she refuses, then I want you to get a second opinion from another cosmetic dentist. If they confirm you have micro-leakage, then it will be easy for you to get a refund and get the case done properly.

Decide whether you want to have more porcelain veneers placed on the visible teeth or get your teeth whitened instead. If you decide on teeth whitening, get that done first.

I hope this puts your mind at ease.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Are Porcelain Veneers the Only Way to Hide Fluorosis Stains?

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Your smile is an expression of your personality and a memorable part of your physical identity. But fluorosis stains on your teeth can make you hesitant about smiling. Are there any temporary ways to hide fluorosis stains on your teeth?

Background for our readers: Fluorosis stains occur from an excessive intake of fluoride during childhood while teeth are still developing. Stains on teeth are white, and in severe cases are brown.

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can personally do to hide fluorosis stains in your teeth. Even many general dentists are not able to successfully conceal the stains. But experienced cosmetic dentists have great success in rejuvenating smiles that are affected by fluorosis stains.

Porcelain Veneers and Other Options for Treating Dental Fluorosis

single porcelain veneer being held up by a dental tool

A porcelain veneer is bonded to the front of each affected tooth

Porcelain veneers are commonly used to conceal the stains. A delicate balance is needed to manipulate porcelain in a way that conceals the stains, yet the color and translucency of your natural teeth. A cosmetic dentist will work closely with a ceramist to ensure you receive natural-looking results.

Enamel Microabrasion

This process uses various acids and specific dental instruments to remove up to 0.2 mm of affected tooth enamel. Sometimes it is used when fluorosis stains are not deep. Not all dentists use it, it’s not right for every case, and it might be used along with porcelain veneers, teeth whitening treatment, or cosmetic bonding to conceal fluorosis stains.

Teeth Bleaching

Teeth bleaching can be used along with porcelain veneers or other cosmetic treatments to lighten the natural pigmentation of your teeth and brighten your smile. A dentist with training in dental esthetics understands the amount of whitening required, as well as when it should be used in the treatment process.

Composite Bonding

A cosmetic dentist can blend various shades of dental composite to hide stains and produce natural looking results. The dentist will roughen the surface of your teeth, apply the composite, and shape, harden, and polish it.

What Treatment Should You Request?

Before you request porcelain veneers or any other type of treatment, we suggest that you schedule consultations with at least two highly skilled cosmetic dentists. You will need an examination to receive a precise treatment plan, but during the consultation, the dentist will explain your treatment options and the results you can expect. To make this easier for patients, at Cheek Dental we offer free online consultations.

 This post is sponsored by East Cobb cosmetic dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Am I Being too Picky about these Porcelain Veneers?

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Amelia

I had four porcelain veneers placed on my front teeth. The veneers themselves looked good. The teeth next to them stood out a bit so I plan on whitening my teeth to help that. My big concern is with one of the front veneers. I noticed on the drive home it had a strange divot that went across the middle of the veneer. I turned around immediately and went back to see what I needed to do. He told me not to worry and that he’d fix it right away. He did some kind of repair and it felt smooth again. Now it is a couple of days later and that part looks more dull than the rest of the tooth. Am I being too picky? It does bug me but I don’t want to be “that” patient.

Dear Amelia,

single porcelain veneer being held up by a dental tool

You are not being too picky. In fact, it sounds like the repair your dentist did on your veneer has damaged it. It’s possible he just sanded the area around the divot a bit to make it even. Unfortunately, that will have the devastating result of taking off the glaze of the veneer in that area.

The glazing is what protects it from picking up stains. This needs to be repaired or replaced. I’d do it now, while the faulty “repair” is fresh in his mind. If you wait too long he could try to blame you for the damage.

Have this Dentist Replace Your Porcelain Veneer

There is a repair that can be done on this using diamond polishing equipment. Unfortunately, I don’t think your dentist will know this technique. It’s quite advanced. Your dentist isn’t an expert cosmetic dentist, so you’re better off just having him replace it.

I’m not just being arbitrary in saying that. All the things you mentioned above are evidence. First, the number of porcelain veneers he gave you. When a dentist is doing a smile makeover, they’ll make sure as many of the teeth visible when you smile are covered as possible.

At a minimum, that means six teeth, unless you have an unusually narrow smile. Patients with wide smiles often get ten. Granted, there are sometimes financial considerations and patients can’t afford to cover each visible tooth. In that case, your dentist will make sure you whiten your teeth, before you have your smile makeover done. Yours didn’t even tell you to do it at all. You had to come up with that.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Porcelain Veneers and Gum Disease

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I had a set of porcelain veneers done about 7 months ago. I liked them, but I’ve been having some problems and I’m wondering if the porcelain veneers are why. It didn’t happen until after I got them. It started with the gums feeling sore. I thought that might be because I had new veneers. Then I noticed occasional bleeding when I brushed. I went in for my first checkup since getting them and they’ve said I’m developing gum disease and I need to do a better job brushing. Here’s the thing, I’m pretty fastidious when it comes to brushing and flossing and haven’t changed my habits. That’s especially true because I invested all this money in my veneers and want to keep them clean as well. So, if it isn’t me, is it the veneers? Is this common? Is there a solution?

Brooke

Dear Brooke,

a porcelain veneer being placed

I’m sorry you’re going through this. If your oral hygiene is sound, then something else is going on. Because this started after your porcelain veneers procedure, it is natural to suspect them. However, they do not cause bleeding gums or gum disease. What can do that is the porcelain veneers not being properly placed.

It sounds like your dentist doesn’t understand how to get them flush against the teeth. When this happens, it causes a little shelf between the porcelain veneers and your gums. This is known as bulky margins and is a huge problem for you.

Here’s the thing. when you have that shelf, food and other forms of bacteria get trapped in there. They’re very hard to get out. This leads to decay. It will ruin your porcelain veneers and your teeth. You don’t want to go from a porcelain veneer to a porcelain crown unless you have to.

Get Your Porcelain Veneers Re-Done

This has to be replaced. Fortunately, if you can get another dentist to verify that is the problem, you can get your original dentist to replace them for free. The key to getting a good second opinion though is two-fold.

First, never ever tell them who did the work. Dentists are colleagues and friends. It’s hard to say something negative about a peer. If they don’t know who the dentist is it takes away the feeling of disloyalty. They’re just giving an honest, unbiased opinion.

Second, is don’t tell them what you think it wrong. Just tell them the symptoms and let them make the diagnosis. If it turns out to be bulky margins, he can help you get that refund you need to get this fixed properly.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

My Porcelain Veneers Make me Look Like Bugs Bunny

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I don’t know what to do. I think I made a mistake begging my dentist to give me porcelain veneers. I could tell he wasn’t keen but I felt desperate to get a smile which didn’t bother me. My teeth are short and stubby. I wanted to make them longer. Now they’re way too long and bulky. I honestly feel like bugs bunny. Can this be fixed?

Samantha

Dear Samantha,

a porcelain veneer being placed

In every profession, including dentistry, there are different strengths and weaknesses with each person. For some dentists, they prefer to focus on the general dentistry aspects of keeping teeth healthy and repairing them when they aren’t. Others invest time in learning cosmetic skills.

However, even among those who like to do cosmetic work, there are different levels of artistry. No two dentists smile makeovers will turn out the same.

It sounds like your dentist prefers the general work, but deferred to your desire for longer teeth. His heart was in the right place but he didn’t have the skill set needed to make it work.

My guess is, because you said they looked bulky on top of too long, your dentist tried to do it with Lumineers. This is a brand of porcelain veneers which tends to be highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place.

Unfortunately, without the proper tooth preparation (which they tell the dentists isn’t necessary) the results tend to be bulky.

Fixing Badly Done Porcelain Veneers

Once dental work is bonded on, it’s permanently on. The only way to “fix” them is to have them redone. Now, you choose the correct solution to your problem. Porcelain veneers will absolutely give you the smile of your dreams. However, to truly get that smile, it will have to be through a different dentist.

Your dentist tried. He likely tried his best. But, if cosmetic dentistry isn’t his thing, his best will never be enough to give your smile the right results. It doesn’t mean you have to switch dentists. You’ll just have to see a different dentist for cosmetic work than your normal dental work.

Look up some cosmetic dentists in your area. Make sure they have post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry. You can do that by looking on their website or just calling their office and asking. After that, check out their smile gallery. Are the smile makeovers they’ve posted on there gorgeous? Would you be excited if that were your smile? If not, look at a different dentist.

The final step will be to check their reviews. What type of experience did other patients who’ve used their office have? Were they satisfied? From there, schedule a consultation. We offer, here at Cheek Dental in Marietta, a complimentary remote consultation.

Best of luck to you.
This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.