botched dental bonding Archives

Dental bonding mistake!

September 10, 2021 by Brian Sartin

I am so utterly disappointed in the cosmetic dentistry I just had done. I decided to move forward in getting my front tooth gap closed and then some work done to the lateral incisors to make them appear a bit longer. The dentist recommended dental bonding be used to fix my smile. The first thing that I was surprised by was the fact that the color doesn’t match. When I talked to the cosmetic dentist about this, he said the color difference is supposed to match my “eye teeth” but then when I questioned him he stated that the color was consistent on all the work he did. I’m thinking he’s changing his story here. What was it? A darker color for the incisors or not? Well, I guess it doesn’t matter because they don’t look the same. So, when I expressed my dissatisfaction, he wants me to pay more. That, on top of the whitening toothpaste he is telling me to use, even after he had me do tray teeth whitening. Ugh! Have I been duped? Please help! I literally feel like my lateral incisors are grey.

-Carrie in California

Carrie,

Thank you for reaching out. Cosmetic dentistry mistakes are all too common and the more individuals that share stories like yours, future patients will hopefully become increasingly educated.

Most excellent cosmetic dentists feel that the central incisors should actually be lighter then the canine teeth which are darker. This is to create the most natural-looking smile possible. So if the coloration is how you described it, then this is a dental bonding mistake by your cosmetic dentist. A grey color isn’t acceptable.

If you feel the work is not sufficient, you have two main options. You can approach your cosmetic dentist and request that the work be redone and fixed. Or, you can request that the cosmetic dentistry is paid for elsewhere in seeking a different cosmetic dentist. Now, since it sounds as if your dentist is giving you different explanations and you obviously aren’t happy with the first attempt, you may be better served in finding a new cosmetic dentist to fix your dental bonding. Cosmetic dentistry is an art. If this first dentist isn’t able to give you a beautiful result, it is unlikely an artistic, natural result will happen the second time around with the current dentist.

But it is imperative that you try to refrain from a confrontational demeanor. It sounds like he already is taking the stance that he will charge for any re-work. The thing is teeth whitening isn’t going to solve your problem either because the color is not going to change on the dental bonding. You have a case here. This needs to be redone at his expensive. You have already paid for a beautiful smile and he fell short. He needs to make this right.

My Dental Bonding Keeps Falling Off- Can I Leave it Off?

August 31, 2021 by Brian Sartin

I wasn’t happy with the gap between my front teeth and I asked about doing porcelain veneers at my last checkup. Instead, my doctor recommended dental bonding to fill the space. He said it would be less invasive and look just as good, so I reluctantly went along with it. He actually did it right there and then, which surprised me. Here I thought I was just getting a cleaning, and the next minute they’re pulling out all the stuff to do the dental bonding. I noticed right away that it wasn’t lined up properly- as in, the space between the teeth is off to one side just a bit. It’s not much, but it’s noticeable to me. He said I just wasn’t used to not having the gap. Well, two days later, the dental bonding fell off on one side, so I went back and had it replaced. Then, the other side fell off. Then, they both fell off. What gives? I’m so frustrated that I wish I had just left it alone. Can I just leave them off next time or will it cause issues?

Thanks,

Jillian

Dear Jillian,

Sorry to hear you’re having so much trouble. Dental bonding is a great alternative to porcelain veneers As your dentist said, it’s far less invasive. Veneers usually require some tooth structure be removed, while tooth bonding only needs minor preparations.

It sounds like something is either going wrong with the adhesion process or the shape is off, so you’re catching them when you bite. These are usually technique errors. Considering that the alignment is off and it was a rush-job, that’s probably the case. Even great dentists miss a spot of moisture sometimes and adhesion fails. However, the fact that it’s happening repeatedly and there were other issues raises a lot of red flags.

It’s ill-advised to just leave it if they fall off again, simply because the surface has been roughened up by etching. Those spots will attract stains and be more prone to decay now. You can ask the dentist to repair it one more time, or it would certainly be within reason to request a refund and have a dentist who specializes in cosmetic dentistry procedures redo the work.

Help! I have a dental bonding crisis.

August 26, 2021 by Brian Sartin

I asked my dentist to do a little dental bonding to fill in some small gaps between my teeth. They looked like tiny black triangles at the gum line and they were all I noticed when I’d look in the mirror. He assured me that dental bonding was the way to go and that they’d look beautiful when he was done. Much to my surprise, he didn’t even match the colors right. It looks like he took a tube of bathtub caulk and filled in the gaps with it. I told him right then and there that I wanted it fixed and he told me that it was just the lighting and that I was probably just used to seeing the dark spaces there. No. Then, I get home and realize I can’t even get floss in there to clean. I’m worried that this is going to be an issue going forward, on top of the aesthetic concerns. How do I go about having my dental bonding fixed?

Thank you,

Sarina in Tennessee

Dear Sarina,

The triangles you mentioned are usually caused by gum recession and it’s incredibly difficult to get dental bonding right in such a tight space. It is doable, but it requires an experienced dentist who understands form, shading, and the gums.

To address your concern about not being able to floss, that’s bad and needs to be repaired right away. If you can’t get floss in there, the area is going to become a food magnet and you won’t be able to get it out. Without a doubt, it will eventually turn into gum disease and/or tooth decay if it isn’t fixed. This is something that’s easy to correct. The dentist should have used something that’s similar to sandpaper, but intended for teeth, to smooth it down so that there was ample space there. This can be done at any time, so it’s an option for correction now.

The color can be tricky to match because your tooth naturally gets darker down there and there may be shade variations even within that small space. This can be matched, but the dentist has to have a keen eye for cosmetic dentistry in order to blend things properly. If the dental bonding looks bright white to you, he either picked the wrong shade or matched it to the top of the tooth. The only way to correct this is to have the work redone. If you have faith in him to get it right the second time around, you can give it another shot. Otherwise, you may want to find a more experienced dentist and have it done correctly.