problem with porcelain veneers Archives

I’m living a porcelain veneers horror story!

September 4, 2021 by Brian Sartin

I’m so sad. My porcelain veneers look terrible. I have been seeing the same dentist since I was five years old. I love going to see him. When I was in for a regular checkup, I mentioned that I had a really big project at work. It was an opportunity for me to expand my role at and I would be highly visible. He offered to do porcelain veneers to improve my smile. And I didn’t think twice about it. I have always trusted him. I have only ever had positive experiences at the dentist.

So, he did the work. Well, I guess that was a big mistake. I am so unhappy with the results. They are oddly shaped for one. The color isn’t right. I don’t know how to explain it. But, they look fake. The best way to explain it is that it looks like I have Chiclets glued to the front of my teeth.

But, the thing that is most frustrating is that I can’t talk normally. My tongue keeps getting stuck on them and I sound funny. This is a nightmare. I’m not only paranoid about only how they look, but I’m embarrassed that I sound funny. What do I do? I don’t want to damage our relationship. But, I’m mortified. I have to get them fixed or taken off.

-Elizabeth in Louisiana

Elizabeth,

Oh no! This is an unfortunate situation. The bad news is that the porcelain veneers cannot be removed. When porcelain veneers are placed, a tiny bit of the enamel is removed so that they can be permanently bonded in place. When porcelain veneers are don’t correctly, the tooth preparation steps ensures they look completely seamless and natural-looking. But, it also means that they cannot be removed. Your smile won’t look like it used to. Also, your teeth would be more susceptible to decay.

You have learned the hard way. There is a fundamental difference between cosmetic dentists and general dentists. It sounds like your general dentist is a wonderful dentist, seeing that you’ve been going to him since you were a child. But, he simply may not have the training and experience to do beautiful porcelain veneers.

To be an excellent cosmetic dentist requires extensive training beyond dental school. A cosmetic dentist is passionate about creating beauty, in the same way an artist is obsessed with creating art. Think of your smile like a canvas. That is how a true cosmetic dentist is motivated. They want nothing more than for you to fall in love with your new smile.

I know you don’t want to hear this. But, you probably need to see a different dentist to get this straightened out. One that is highly experienced in cosmetic dentistry. If it was only a matter of fixing the speech issue, your dentist may be able to make some adjustments. But, it sounds like there are many things wrong with the smile design. So, the porcelain veneers need to be replaced.

You need to talk to your dentist. He may end up offering to redo them for you. But, it is not in your best interest. He probably had the best intentions. He’s just not equipped to do the highly-skilled, aesthetic work that is needed. You may be able to see if he will refund you or give you some money back, so you can go elsewhere to get the smile you deserve.

You shouldn’t feel bad. Honestly, it’s probably him who will feel really bad. You can continue seeing him for your routine care. But, for the porcelain veneers and any future cosmetic dentistry, be sure you find a reputable cosmetic dentist.

Look for one that has many before and after photographs to share with you. Ask about their training, what other services they provide and how they will improve your case. Good luck to you!

My porcelain veneers are messing up my speech.

September 3, 2021 by Brian Sartin

I had a pretty significant smile makeover, which included 10 porcelain veneers. I also had two crowns done at the same time. After the permanent veneers were placed, I noticed that I am having some difficulty speaking. My tongue isn’t happy. It just doesn’t feel comfortable. The best way to describe it is that it feels like my tongue is too big and it kind of lays on the back of the bottom of my front teeth. Does that make sense? When I went in, my dentist seemed stumped. He can’t figure it out. Does it have something to do with the crowns on the back molars? Please tell me you have some advice. I feel silly!

-Jana in Florida

Jana,

Sorry to hear that you are having some issues with your porcelain veneers. Unfortunately, it is always difficult to give specific recommendations without having seen your case in person. That said, here is some information regarding smile makeovers and speech patterns that you may find helpful.

When porcelain veneers are placed properly, they shouldn’t be affecting your tongue or your speech. Porcelain veneers are tiny shells of porcelain veneers that are placed on the front surfaces of your teeth. So, the correct placement of porcelain veneers shouldn’t bother your tongue. The crowns you mentioned cover the entire tooth and not just the surface. So, if your smile makeover consisted of all crowns, there is a possibility that your speech could be impacted. But, you mentioned that you only had two crowns done. That said, this may be the culprit or a combination of them both.

Another thing that you may not realize is that any dentist can claim to be a cosmetic dentist without any additional cosmetic dentistry training. This means the dentist may not actually have the ability or advanced training and experience to deliver results. The thickness of the inside surface of the crowns, may alter the pronunciation of certain letter sounds. An excellent cosmetic dentist will be trained in how to place crowns in a way that they will not agitate or affect the tongue.

The length of the front teeth and back teeth may also affect certain letter pronunciation. So, the main question to figure out is which of these precise measurements is affecting your tongue and speech patterns. Most expert cosmetic dentists will test the placement of the provisional veneers or porcelain crowns prior to placing them permanently. Then, they can be adjusted at that stage before they are permanently bonded into place.

As you very well know, there is something wrong here and it sounds like it occurred during the placement of permanent restorations. It is possible your dentist didn’t actually send the impressions into the dental laboratory. Usually that is the best course of action. But it is possible your dentist chose to use photographs instead of the impressions. Or it is of course possible that the ceramist has messed up or misunderstood the specifications.

Sometimes it takes awhile to adjust to a smile makeover. But if you are still having problems after a couple months, you should adamantly request that they be corrected or even redone. It is possible that you may be better served by another cosmetic dentist. Your original dentist should make every effort to make this right. But, if you are met with resistance for whatever reason, it may be in your best interest to see a new cosmetic dentist. Sometimes, the new cosmetic dentist will be able to attest to the issues you’re having and help you pursue getting a refund at some level. Good luck and thank you for sharing your story. Hopefully, it helps others realize that not every dentist can do beautiful, functional cosmetic dentistry.

Is it strange that I can no longer floss after getting porcelain veneers?

August 28, 2021 by Brian Sartin

I’m hoping you can shed some light on my cosmetic dentistry problem. I just had nine total eMax veneers placed last week. Now, I can’t floss. Is that a big problem in maintaining the look of my porcelain veneers?

-Sheila in Florida

Sheila,

Not being able to floss correctly after getting porcelain veneers is a major problem. Excellent oral hygiene is imperative in maintaining and keeping cosmetic dentistry beautiful. Lack of daily flossing will lead to an increased risk of tooth decay around the shell of the porcelain. If the situation is not remedied, your teeth are highly susceptible to serious problems, not to mention the health of your gums.

The truth of the matter is that only a very small percentage of dentists that “claim” to be cosmetic dentists, actually do beautiful work that meets the standard of care. It is not a recognized specialty area within dentistry, so any dentist can say the do porcelain veneers. But in order to provide excellent care requires extensive training and coursework beyond dental school. Since your dentist did not use correct dental bonding techniques, the spacing sounds like it’s all wrong.

You should be able to floss between each tooth, even after getting porcelain veneers placed. The floss should glide smoothly along each tooth and not run into any snags or bumps along the way. You will be at risk for gum disease as well, if this is not corrected. Your gums will become puffy and their overall health will suffer without regular flossing.

At this point it may be wise to seek a second opinion from an experienced cosmetic dentist, one that thoroughly understands the proper porcelain veneer bonding techniques to provide adequate function and spacing. You can go back into the dentist that placed them and express your concern. But since this was the end product he left you with, you really may be better off moving on.

Thank you for your question. Hopefully, it will help others be careful in learning more about their cosmetic dentist before moving forward.