In early December, I received 4 da Vinci crowns. But I think they are fake. My dentist insisted on da Vinci crowns made in California because he said they would give me the best results for my upper front teeth. After about six weeks, my dentist’s office called me to let me know the crowns arrived from the lab.

When my dentist put the crowns on my teeth, he wasn’t happy. He left the room for about 20 minutes and returned with a man who said he was from the lab. I knew the lab guy couldn’t be from California, so now I’m convinced that my dentist lied to me about what type of crowns I received. No wonder both of us are disappointed with them. They look fake and cheap. And who was this alleged guy from the lab?

So now I’m wearing temporary crowns because I told my dentist to hold everything and give me time to think about what to do next. The problem is, I don’t know what to do next. And I don’t trust my dentist. After searching all on the internet for 3 hours, I’ve e-mailed a few dental offices to see what they think about this. Can you help?

Thanks. Michelle from Newport, RI

 

Michelle,

We understand your suspicion about what’s happening with your dental crowns. It’s possible that your dentist ordered your crowns from the da Vinci lab, and a local dental technician modified them. But the da Vinci lab doesn’t charge for modifications, so it

About dental laboratories and cosmetic dentists

• The ceramist – It takes a master ceramist to produce beautiful lifelike results for dental crowns and veneers. But most dental laboratories don’t have artistic ceramists to create gorgeous smile makeovers.
• The lab – da Vinci is a large laboratory with a variety of ceramist—and not all of them are master ceramists. Some dentists find that the results produced by the lab are inconsistent, depending on which ceramist does the work. Sometimes cases are returned to da Vinci when a highly skilled cosmetic dentist sees that the restorations lack authenticity.
• The cosmetic dentist – Many advanced cosmetic dentists select private master ceramists who consistently produce lifelike results. Those ceramists have higher fees, but their work is rarely returned because the dentist or patient is unhappy with it.

Your situation

• Any cosmetic dentist who places dental crowns or veneers can advertise that they use the da Vinci brand. But even the best dental laboratory can’t compensate for a dentist’s lack of training and skill. And the brand doesn’t matter if your dentist’s skills are inadequate.
• Many master ceramists are selective about which cosmetic dentist they will work with. Even a lab like da Vinci selects which top cosmetic dentists will receive the services of a master ceramist in the lab. Less-skilled ceramists will work for cosmetic dentists who are also less-skilled in aesthetics.
• The name da Vinci is not a guarantee that you’ll receive beautiful results for your crowns or veneers. Unfortunately, your experience is more likely a reflection of your dentist’s lack of artistic talent and advanced training in cosmetic dentistry—if you have da Vinci crowns at all.

We suggest that you schedule a consultation with an advanced cosmetic dentist—preferably an accredited cosmetic dentist—who guarantees you’ll love your smile makeover.

Michael Szarek, DMD—an accredited cosmetic dentist in Lowell, MA—sponsors this post.