porcelain veneers cosmetic dentist Archives - Lowell Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

Porcelain veneers have ruined my teeth

Posted on May 6, 2019 by AllSmiles.

I hate that I got porcelain veneers. My teeth are ruined. They are too everything wrong – too wide, too long, too white, and too thick. There is nothing that I like about them. I keep thinking back about what went wrong. These are not the veneers I tried on and now they are stuck to my teeth. I am miserable about the thousands of dollars that I spent on this disappointment. My dentist kept telling me that I would get used to my veneers and eventually like them. It has been 4 months, and I am still just as disappointed as I was the day they were bonded on. Can this be reversed? – Genesis

Genesis – We are truly sorry to hear about your experience with porcelain veneers. Many general dentists are willing to provide you with a smile makeover although they only complete a few cases a year. That’s not enough experience to provide you with beautiful results.

After your teeth are prepared and the veneers are bonded to them, the process cannot be reversed. Only a minimal amount of your tooth enamel should have been removed in preparation for veneers. But many dentists who are not smile-makeover artists often remove too much enamel. In either case, your tooth enamel cannot be replaced, and it won’t regenerate. Your smaller-than-normal natural teeth are without sufficient enamel and can’t remain exposed without some type of cosmetic dentistry treatment to protect them.

How Can Your Porcelain Veneers Mistake Be Corrected?

We highly recommend that you schedule a consultation with an accredited cosmetic dentist. If there isn’t one in your immediate area, it might be to your advantage to find one within a reasonable distance. An accredited cosmetic dentist has passed written and oral exams and submitted patient cases to demonstrate proficiency in designing beautiful smiles with porcelain veneers and other forms of cosmetic dentistry. What will a cosmetic dentist do?

Examine your porcelain veneers.
Examine your teeth.
Determine how much tooth enamel was removed.
Explain your options.

New porcelain veneers

In most cases, the only solution is to receive new porcelain veneers. As the photos below show, a skilled cosmetic dentist can produce lifelike results.

PORCELAIN VENEERS BEFORE
PORCELAIN VENEERS AFTER

Composite veneers

If only minimal amounts of tooth enamel were removed from your natural teeth, it is possible that composite veneers can be applied instead of porcelain veneers. But that’s a decision that should be left to your cosmetic dentist. Although composite bonding can be less expensive than porcelain veneers, there are several disadvantages if you want long-lasting results:

Composite veneers are not as durable and will need to be replaced every ten years or so. If you take good care of veneers, they can last 20 years or more.
Composite will stain, while porcelain veneers are stain resistant.
Depending on how much chairside time is required to complete them, composite veneers can be almost as expensive as porcelain veneers.

Although most dentists don’t provide composite veneers, a highly skilled cosmetic dentist like Dr. Szarek can produce beautiful results with bonding.

DENTAL BONDING BEFORE
DENTAL BONDING AFTER

This post is sponsored by Lowell, MA accredited cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Dull or Stained Porcelain Veneers? 5 Tips for Treatment and Prevention

Posted on March 21, 2019 by AllSmiles.

If you take good care of them, porcelain veneers can last 15 to 20 years or longer. But what if your veneers look dull or are stained? A skilled cosmetic dentist might be able to help.

Polishing Dull or Stained Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers can be polished to a gloss similar to their original glaze. But your dentist must have the specialized tools, materials, and training to achieve the correct results. Otherwise, your veneers can be permanently damaged.

What’s Involved?

The right tools and materials

Photo of dental forceps holding a single porcelain veneers, from the office of accredited cosmetic dentist Dr. Szarek of Lowell, MA. — Regular maintenance will keep luster in your porcelain veneers

Polishing porcelain requires your dentist to use a combination of specific tools and materials that are designed for use on dental restorations. Some tools and materials might include:

Polishing instruments for use on dental ceramics
Ultra-fine polishing strips
Ultra-fine polishing paste

Maintenance

Porcelain veneers require maintenance to keep their luster. If you schedule regular polishing visits with an experienced cosmetic dentist, it can prolong the life and beauty of your veneers. Any accumulation of stains or dullness on your veneers will be minor if they are properly maintained.

Preventive care

What can you do to keep your porcelain veneers bright?

Avoid abrasive toothpaste – This includes whitening toothpaste that is not designed for use on porcelain veneers. Whitening toothpastes are abrasive and can scratch the surface of porcelain veneers. The tiny scratches will attract stains.

Use a soft bristle toothbrush – Soft bristles will gently clean your porcelain veneers and prevent scratches on the surface.

Use alcohol-free mouthwash – Alcohol can soften and loosen the bonding of your porcelain veneers. Fluid or bacteria can leak behind the veneers and cause staining or decay.

What’s Next?

A family or general dentist who does not regularly place porcelain veneers won’t have the proper tools and materials to enhance the appearance of your veneers. If your porcelain veneers need to be polished, seek the advice of a trained cosmetic dentist. He or she will examine your veneers and let you know the results you can expect.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Michael Szarek, a Lowell, MA dentist and accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Read our October 2019 post about what can cause porcelain veneers to lose their shine.

Can I get porcelain veneers at a dental school if I can’t afford a cosmetic dentist?

Posted on March 10, 2015 by AllSmiles.

My teeth are really in bad shape and I want porcelain veneers. I have called several local dentists and found out that I can’t afford them. I am willing to travel to a dental school for veneers if they provide them there. Is this an option? Thanks Tammy

Tammy – There are dental schools that provide porcelain veneers. But porcelain veneers are a service that even many general dentists who have completed dentistry school don’t provide.

In part, this is because achieving beautiful results requires an artistic inclination as well as skill. Without those talents, veneers can look fake, bulky, too white, or boxy. Many general dentists refer their patients to experienced cosmetic dentists for porcelain veneers. Experienced cosmetic dentists spend hundreds of hours in continuing education to learn how to design smiles that are personalized. Their experienced helps to determine if porcelain veneers are the best treatment for your case, the type of veneers to use, and how to produce beautiful results.

If you decide to receive veneers from a dental school, you may be at risk for receiving a smile that doesn’t look real. People may easily be able to tell that the veneers are not your natural teeth.

If you cannot afford porcelain veneers, there are alternatives that a cosmetic dentist can provide. First, your teeth need to be examined. Sometimes, a combination of cosmetic treatments can greatly improve your smile. Teeth whitening, teeth contouring, dental bonding, porcelain crowns, or a combination of treatments can work for you.

We recommend that you find experienced cosmetic dentists in your area. Select a few of them, schedule a consultation with each dentist, and find out what your options are. The results will be long-lasting and beautiful. You can also learn how whatever treatment you receive can be made affordable for you.

This post is sponsored by Lowell accredited cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Composite veneers or porcelain veneers?

Posted on December 8, 2014 by AllSmiles.

What are some of the differences between composite veneers or porcelain veneers? Which should I get? Thx Marie

Marie – Indirect composite veneers are based on impressions of your teeth that a dentists takes and sends to a laboratory to craft. Direct composite veneers, placed and hand sculpted by a dentist, can be completed in one visit. Composite dental resin is applied in layers to achieve natural color and translucency for your teeth. Both indirect and direct composite veneers can be lifelike and beautiful, but require artistic talent from a skilled cosmetic dentist.

Composite veneers last four to eight years, but they wear and stain or chip with time. The old composite can be removed and replaced. They cost less than porcelain veneers.

Porcelain veneers are made by a ceramist, based on impressions of your teeth. A cosmetic dentist will submit the impressions, a model of your smile makeover, and instructions regarding tooth shade to the ceramist. You will receive temporary veneers to try in before the final veneers are made by the ceramist.

Porcelain veneers can last 15 to 20 years, depending on how well you take care of them. Porcelain veneers are chip and stain resistant. Frequently, the natural teeth are minimally prepared before porcelain veneers are placed, which requires removing a slight small amount of tooth structure to prevent the teeth from looking bulky after the veneers are placed over them.

We recommend that you schedule an appointment with an accredited cosmetic dentist. He or she will examine your teeth and let you know the results you can expect from composite veneers, as well as porcelain veneers.

This post is sponsored by Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Question on porcelain veneers for tetracycline stained teeth

Posted on August 20, 2014 by AllSmiles.

I have seen pictures from several dentists of porcelain veneers over tetracycline teeth. In every case, the teeth look way too white and thick. I don’t know what kind of veneers were used. Is there a particular brand I should use so that if I get veneers to cover my tetracycline stains they won’t look fake? Joan K.

Joan – Regardless of the reason that a person wants or needs porcelain veneers, the skill of an artistic cosmetic dentist is required to produce natural looking results.

In attempt to cover tetracycline stains, veneers can end up looking pasty or thick. Only a skilled cosmetic and his or her master ceramist can build in the translucency require to give the veneers a natural appearance, and at the same time cover tetracycline stains. The results depend more upon the skill of the dentist and ceramist than the brand of veneers that are used.

We recommend that you visit an experienced cosmetic dentist to receive an examination. You can discuss your concerns and have your questions answered about concealing your tetracycline stains with porcelain veneers.

This post is sponsored by Lowell accredited cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek