I’ve had shorter teeth than my friends my entire life. It’s always embarrassed me. I saw a celebrity with the same problem who recently received porcelain veneers and her smile is absolutely gorgeous. I asked my dentist to do those for me. At first, he said it wasn’t a good idea, but I begged and showed him the images of the celebrity. He reluctantly agreed. I wish I hadn’t now. I spent a fortune and I have horse teeth. They look bulky and not nearly as pretty as the ones I saw in the images I showed him. Was he right and this was a bad idea or did the celebrity do something I don’t know about in addition to porcelain veneers?
Elaine
Dear Elaine,
Whenever your dentist is hesitant on a procedure, I’d listen. Often, it’s because they don’t have enough training or experience to do what you’re asking but are embarrassed to say something.
Porcelain Veneers are a Great Choice for Short Teeth
Your problem wasn’t the procedure, it was the dentist. He is likely a very good family dentist. However, to be a good cosmetic dentist takes a significant investment in time practicing and money for additional training. Plus, as you’ve experienced, it’s not just a matter of technical knowledge. When it comes to a smile makeover, you also need a dentist with an artistic eye.
You mentioned the porcelain veneers your dentist placed look bulky. Is there a chance your dentist placed the Lumineers brand? Many inexperienced cosmetic dentists place them because they’re marketed as being easy to place with no need for tooth preparation. The problem is many smiles require preparation even with ultra-thin veneers otherwise they will look like “horse teeth” as you’ve expressed.
Finding the Right Dentist for Your Porcelain Veneers
It used to be a real gamble for patients to find an experienced cosmetic dentist. There was no real way to gauge their skill except for their smile gallery and hope they were showing actual cases they’ve done instead of stock photos.
Now, however, there’s a much easier way. First, I’d check with the aacd.com website to find an accredited cosmetic dentist in your area. You’ll want an accredited dentist and not just a member. Accredited dentists have passed stringent oral and written exams as well as demonstrated their artistry with a large number of cases they’ve recently done. These are the best of the best cosmetic dentists in the country. There isn’t always an accredited dentist at a reasonable distance to every patient.
If you run into that, the next step would be to go to the mynewsmile.com website. They also recommend expert and artistic cosmetic dentist. Not all are accredited, but most are on their way. Accreditation can take years. But, if that website recommends them, they’re great and you’ll get a beautiful smile. In fact, many of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.
Teeth Grinding and Porcelain Veneers
You mentioned you’ve had short teeth your entire life, so this probably isn’t your problem, but many patients who discover their teeth are getting smaller and developing chips have a tooth grinding problem. This will continue with porcelain veneers. So, if you’re going to invest that much money in your smile, it will be worth it for you to also get a mouth guard. That protects you from damaging your teeth and veneers while you sleep, which is when most grinding happens.
This blog is brought to you by Des Moines Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Phelan Thomas.